Summer is festival season – not just for music, for the literary world too!

After two years of restrictions, book fairs are back with a vengeance, and I’m attending a packed programme of events throughout the summer along with other authors from my publisher Inspired Quill

If you’re considering taking a stand at an event near you, I’ve put together this guide which might help you.

Why bother with book fairs?

For authors published by small indie-presses, events are a great way of getting our books out there and reaching readers.

Small presses have limited marketing resources and although indie-bookshops will often stock our books, it can be a struggle to get a look in at mainstream stores.

Book festivals are a way of increasing visibility and making contact with readers and I, personally, enjoy them. I usually feel re-enthused about my writing afterwards.

How much is a stall?

Cost varies. It can be from as little as £5 for a small event to £50 or more for some of the bigger festivals. A few are even free!

Newark Book Festival charges a £30 weekend rate for a stall in its literature village. That’s two full days with large tables and gazebos provided. The festival also has pop up events in other venues which are £5 a go. We’ve got a stall on 13^th August at a pop-up in Southwell and one in September in Edwinstowe.

Some events do a cheaper rate for charities which is worth checking if – like IQ – your publisher is a non-profit.

The priciest event we’ve done around Nottingham is the Green Festival which costs £35 for the day but it’s hugely popular and we usually do well at it.

How to decide which events to go for?

Consider timing and location. Is the venue likely to get a lot of footfall? Are there other attractions that will draw people in? Are there clashing events elsewhere? Is the event a regular occasion with a known following?

Newark, for example, is a well established book festival which attracts some big name authors. It’s in the market square, right in the centre of town, and as well as book stalls, there’s the regular market, craft fair plus music and entertainment.

By contrast, we did a pop-up last year at Edwinstowe that was in an out of the way place with little passing trade. Apart from other stall holders and their entourages there were hardly any visitors.

What should you take?

• Books (obviously)! Enough to make a decent display and twice as many as you expect to sell.
• Folding table – if not provided. You can get lightweight camping tables from places like Argos for under £30.
• Tablecloth – preferably in a colour that complements the display. We go for red to match the IQ logo.
• Gazebo – if not provided. I’d recommend one with optional back and sides in case it’s chilly!
• Fold-up chairs.
• Something three-dimensional to display your books. I now have a couple of book stands but before that I improvised with a music stand.
• Bunting (optional!)
• Banners if you have them, and any other merch.
• Some info about your books which includes your contact details for people to take away.
• A pen for signing.
• Card machine to take card payments (increasingly important post-pandemic as many people don’t carry cash).
• Some change for those that do want to pay in cash!

Is it worth it if you only sell a handful of books?

Personally, I like being out there engaging with the public and I find people endlessly fascinating. Purely from an observational point of view, events can be fun.

On a warm sunny day, in a convivial atmosphere with music, street food and entertainment, it’s an enjoyable day out.

Writing is a solitary occupation, so it’s good to meet up with other writers. I often share a stall with fellow IQ author Anne Goodwin – pictured above. We both appreciate the opportunity to catch up and compare notes.

You may get the chance to do some impromptu readings!

You also get free publicity from passing entertainers!

Sometimes you even get a shout-out from the band!

And you never know what the spin-offs may be. Soon after Blue Tide Rising came out, I took a few copies along to Newark Book Festival where I’d volunteered to help out at the Nottingham Writers Studio stall. I sold one to a lady who managed a W H Smith store in Grantham.

She said, “If I like it I’ll invite you to the shop to do a book signing.” She did, and this led to a tour of WH Smith stores across the region where, as a visiting local author, I got a table in the shop on a Saturday to sell and sign books.

Which events should you go for?

There are designated book festivals and more generalised events like summer fairs or craft markets. Both have pros and cons.

At a literary festival, you can reasonably assume that most visitors like reading. They’ll be happy to talk to you about books.

That said, you’re competing against scores of other book stalls and if people have already completed their haul of reading material before they reach your stall you may miss out.

At a craft market or summer fair you may well be the only book stall there. Visitors won’t necessarily be into books but it can work in your favour when you come across people who do like reading.

Art & craft fairs can work well, especially if people on surrounding stalls are selling original art which may seem pricey compared to a £10 paperback. If visitors are keen to support local artists but don’t want to spend too much, you can be onto a winner.

We’ve done a few smaller village fairs and church fetes recently which are often cheap to attend. Some are worth doing but others have such low footfall it’s not worth the time and effort.

Some top tips

Before the event

• Find out as much as you can in advance. If there are opportunities to do readings, give a talk or take part in an author panel, sign up!
• Check what’s provided and what you need to take eg gazebo, table, chairs.
• Check if you need indemnity insurance. It’s worth having if you’re going to do a lot of events as many organisers require it. The Society of Authors offers a low cost deal for members.
• Get plenty of sleep the night before, energy levels are crucial when you’re talking to people all day.
• Look at the weather forecast and dress accordingly. I’m ‘nesh’ so I need lots of layer options. It’s surprising how cold it can get even in so-called summer!
• If it’s a heatwave, like the other weekend when temperatures hit 40, take a hat, suncream, lots of water and a portable fan.
• If your gazebo has sides, bring them just in case. It can make the difference between being frozen or snug if there’s a prevailing wind.
• Remember to charge up your card machine in advance and make sure you’re phone’s fully charged!
• Pack your books in a case on wheels – books are heavy and you might not be able to park very close to your pitch.

On the day

• Go with an open mind. Treat it as a day out and if you sell some books, that’s a bonus!
• Chat to and help other stall holders and they’ll reciprocate. If you’re running the stall solo, it helps if someone nearby can watch your stall while you grab a coffee or take a toilet break.
• Don’t go in with a hard sell. You’ll drive people away. Chatting to them about what they like reading and what they’re reading at the moment can be a good conversation opener.
• Talk to everyone who approaches the stall. You can’t judge by appearance who will buy a book. I once sold a copy of Blue Tide Rising to a man who said he didn’t read, had never read a book and had no interest in reading!
• Keep hydrated, take provisions. There will probably be food on offer but it might not be to your taste or there may be queues so take something just in case.
• Perfect your one-line pitch for each of your books to draw readers in. People get bored with lengthy explanations.
• Stay passionate about your books. Your enthusiasm will infect others.
• Don’t get disheartened if you don’t sell many. That one sale might be to an influential person who recommends it to others.
• If people don’t want to buy now, give them information about your books to take away. They may look you up and buy later.

After the event

• Follow up on any contacts you’ve made during the day. I’ve met people at events who’ve later invited me to run workshops or talk to their book groups.
• Review how it went. Decide if it’s an event you want to revisit next time around.
• Keep a tally of your book stocks in case you need to order more before the next event!

Festival season is in full swing and there are events throughout August and September Find out where the Inspired Quill bookstall will be popping up next!