This time last week I was prepping for my first ever book fair. The idea struck me last October while I was up a ladder, paintbrush in hand. A quick social media post asking if local authors fancied a fair received an enthusiastic response. I approached Bracknell Library to see if they might support the idea and got a similarly enthusiastic response. Fast forward to 20th July 2024, and the first Bracknell Book Fair sprang to life.
Highs and lows of organising a book fair
Having started my career in event management, in some ways the fair felt like a return to well-trodden ground. The tedium of admin, the joy of public liability insurance, and risk assessments (said nobody ever) and the head bending required to visualise physical spaces from two dimensional maps, but it was all worth it in the end.
There was the usual 3am moment when I lay there worrying whether we'd have enough tables for everyone. The slight knee tremble when I was invited to do a live radio interview with one of the attending authors to promote the fair. Eek!
When writing is the easy part
As the authors began arriving, the stress of organisation melted away and I was reminded of why I did it in the first place. Being an author is magical because we get to write the stories of our hearts and spend time with our favourite people - our characters! Hang on, is that just me? 😁 But it's also tough.
For many of us, writing the book is the easy bit. Getting it into readers' hands is altogether more challenging, especially if you're "a bit backward in coming forward" as my gran used to say about anyone who was a bit shy.
Why writers need writers
The writing life can be isolating. Many authors juggle day jobs alongside their writing careers, and when starting out, we often don't know other writers. This is particularly true for indie authors wearing multiple hats: writer, publisher, marketer, publicist, data analyst, accountant, and strategist. Having people to lean on and celebrate with is crucial.
At the fair, I witnessed this community spirit firsthand. Experienced authors were offering advice to newcomers, and there was a palpable sense of camaraderie throughout the day. People swapped numbers, tagged each other in social media posts and we now have a WhatsApp group for anyone wanting to keep in touch.
Looking Forward: The Future of Bracknell Book Fair
While I'm awaiting formal feedback before making decisions about next year, the on-the-day response from authors and visitors was overwhelmingly positive. One visitor remarked to me, "It's wonderful to see local authors getting this platform. My TBR pile has just doubled and I couldn't be happier!"
There are, of course, things I'd do differently next time - there always are (or at least should be!). Top of the list is not organising the fair for two days after my own book launch. But overall, thanks to the amazing authors who attended, the unwavering support of Anne Heyward and Natalie Cook at Bracknell Library, the amazing team at Easthampstead Works and of course, the enthusiastic visitors, I'm chalking up the first Bracknell Book Fair as a success.
Thank you to everyone who made it happen. Until next time.