Those crowds sound like my worst nightmare. I’ve always wondered what it was like as I dated a literary agent for a couple of years and he seemed to love it. Thanks for going and describing it so I never have to!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Troy! I learned some stuff and have some things to look into further regarding self-publishing. Thanks for investigating this particular publishing circus for us!
Thank you for attending this and for the great write-up, Troy. You've reminded me why I've retired from a job that involved going to similar events (and once, even the LBF). The sight of a lanyard these days makes me shudder.
And thanks for all the invaluable tips on self-publishing.
Some people thrive on these sorts of events - I am not these people ;) Although, paradoxically, I love a good lanyard. (And yet, these were not good lanyards... ;) What a world.
Oh my. Sounds like a mix of overwhelming and underwhelming all at once! Blech. Buuuut, the information you’ve provided is much appreciated. So thank you for taking one for the team!
My pleasure, my dear - no one should feel in the least bad if they can never make it themselves, everything I discovered could be found on the internet. Maybe in the end just a good excuse to visit my friend in London :)
Blimey. That really sounds like a clustrfuck and, honestly, I'm glad you went so that I never have to (🙏). That's a wealth of information, though, and I thank you for sharing it. I love the idea of writing a book, one day--and I shudder at the thought of publishing a book, one day. It seems like such a minefield. Makes me even more in awe of the people who manage it. Relieved that you got to meet the Gruffalo, at least ! 💜🧡💛
haha AND Mula the sleepy tiger - felt very much in my element... In fact, I'm beginning to think there's something to this furries thing 🤪 We should definitely have a canoodle with Eleanor, she's the real pioneer - she wasted no time, and there YOU are on Page 0...! 💛❤️🔥❤️
Hey, you know me, I’ll try anything once! 🐯(except, perhaps, publishing a book?!) Eleanor is a force, and this way at least my name has made it onto a published book!! 😜💗
I had the same experience as you last year - complete with the wandering around in circles feeling absolutely baffled! I went alone and only managed to get two stall holders to actually hold a conversation with me (I went with vague ideas of talking to agents as a ghostwriter, or to childrens book publishers about something I've written but not yet published, but they all fobbed me off), so it was pretty lonely. I walk with a cane so it was also very miserable due to the lack of seating. I had a media pass so I did manage to head up to the media room, where I was permitted to perch on a tiny, wobbly stool with no back support amongst a sea of cliquey film crews who ignored everyone else in the room completely. Wonderful! I left after lunch and vowed never again. I'm sure a lot of business must be getting done or they wouldn't bother holding it, but unless you like the look of a good number of the speakers, I don't really see the value for the average person.
Oh I'm so sorry you had that experience, Rhiannon! It's strange to me that they've ignored (again) the dignity and comfort of people - there were notes from last year pleading for more seating. The nays have it: Baffling! ;)
What a wealth of valuable info. Going to pore through some of this for Dylan’s memoir. Thank you for entering the mouth of the dragon for us. I’m glad you emerged intact!
Yes! We've been working on it for a year now, hired a professional editor, and recently started submitting ... here's more info if you want to learn more. I've sent it to a half-dozen traditional publishers and we're also exploring self-publishing and saving his funds for a good publicist. I'm learning a lot about this whole, strange business in the process! https://open.substack.com/pub/unfixed/p/an-unforgettable-story-of-surrender?r=3lmmp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Oh yes! I remember now the story of the time he and the crew sat for 30 mins when the film light messed with his eye tracker. (My goodness you are busy!) Fingers crossed xo
Woof. There’s a lot of stuff to digest here MTF. Thanks for providing such a thorough read out of the event, particularly around self-publishing. I have been circling for a while on this and I’m still not ready to land.
my gratitude to you for sticking it out and sharing all that you learned. very helpful indeed. & man, do i feel you on so, so, much of your experience. glad to have found you, friend.
I could feel that agent exhaustion! I get it. Face to face seems like even more work. A marketplace. Ahh! But sounds like you learned a lot about self publishing trends 👌🏽😄
I haven't had the pleasure of seeing my book in a bookstore yet (maybe with the detective novel coming out this summer), but writers shouldn't be too hung up on physical stores. The vast majority of sales are online - which is why shops are disappearing - and among those Amazon gets the bulk. I know a few writers that "shoot wide" and use Ingram for their physical presence with variable results (one of my friends basically said f*** Ingram recently, he had too many issues with them). Also note that royalties on bookstore sales are pathetic, and that you often make more on an eBook than a paperback - especially now that the cost of paper has gone so much up that prices are ridiculous (if you read as much as I do, it's a budget! I often go digital for that reason). Also to be noted, my short story collection publisher used Draft2Digital that takes care of making the book available in a ton of formats including Kindle and Amazon paperbacks, and apparently bookshops can order too... And then there's the question of agents. That's a whole different bowl of spaghetti...
