So this weekend I went to Mysticon, a Science Fiction and Fantasy con that happens up the road in Roanoke every year. I’ve never been to Mysticon before, and like the title says, I didn’t go to have fun.
Why I did go:
I decided that if I’m going to be marketing my books at conventions, then I should get used to going to conventions as an author and not a fan. So, I went without my husband or any friends, which was a conscious decision. I went to watch other authors do their own marketing and see what I could learn from them.
Thankfully, since I’ve been going to Otakon for over a decade now, the convention space is comfortable for me, even without friends. This is my tribe so I am able to feel confidant in the space.
What I learned:
I went to a panel on marketing your book after release. This helped two-fold. One, I was helpful to hear authors talk about things they do to promote their books. I got notes on insights on ads, social media, reviews, going to conventions, and book signings and that kind of thing.
I was also able to watch the authors themselves. How they have books to display as well as having an ipad that scrolled through pictures of other books they either didn’t have with them, or left off so the table wasn’t too cluttered. They were also both engaging, helpful, and just friendly all around. That is the type of thing I want to be able to do, because when you are able to connect with someone who is just talking, you’re more likely to want to buy their books.
After that was a panel that I thought would be on Firefly because it was called Honor in the Verse. It ended up being a panel by numerous authors talking about honor of characters in books. So that ended up being even better than I thought. It made me realize that I’ll definitely have some ‘sit down and think’ time before I ever go on a panel. I’m not sure how good I’ll be at coming up with answers to questions on the fly. At the same time, it was a fun, comfortable atmosphere.
I also learned that while I have made leaps and bounds with being able to meet people’s eyes in the hallway and even make a little bit of small talk, I still shut down pretty hard when someone expects me to know something. I’m not sure how to work on that, but at least I’m aware of it.
What I plan to do better next time:
I should have stayed and talked to some of the authors after their panels. I am never good at coming up with clever/thoughtful questions to ask. If I had thought about it, I could’ve asked if I could follow one of them to their tables for book signings just to see the process, see how they interact with people and that kind of thing. I also could’ve asked how you get invited (or volunteer) to be on a panel at a convention. Slowly, but surely, I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone.
And, of course, I did still have fun at the con, even if it was not my goal. The more comfortable I get going as an author, the more fun I will be able to have.
