I won’t have the pictures and report from ZombieFest up until tomorrow but Michael Arnzen’s already posted a bunch of pics here:
This will be our last event for awhile. We don’t have anything lined up in the near future and we probably need to reconsider doing these types of events. They are fun and do bring some visibility for the company but they also sap a lot of time and energy that might be better spent on other things. Maybe we’ll concentrate on one big event for the year, like the Book Expo, and skip the rest.
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I find ALA of more interest . . . more readers there, for one thing.
We're interested in ALA as well but I'm unclear on what it's like. How much stock you need? Is it like a regular event where individuals buy books or are you just displaying the books so librarians can order them later? Is it better to concentrate on new titles or bring the back catalog as well?
It's thousands of librarians, looking for freebies, pretty much. It's an opportunity to actually establish more of a rapport with that market, than with Book Expo. I wouldn't recommend selling books, as it defeats the purpose. The last time we were there we gave out hundreds of books that otherwise would have been recycled or remaindered. Next year I'll be there giving out about five hundred to a thousand free copies of whatever our latest title is, but it could just as easily be twenty to fifty copies of each title. I find it quite a bit more productive than BEA, either way. I should drag Michael Walsh into this discussion, as he may advise the same . . .
I've been attending BookExpo for 20+ years (working for the Johns Hopkins University Press) it - along with the book industry - has seen dramatic changes. As Andrew Wheeler noted:
"One thing is indeed true: about eighteen years ago, there were 7,500 independent bookstores; now there are 1700"
http://antickmusings.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-being-skipped.html
BookExpo is no longer a show where you can expect to write orders to cover anything near your expenses. If you do, more power to you; but don't plan on it. BEA is slowing evolving into a Rights event - much like Frankfurt, but on a waaay smaller scale - and a place to drum up publicity. But remember, you're one squeaky wheel in a large building full of squeaky wheels.
As for ALA, I've never been to it. But let us note one important thing about libraries for publishers: They Don't Return Books.
I would suggest talking to Sean - and others - about how to make BEA and/or ALA the best experience for your dollars spent.
For us East Coast folks, will be a bit cheaper for the next two years: it's in NYC and Dc. Then 2011: Vegas, baby!
Michael Walsh
Who has no blog
http://www.oldearthbooks.com
ALA next year is in Chicago, and in 2011 it's in DC.
Thanks for the lowdown. It's hard to get a handle on the best approach for these things until you've actually been to them. Knowing this stuff is a big help. Michael's comments about BEA were really helpful too.
Also ... there are regional trade shows for booksellers. Usually held Sept/Oct. Details here: http://www.pnba.org/images/2008_RAG_Lowrez.pdf
Michael Walsh
http://www.oldearthbooks.com