Draft2Digital! Great tip, thanks Martine! Yeah, I don't know how important the whole question of bookstore is to me, considering that Sitges doesn't have a single one (!) and there is very limited availability even in Barcelona... But as you say, I think that physical books probably are going the way of cash money - the numbers (and our dwindling forests) just don't support a future awash in paper...
I know, the whole time watching these people sitting there with their laptops and folders, I was like "What? What are you talking about? Why would you schlep all the way to The London Book Fair just to say to someone's face 'I need 50 copies of Harry Potter' or whatever the fuck." Pick up the phone! Send an email! Go away! Jesus. Or maybe that's just how I would deal with someone coming at me with that foolishness... 🤣
You know, it's true that if getting a big book deal and becoming a bestseller is like winning the lottery, becoming a bestseller as an indie author is a bit like catching a leprechaun. I've decided I just don't care - I'm going to keep going, and I'm completely confident I'm going to be one of those authors discovered 100 years from now, and people are going to say "A visionary virtually unknown in his lifetime..." and I'm totally cool with that. ;)
Those crowds sound like my worst nightmare. I’ve always wondered what it was like as I dated a literary agent for a couple of years and he seemed to love it. Thanks for going and describing it so I never have to!
Someone's gotta do it ;) Thanks Jude!
Sorry it turned out not to be a life-changing event, but sounds like it was neat to see ... once!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Troy! I learned some stuff and have some things to look into further regarding self-publishing. Thanks for investigating this particular publishing circus for us!
Circus! That's the word I was searching for ;) Thanks Meg!
Thank you for attending this and for the great write-up, Troy. You've reminded me why I've retired from a job that involved going to similar events (and once, even the LBF). The sight of a lanyard these days makes me shudder.
And thanks for all the invaluable tips on self-publishing.
Some people thrive on these sorts of events - I am not these people ;) Although, paradoxically, I love a good lanyard. (And yet, these were not good lanyards... ;) What a world.
Oh my. Sounds like a mix of overwhelming and underwhelming all at once! Blech. Buuuut, the information you’ve provided is much appreciated. So thank you for taking one for the team!
My pleasure, my dear - no one should feel in the least bad if they can never make it themselves, everything I discovered could be found on the internet. Maybe in the end just a good excuse to visit my friend in London :)
Echoing Chloe's thoughts! Sounds like a clusterfuck 😆
Sorry you had to wade through all of that, but I do so appreciate all the information you gleaned and provided here. Very helpful stuff.
And to top it all off, I missed my naps! 🤣 Thanks Nathan!
Crucial naps should not be missed 😆
Blimey. That really sounds like a clustrfuck and, honestly, I'm glad you went so that I never have to (🙏). That's a wealth of information, though, and I thank you for sharing it. I love the idea of writing a book, one day--and I shudder at the thought of publishing a book, one day. It seems like such a minefield. Makes me even more in awe of the people who manage it. Relieved that you got to meet the Gruffalo, at least ! 💜🧡💛
haha AND Mula the sleepy tiger - felt very much in my element... In fact, I'm beginning to think there's something to this furries thing 🤪 We should definitely have a canoodle with Eleanor, she's the real pioneer - she wasted no time, and there YOU are on Page 0...! 💛❤️🔥❤️
Hey, you know me, I’ll try anything once! 🐯(except, perhaps, publishing a book?!) Eleanor is a force, and this way at least my name has made it onto a published book!! 😜💗
There really should be a furries-adjacent niche: featheries! 🐥🐣🐤💛
Now that I can get on board with! 🪶💜🪶
I had the same experience as you last year - complete with the wandering around in circles feeling absolutely baffled! I went alone and only managed to get two stall holders to actually hold a conversation with me (I went with vague ideas of talking to agents as a ghostwriter, or to childrens book publishers about something I've written but not yet published, but they all fobbed me off), so it was pretty lonely. I walk with a cane so it was also very miserable due to the lack of seating. I had a media pass so I did manage to head up to the media room, where I was permitted to perch on a tiny, wobbly stool with no back support amongst a sea of cliquey film crews who ignored everyone else in the room completely. Wonderful! I left after lunch and vowed never again. I'm sure a lot of business must be getting done or they wouldn't bother holding it, but unless you like the look of a good number of the speakers, I don't really see the value for the average person.
