Top Five Reasons Authors Should Exhibit at Book Fair Australia
- Ivana L. Truglio
- Jul 18, 2024
- 1 min read
Book Fair Australia is a literary festival that celebrates stories of all genres. We are a team of dedicated individuals that love reading, writing and engaging with all members of the community. If you’re an author, this is a great opportunity to dip your quill into the outside world.
Here are the top five reasons (in no particular order) that you should join in the fun and exhibit with us if you are an author:
Instant Sales
This is the obvious one. Of course every author wants to make sales at an event – enough to cover the table costs as well as the cost of printing, with some money left over for actual profit. However, the readers that you reach at an event may not have the budget there and then to purchase your book. They might not be entirely convinced by the cover and a quick read of the blurb.
The more events you go to, and the more times they see you, the more willing they are to purchase your books. Especially if they see a series continuing or reaching its conclusion!
If you have more than one book, you might be disheartened when a reader will only purchase the first book in the series. Don’t worry! If these readers like your story, they will find you online or at your next event to purchase the rest of the books.
Marketing
Marketing is the bane of authors! Not only do we need to write a story, do all the fiddly bits at the end to turn it into a novel, but we also need to sell it.
Some of us may be fortunate enough to organise book tours in various bookstores and cities, and have plenty of material for social media, but the rest of us are left trying to come up with things to post that don’t always sound like we’re trying to sell our books (which, of course, we are).
Events like Book Fair Australia provide authors with plenty of photo opportunities to use leading up to, during and after the event. Every chance to show off your covers, happy readers with your books, or reviews from these readers brings you one step closer to another reader taking the chance on you and try your books.
On a personal note, this very thing happened to me. Years ago, I posted on social media that I was going to an event (which was not local for me). It turned out to be an extremely quiet event with almost no traffic. The only reason I covered my table cost was because one of my loyal readers told a friend about it. This friend came to the event and bought every single one of my books just off that recommendation!
Tax Deductions
This is a tricky one. You may only be able to claim tax deductions as an author if this is more than just a hobby.
Authors can claim various things on tax including, but not limited to, event fees. Your table costs, the cost of printing books, even the fees charged by the tap and go devices you use to make your sales. Take the time to research this, or talk to your accountant.
Research
Trends change over the years – that’s why they’re called trends! So take the time to walk around at every event you exhibit at to see what catches your eye and which stalls are the busiest. Get some ideas to make your own stall stand out to readers.
You can also take this opportunity to pick up a few new books as “research” for your own stories. As we’ve all been told a thousand times, one way to become a better writer is to read as much and as widely as possible. Reading outside of your usual genre can be a great way to inspire you to write something just that little bit different and hook some new readers. Book Fair Australia gives you that opportunity by bringing you together with authors from all over the country in every genre.
Community
The writing and reading community is a joy to be a part of. Many of the writer friends we make along the way are people that we’ve met at different events. We’ll see these people year after year, support each other, celebrate each other’s wins and commiserate over losses.
Readers are an important part of the writing community. Whether they be your beta readers or readers who find you online or at events, every single one of them is important. At events like Book Fair Australia, you get to see them in person and find out what they loved most about your books or what made them throw your book across the room in anger or frustration!
Wherever you first found your growing community, seeing these people at events brings a unique joy that you may not even realise you needed. It’s amazing how many people are out there just waiting to support you and lose themselves in your books if you give them a chance.
So, could you benefit from the above? We think so!
We are still accepting applications for exhibitors. Click here to apply and secure your stall/booth today.
If you have any questions, contact us at exhibitors@bookfairaustralia.com.
Book Fair Australia 2024
WHEN: 2-3 November, 2024, 10am-5pm
WHERE: Exhibition Hall 5, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
Comments