How authors can make the most of conferences
even if you're not on the program
I’m ramping up for a trip to a big conference—one where I’ll promote my books, meet with authors I’ve known for years, and some who I’ll work with in the coming years (I’m excited to discover who they might be!). A lot of the questions I get from authors around this time are variations of “is there anything I should do while I’m at the conference?”
Of course, it would be great if you could arrange to give the opening keynote…but in case that’s not an option, there are a lot of more accessible things you can do. The ideas below assume that you’ve only got a week or two to prepare, like I do right now. That means there isn’t time to propose a talk or panel of your own (make a note to do that for next year’s conference!).
But fortunately, you don’t need a panel slot to have a great conference. A few small, intentional moves can create opportunities for you and your book.
And if you’re heading to a conference with the goal to pitch your book to publishers, read on, because there are some tidbits in here for you, too.
1. Bring a Copy of Your Book
Always. I never understand when authors go to conferences without a copy of their most recent book in their hand. As you walk through the exhibit hall, sit in talks, or line up for coffee, people will spot it. That’s a really subtle way of creating a billboard for your book. At the very least, when the ones who noticed later see the book in the exhibit hall, they might think “oh, I’ve seen people with that book, it must be good.”
But beyond that, having it in your hand creates an opportunity for luck — you never know who might notice the cover and ask about it, or introduce you to someone else who has a relevant interest. Think about it like this: if you ran into a person who could be instrumental in whatever form of success you’re working toward, what would you like them to talk to you about? If they see the book in your hand, there’s a significant chance they’ll ask you to tell them about it. Bingo. And if it goes well, you can always hand it over to them as a gift so you can follow up on the conversation later. And then people will see them walking around with your book. How cool would that be?
Related—if your publisher gave you a flyer, postcard, or business card with your book’s details (often these also have a discount code or QR code) tuck a few into your bag. They’re an easy, non-pushy way to share information when someone asks about your work.
2. Stop by Your Publisher’s Booth
Even a quick visit matters. Meet some of the team who helped make your book real, sign a copy if there’s one on the table, or take a photo with it. If you post it, tag your press and the conference hashtag — something simple like:
“So happy to see [Book Title] with @JHUPress at #ConfName!”
While you’re there, spend some time getting into other authors’ books at the booth, too. Congratulate colleagues, take a few pictures of friends’ titles, and share them. You’d love to see other people doing that for your book. Generosity and enthusiasm about each others’ ideas (even if you haven’t read the book, but it just caught your eye) builds a sense of community and makes you more visible without being self-promotional.
3. Take (and Share) Selfies with Your Book
This one might feel weird if you’re not a big selfie person. But it often works to build awareness of your book. If you really don’t like selfies, you don’t necessarily have to be in the frame. Remember those old commercials with the garden gnome traveling the world (Travelocity?). You can snap a few photos in different spots — at the booth, in your tote bag, at a café table between sessions. Or even take pictures of things that give you a route into talking about your book’s themes, with your book in the foreground. Ask friends or readers to take a selfie with your book and tag you for a share. If appropriate, collaborate with other authors to do the same for each other’s books — have fun with it.
4. Be Ready to Talk About Your Book in One Line
The header pretty much says it all. Don’t put yourself in the position where that big-whig walks up and asks you about the book in your hand and you stumble through a dissertation-like list of facts.
One line that creates curiosity. One line to hook their imagination. One line to make them want to hear more.
You don’t want to summarize the book, you want to tell them why it matters.
5. If You’re Looking For a Publisher
Don’t be shy about approaching editors or publishers’ representatives in the exhibit hall, or wherever you find them. You don’t need to show up with a proposal in hand (or a manuscript—yikes), just a good one-liner about your concept and an openness to talk about it a bit. Editors don’t make decisions about new projects on the spot. In fact, academic presses are set up so that knee-jerk decisions are impossible. So the thing you want to do is learn about the other books the publisher has, which you can do by browsing their offerings on the table or in their catalog, and by having a short conversation with the editor. Bear in mind that when editors are at conference we have hundreds of conversations, so send a quick note after the conversation to make sure you stay on the radar. And if you’re not ready to pitch a book, that’s okay! I always enjoy getting a book proposal from someone I’ve known for a couple of years and chatted with at conferences. Then, when they’re finally ready to pitch a book, they’re doing it with at least a basic relationship for context.
6. Follow Up
At the conference, everyone is going a hundred miles per hour. They may have a the intention to do the things you talked with them about, but they probably have a million good intentions. I always come back from conferences buzzing with ideas, but in reality, how many can I pursue?
That’s why, after the conference, you want to send short notes to the people you connected with who might be a part of your journey forward. Someone who mentioned having you give a talk, or making a bulk purchase, or connecting you with a key colleague—those are people to ping in a way that asks them to take just the smallest next step. Once you translate a relationship from a conference back to “real life,” you’re on your way.
This list is not exhaustive! Have you had success with any particular strategies or tactics related to having successful conferences? Add your thoughts to the comments so we can try them out! (or, if you don’t want people to connect you to the dark arts you practice, email them to me so I can post them anonymously)
Lots of good advice inside but this sticks out and is great advice for pitching projects or looking for jobs.
“One line that creates curiosity. One line to hook their imagination. One line to make them want to hear more.”
“You don’t want to summarize the book, you want to tell them why it matters.”
As advisors we often tell our students looking for jobs to have their elevator pitch rehearsed and at the ready. But we don’t often emphasize that it needs to be about “why it matters.” That’s how you hook people and I think many people frame their pitch about what they’ve done bc the “why it matters” part is obvious to them, but don’t realize it won’t be obvious to others.