Oh I'm so sorry you had that experience, Rhiannon! It's strange to me that they've ignored (again) the dignity and comfort of people - there were notes from last year pleading for more seating. The nays have it: Baffling! ;)
What a wealth of valuable info. Going to pore through some of this for Dylan’s memoir. Thank you for entering the mouth of the dragon for us. I’m glad you emerged intact!
Only slightly singed! Are you helping Dylan with his memoir?? How wonderful! ❤️🔥
Yes! We've been working on it for a year now, hired a professional editor, and recently started submitting ... here's more info if you want to learn more. I've sent it to a half-dozen traditional publishers and we're also exploring self-publishing and saving his funds for a good publicist. I'm learning a lot about this whole, strange business in the process! https://open.substack.com/pub/unfixed/p/an-unforgettable-story-of-surrender?r=3lmmp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Oh yes! I remember now the story of the time he and the crew sat for 30 mins when the film light messed with his eye tracker. (My goodness you are busy!) Fingers crossed xo
Woof. There’s a lot of stuff to digest here MTF. Thanks for providing such a thorough read out of the event, particularly around self-publishing. I have been circling for a while on this and I’m still not ready to land.
Looks like Eleanor's gone and forged ahead, she's publishing her memoir with Troubador! (Dying to know her experience...) Thanks Ben!
ah, it is good to see you, troy!!
my gratitude to you for sticking it out and sharing all that you learned. very helpful indeed. & man, do i feel you on so, so, much of your experience. glad to have found you, friend.
Thanks Pan ~ glad to help, I was pleased to find self-publishing is starting to gain traction in esteem and viability. Very glad to have you here! 💜
I could feel that agent exhaustion! I get it. Face to face seems like even more work. A marketplace. Ahh! But sounds like you learned a lot about self publishing trends 👌🏽😄
Hope you make it to Brighton!
I felt all my good intentions deflate the minute I walked in! 😂 Only one direction to go: Onward! 😘
It happens 💪🏽 💜
Thanks for taking the bullet for us, MTF!
Anything for you, sister! ❤️🔥
I haven't had the pleasure of seeing my book in a bookstore yet (maybe with the detective novel coming out this summer), but writers shouldn't be too hung up on physical stores. The vast majority of sales are online - which is why shops are disappearing - and among those Amazon gets the bulk. I know a few writers that "shoot wide" and use Ingram for their physical presence with variable results (one of my friends basically said f*** Ingram recently, he had too many issues with them). Also note that royalties on bookstore sales are pathetic, and that you often make more on an eBook than a paperback - especially now that the cost of paper has gone so much up that prices are ridiculous (if you read as much as I do, it's a budget! I often go digital for that reason). Also to be noted, my short story collection publisher used Draft2Digital that takes care of making the book available in a ton of formats including Kindle and Amazon paperbacks, and apparently bookshops can order too... And then there's the question of agents. That's a whole different bowl of spaghetti...
Draft2Digital! Great tip, thanks Martine! Yeah, I don't know how important the whole question of bookstore is to me, considering that Sitges doesn't have a single one (!) and there is very limited availability even in Barcelona... But as you say, I think that physical books probably are going the way of cash money - the numbers (and our dwindling forests) just don't support a future awash in paper...
I know, the whole time watching these people sitting there with their laptops and folders, I was like "What? What are you talking about? Why would you schlep all the way to The London Book Fair just to say to someone's face 'I need 50 copies of Harry Potter' or whatever the fuck." Pick up the phone! Send an email! Go away! Jesus. Or maybe that's just how I would deal with someone coming at me with that foolishness... 🤣
You know, it's true that if getting a big book deal and becoming a bestseller is like winning the lottery, becoming a bestseller as an indie author is a bit like catching a leprechaun. I've decided I just don't care - I'm going to keep going, and I'm completely confident I'm going to be one of those authors discovered 100 years from now, and people are going to say "A visionary virtually unknown in his lifetime..." and I'm totally cool with that. ;)