Convention Goals

This weekend marks my second time attending and participating in COSine, a science fiction convention in Colorado Springs. Last year was also the very first time I ever sat on a panel and could not contain my inner fangirl next to Connie Willis. For context, if you go to the Wikipedia page for the Hugo Awards, you will see a photo of Connie Willis. As a sci-fi author, this is a pretty big deal, and she is a very kind woman.

I reserved my very first vendor table and had a blast as my neighbor cracked open geodes for his customers. It was literally the best seat in the house. I met the very generous and ever knowledgeable Nathan Lowell in person as well as his daughter EJ who I later found to always be a delight. Kim Klimek, whom I had met the month before at Barnes and Noble in Westminster, quickly became a good friend after bumping into her again at COSine.

I learned quite a bit about conventions and my preferences as an author and panelist. When booking an engagement like this, I consider where I get the best bang for my buck. The biggest determining factor in deciding to speak on panels or rent table space is deciding my overall goal in attending the convention. These goals differ greatly depending on size.

For the large Denver Pop Culture Con scheduled for 4th of July weekend 2020, authors are not the focus of the convention so having a vendor table is where I have had the most opportunity to reach new readers. Panels are fun, but I think I sat on over ten different panels last year and was thoroughly exhausted running back and forth through the convention center all weekend. My goal here is sales and while connections can be made in panels, sales happen at the table.

For medium cons like MileHigh Con at the end of October 2020, where the authors are the focus of the con, you can run back and forth between panels, where people will learn about your insight, and your author table, where people will follow you from your panels to purchase your work. The goal here is networking and sales.

For smaller cons like COSine this weekend, I find that being tethered to an author table limits my ability to network and see other panels. Last year I was able to sell just as many books at the group signing as I had the entire weekend in the vendor room. My goal for smaller cons is to rub shoulders with local greats and learn as much as I possibly can from those willing to share. Networking at smaller cons is a better use of my time and money in this regard.

Some authors swear by vendor tables, others swear them off. Some authors are exhausted after one panel, others find the more the merrier. The best way to form these insights is to put yourself out there. If you’re unsure if you want to even start participating in cons, maybe just attend them as a fan and ask questions of the authors both on panels and standing at their vendor tables. I did this before publishing my first book. I followed an author I’d previously met from his table to his panel and back just to see how he managed it. Then I sat with him between customers and asked him industry questions. All with permission of course and respectful of his business.

Being at a convention can sometimes feel as scary as hitting “Submit” on your book, but the more you try the more familiar it becomes. What are your convention goals for 2020?