# Independent Book Festival



## jademae (May 26, 2010)

Is anyone participating in the Independent Book Festival in California? 

I entered my book and it got accepted for the conference.  I have never been to a writing conference and have no idea what to expect. It is for self publishers and for wanna be published authors (aren't we all). Please let me know if anyone knows of them. I believe it is the first year. 

dates: sept. 23, 24, 25  2010

THANKS! 

www.independentbookfestival.com


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## Linton Robinson (May 26, 2010)

Hmmmm.  Can't tell if this is the DIY festival people or not.
Most of the presses are of the small and obscure variety, but that's not a bad thing--it's your best shot.
The agents, I know a few.  Andrea is a real sweetheart.  Levine is a "conference whore" and sort of all-around asshole.  Don't waste you time on him.  Gladsone and Waterside are strictly business books--they handle the One Minute Manager thing. (Bad new is..it's a sex manual.   Just kidding)   Pomada Agency is marginal but do every conference they can get their hands on.

Let me tell you something about conferences.  You go thinking, Oh boy, I'll get to meet some agents.  And usually what it is, you pay extra (sometimes $50-100) to talk to them for 15 minutes and outside that setup they avoid you like a pariah dog.  It's good to let some of agents and publishers rub off on you, though.  Hit the panel discussions, schmooze if you can.   Print up some cool cards,  distinctive, maybe an odd size, to pass out.  They'll run if you show them a manuscript.  Give them to people.  Set them on tables.  Spread them around... you paid to be there, exploit it.  
Find out if they have a table to sell books and if you can get yours in there, even if you have to bring them yourself and consign them at 60 percent.  Your book on the table in front of all those passing book people, hey.


It's odd that the three people running this are all from the film industry, not books.  I'd guess they have been doing screen pitch festivals and decided to widen their range.

Try to use the lunch breaks.  Invite people to lunch with you.  Don't be surprised if your "targets" don't do it, but see who you can meet and click with even (ewwww) other writers.  The dream score on this would be to gather a "lunch bunch" or fellow prospects and invite publishers or whoever to grab lunch with a group whose interested in them.

Have copies of your book with you at all times.  Carry it blatantly displayed.  Sit it up visible when you sit at lunch or lectures or whatever.  Have more that you can sign and sell or give to a publisher you feel is worth impressing.   

The inclusion of so much press is unusual.  I would prepare a packet for them, maybe a two-sided printed sheet with your pic, cover, blurbs, URL, contacts, all that jazz.   Hand it to any press guy you can stalk down and get a headlock on.  

See if your local paper or website want a little report of piece on the conference.  Try to sleep with anybody who looks important.

Have fun


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## Linton Robinson (May 26, 2010)

BTW I'll probably be doing workshops at the SoCal conference in Newport Beach that same weekend.  

If your are on FaceBook or LinkedIn, there are groups on both for writing conference  Both are called "Writing Conference Link Ins"   You can ask questions there or post a report of your experience afterwards.


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