Writers in the Storm

The Author's Ultimate Guide to Book Festival Success

By J. Alexander Greenwood

Let’s be real: standing behind a table trying to convince strangers to buy your book can feel as awkward as giving a speech in your underwear. I get it—I’ve done dozens of these and just did it again last month. 

But here's the thing: seasoned authors know that book festivals aren't just about moving inventory—they’re about making genuine connections that turn curious passersby into loyal readers. Please note you won’t always sell a lot. Last year at a book festival I sold out every book—nearly 100—along with a sale of my series to a library system.

But get this: I only sold 7 books at a small festival the other day—bummer. However, I interacted with several folks and snagged some future podcast guests and got to hang around with writers. But let’s get to some tips to help you make the most of your book festival appearance!

Before You Pack Those Books: Strategic Planning

Define Your Festival Persona  

Are you the approachable mystery writer who helps readers uncover their next favorite whodunit? Or maybe the passionate historian bringing the past to life? Whatever your style, your festival persona should reflect who you are while showcasing what makes your books stand out. Not going to lie, once you settle on a persona, sometimes it’s hard to muster, but do try.

Design a Booth That Tells Your Story  

Ditch the flat table with books scattered around. Instead, create an experience:

• For Romance Authors: Set up a cozy reading nook with fairy lights and vintage love letters.
• For Fantasy Writers: Display a map of your fictional world and sprinkle in some "magical artifacts."
• For Mystery Authors: Stage a mini crime scene with caution tape and clues from your books.

Pro Tip: Height is your friend. Use a mini bookshelf or props to give your display some dimension and visibility.

The Money and Numbers Game  

• Bring 50% more books than you think you'll need.
• Proven price points from 50+ festivals: $15–$20 for paperbacks; $25–$30 for hardcovers
• Special festival deal: 2 books for $30
• Accept all forms of payment—cash, card, and digital.
• Make sure your mailing list and social media are letting folks know where and when you will be. Ask them to share I with their networks.

During the Festival: Creating Magic

The 5-Second Hook  

You’re not just selling a book—you’re offering an experience. Try these conversation starters:

• “Do you love [insert bestselling author]? I’ve got something you’ll enjoy...”
• “What was the last book that kept you up all night?”
• “Want to see something that will change how you think about [your book’s theme]?”

Whatever you do, don’t lead with: “Would you like to buy my book?” That’s like proposing on the first date.

The Introvert’s Guide to Selling  

Not a fan of small talk? No problem. Try these:

• Set up an interactive element at your table (a quiz, game, or "guess the murderer" contest).
• Use conversation cards to guide discussions.
• Take “social battery” breaks every couple of hours.

Turning Browsers into Buyers  

Here’s the trick: escalate the engagement.

• Make eye contact and smile—basic human connection.
• Offer something free (bookmark, candy, mini quiz).
• Ask a fun, engaging question about their reading preferences.
• Share your book's "origin story"—people love a peek behind the curtain.
• Seal the deal with your special festival offer.

The Hidden Opportunities Most Authors Miss

The Author Gold Mine  

Sometimes, the best connections aren’t readers—they’re fellow authors. Networking with other writers can lead to collaborations, co-promotion, and even breakthroughs. I got an invitation for a paid speaking gig at a literacy program!

Build Your Reader Army  

• Create an exclusive reader magnet just for the festival (bonus chapter, prequel story).
• Use a QR code for easy mailing list sign-ups.
• Offer a “VIP Reader” card with perks like discounts or early access to new releases.

Content Creation Heaven  

• Go live on social media during slow moments.
• Snap photos with readers (with their permission).
• Record short videos sharing your festival experience or behind-the-scenes moments.

Emergency Situations: Quick Fixes

• Card reader dies? Have backup options like PayPal, Venmo, or another payment app. I always take checks. Book readers have never stiffed me.
• Out of books? Offer pre-orders with a festival discount.
• Slow traffic? Use downtime for social media content creation.
• Losing your voice? Keep throat lozenges and water nearby.
• Bad weather? If you're outdoors, have clear plastic sheets handy to cover your table.

