New! We’re very pleased to announce that once a month we’ll be sharing with you a list of international book fairs and writers’ conferences, compiled by Indie Reader. The list at the end of this article is for June and July, 2016. Take a look and let us know what you think. Will you be participating in any of them?
Porter Anderson on Writer Unboxed
Books’ Prices and Writing’s Value: Careful What We Asked For?
“What have we done to the idea of writing’s value? How fuzzy is this math going to get?”
Jeff Goins on Tim Grahl
What to do When Your Book Launch Fails
“Maybe you launched without knowing what you were doing. Maybe you wish you could go back and do it all over again. Maybe you—hypothetically speaking—spent money in all the wrong places only to be disappointed by the results.”
Anne Hagan on Molly Greene: Writer
Fiverr: Every Author’s Secret Staff
“Several years ago, when I was working from home doing eBay sales and quick freelance jobs from time to time, I ran across the micro-gig site, Fiverr. Fiverr is a marketplace where freelance sellers can advertise the jobs they’ll do starting at just $5.00 U.S.”
Kristen Lamb on Kristen Lamb’s Blog
Six Ways To Self-Edit & Polish Your Prose
“Whether you are new to writing or an old pro, brushing up on the basics is always helpful. Because no matter how GOOD the story is? If the reader is busy stumbling over this stuff, it ruins the fictive dream and she will never GET to the story. So today we are going to cover six ways to self-edit your fiction. Though this stuff might seem like a no-brainer, I see these blunders ALL the time.”
Toby Neal on How-to For Authors
Writing for Kindle Worlds – the Good and the Ugly : Toby Neal
“Whatever you feel about Amazon, they are cutting-edge as a company, and one of the most innovative programs they’ve come up with in publishing is Kindle Worlds.”
All the World’s a Book Fair (or Writer’s Conference) Calendar
The Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference
Santa Barbara, California, June 5–10
They’ve been at it since 1972 and have featured such luminaries as Ray Bradbury, Charles Schulz, and T.C. Boyle. This year features spy thrillist Gayle Lynds and F. Paul Wilson (he wrote The Keep and hated the movie!). Organizers offer more than twenty instructional workshops a day on a wide range of fiction and nonfiction writing and marketing. They also offer evening (into the late evening) “pirate workshops,” or “read-and-critique sessions.”
21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference
New Rochelle, New York, June 10–12
We recommend this for people who’ve written some children’s nonfiction. Not truly useful for adult fan-fiction.
Seoul International Book Fair
Seoul, South Korea, June 15–19
Our computer translation of the slogan is “communication with a book and is designed for the future,” which shows how well computers translate. Hey, we’re old-fashioned enough to think any translation is nifty. Further research indicates the actual slogan is “Read the culture, read the world.” Originally focused on more local children’s publishing, the fair is emphasizing the “international” aspect of the fair.
American Library Association Annual Conference
Orlando, Florida, June 23–28
This is where libraries pick their books. A huge deal for publishers. There’s probably another article as to how it goes for the self-published. You might want to join up with an organization that can swing you a title display.
The Writers’ League of Texas 2016 Agents & Editors Conference
Austin, Texas, June 24–26
This one’s “for writers at every stage of their career.” And it’s in frigging Austin, with all the music, art, and food and “the largest urban bat colony in North America.”
Dublin Writers’ Conference
Dublin, Ireland, June 24–26
There are sessions on craft, of course, but there’s a deep emphasis on self-publishing at this conference.
ThrillerFest XI
New York, New York, July 5–9
For those of you who don’t know how to read roman numerals, this is the eleventh annual ThrillerFest, and it promises to be thrilling! Featuring sessions designed to teach the craft of writing for aspiring and “mid-level” writers, as well as a chance for writers to meet with agents, editors, publishers and producers. This features “spotlight guests” C.J. Box, Gillian Flynn, and Walter Mosley.
Romance Writers of America
San Diego, California July 13-16
One would like to imagine some lucky couple finding love at this event, and perhaps writing a meta-romance about it, but what you’ll definitely find is a convention on the craft and business of Romance novels. There will be a mass book signings by published authors and a signing session by self-published authors. There will also be a “goody room” you can put a schwag laden copy of your romance book on display.
Hong Kong Book Fair
Wan Chai, Hong Kong, July 20–26
Will political-themed books that have disappeared in China make it to this fair? The organizers say sure, so we’ll have to see. Expect less racy books than in years past, though. It’s a family show!
Comic-Con International
San Diego, California, July 21–24
There will be super heroes, and there will be portfolio reviews. Strap on your Matter-Eater Lad costume and bring your drawings, screenplays, novels, whatever you’ve imagined. Comic-Con contains universes.
South African Book Fair
Johannesburg, South Africa, July 29–31
It’s the biggest book fair on the African Continent. Over a hundred authors. If you want to learn about publishing in indigenous languages, or just getting published, they’ve got a seminar for you.
Photo: pixabay.com