After the Festival: Maximize Your Success

24-Hour Follow-Up Plan  

• Email new subscribers their bonus content.
• Post highlights from the festival on social media.
• Send thank-you messages to key connections.
• Update your inventory and sales records.
• Take note of what worked—and what didn’t—for next time.

One Week Later  

• Share festival stories and photos in your newsletter.
• Reach out to authors for potential collaborations.
• Start planning improvements for the next festival.

The Festival Success Checklist

Must-Have Items:

• Books (more than you think you'll need)
• Square reader + backup
• Banner with your name/brand
• Business cards
• Mailing list sign-up (tablet or paper)
• Pens
• Camp chair
• Table
• Comfy shoes
• Phone charger
• Promo materials
• Emergency kit (pain relievers, throat lozenges, band-aids)
• Snacks and water
• Phone charger
• Cash box with change

Remember: everyone who stops at your table isn’t just a potential sale—they’re a potential champion for your work. Book festivals aren’t about the number of books you sell today; they’re about the readers you’ll keep for a lifetime. Stay authentic, stay prepared, and most importantly, stay excited about sharing your stories.

Your Next Step:  

Before your next festival, pick one area of this guide to master—whether it’s crafting the perfect pitch or creating a killer display. Excellence in just one area can take your festival experience from good to unforgettable.

If you've done book festivals, what worked for you?

Does this post help you see yourself participating in a book festival? Which of these area do you want to master?

About J. Alexander Greenwood

J. Alexander Greenwood is an award-winning writer, public relations consultant, podcaster, speaker, and former journalist and broadcasting executive. He is best known as the author of the John Pilate Mysteries and host/producer of the Mysterious Goings On podcast and the PR After Hours podcast. Alex is also the author of the Amazon Top-Selling eBook/audiobook, The Podcast Option. You can read his blog at JAlexanderGreenwood.com.

Top image by J. Alexander Greenwood via Dall-E

by Sarah (Sally) Hamer

Are you in the throes of NaNoWriMo? Of course, it has just started at the time you'll be reading this, but early days are often the most important, because how you handle them makes a huge difference as to how far you get. Otherwise, it's like Matthew Reilly's quote, "We didn't come this far just to come this far." Or, maybe even a better quote from the Cheshire Cat, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there." (Lewis Carroll)

So, where are you going? Whether or not you're in NaNo this month, the question still stands. Don't get me wrong, writing for the sake of writing is one of the most healthy things we can do, IMHO. Some people are not and never will be writers, but they're not the ones who will be reading blogs on Writers in the Storm's website. But, for those of us who cannot NOT write, anything that comes out of our brains can be beneficial. 

It's also a good thing to have words go together in a coherent and useful manner. After all, most of us really do want to take the right road and complete a story. But just writing doesn't always make that happen.

So, the questions we can ask ourselves are pretty darned simple. It's the answers that can get us to thinking:

What are you writing about? 

I'm not talking characters or plot but, instead, how theme is the heart of a book. It's a word that often strikes fear in a writer's heart because most of us just want to write a story. But finding the real reason for that story can make all the difference as to whether it makes sense to anyone else. Take Frank Herbert's Dune books. It's about a future universe of war and avarice, spice and addiction, and desert vs. water planets. But the theme is how a boy, whose family and life is destroyed by a maniacal emperor, matures and, ultimately, grows into a maniacal ruler himself. The books lead us from innocence to a growing understanding of how choices made for the "right" reason can lead to unbearably "wrong" consequences. And, love it or hate it, Dune gives us a theme that resonates across history. 

Why are you writing about what you're writing about? 

We write what we know. Each of us is deeply engrained into our own history and how we got to this point. So, we write about different aspects of ourselves. I often have students tell me that "I could never kill anyone!" But we can certainly write stories where a character does just that. Sometimes in brutal, horrific fashion. So, why do we write stories about shame or fear or hate? It's because we have that facet within in us. No one can be all good or bad – there are always layers and polarities and balances going on. The brilliance of this for a writer is that we can pull on the traits we consider negative to express stories with truthful, believable characters because, although we may never act on those parts of us, we have them within us.

Do we have to know the theme before we start writing? 

No. Not at all. Sometimes I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to be writing about before I start. It's just a character I find interesting who has gotten him or herself into a bind and I'm trying to figure a way to get them out. Theme often grows as the book does, twisting and turning until I have enough knowledge about what I want to say to let me unravel it. Then, I go back and tweak the places in the story that need to have theme. But it does make it easier to know where you're going first. 

What if I have no idea what my themes are? 

I have a "built-in" theme, as I believe most people do, which is pretty much the same for almost every story I've ever written, so it's usually not too much of a problem for me. But not everyone knows the theme "of their heart." So I suggest that worrying about it is not the best route to figuring it out. Examine your own stories. Is there a particular commonality? What books/movies do you like? What is the underlying idea? What draws you to those stories? What makes you feel good/uplifted about them? That’s usually the theme.

Still have no clue? Read more about it in "Finding Your Story's Theme.

Bottom line

Theme is the backbone of a story, with all of the other aspects – character, plot, pacing, action, goals, etc. – wrapping around it like the muscles, nerves, and flesh of a fully-articulated body. And, whether we're writing like fiends to get 50,000 words down in a month or not, theme can sit in the back of our brains and guide us through the stories we want to tell.

When do you know what your story's theme is? What is the theme of your current WIP?

Important Note from the WITS Team

Did you get this post in your email box? WITS is updating the way we send out our updates. To make sure that you don't miss any updates, click here.

About Sally

Sarah (Sally) Hamer, B.S., MLA, is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories, whether through fiction or through memoir. Writing in many genres - mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, medieval history, non-fiction – she has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals.

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com and hosts symposiums at www.mindpotential.org. Find her at info@mindpotential.org.

By Dr. Diana Stout, with Llewella Forgie

Receiving and giving critiques is an important writing step, especially for new writers. Belonging to a critique group is one of the fastest ways you can grow and improve your writing. Not only do you receive feedback, but you can learn by reading and critiquing the writings of others. 

I’m often asked by writers if they should get an MFA degree, wondering if it would help their writing. It’s one way to receive (and give) critiques, but an MFA can be costly and requires three years of your time. A major plus is it’s a terminal degree—equal to a Ph.D. in other fields—meaning you can then teach writing classes at the university level. 

Critique Groups Operate the Same

From my critique experiences as an MFA graduate, having been in several critique groups outside of the classroom, and having started a critique group at the request of a nationally named bookstore, I can tell you that all of these critique groups operate the same way.

Manuscripts are exchanged, comments are written on the copies shared at the previous meeting—whether electronically or as hard copies. And then, the manuscripts are returned to the author after comments and opinions have been expressed at the meeting. 

My MFA classes generally had 8-12 students, where each student would present a different manuscript several times during the semester for critiques. The problem I had with the class critiques is that we wrote for different genres, thus their feedback didn’t always apply to my genre. Generally, I was writing commercial stories while they wrote literary stories. 

One such example was when I had drafted a short story where the students agreed I was using an incorrect story structure, a structure I had purposefully chosen. The professor told them that my story, “Bread Pudding,” was an example of a recipe story, where each ingredient became a metaphor for the events of the elderly woman’s life, thus many of their comments became invalid. 

Likewise, even a small critique group made up of individuals writing in different genres can be problematic.

At the same time, having different genres can provide different perspectives or a detour from normal standards and can offer a learning/growth opportunity for all members.

Are You a Good Fit?

Getting a good critique is a lot like looking for a marriage partner. Typically, that means you want critique partners who write in your genre or who have a good knowledge of it. Also, you want critique partners who are at your level of writing. 

For example, an advanced group made up of published writers doesn’t want to be spending their time teaching a new writer. Nor does an advanced writer want to be in a group of novice writers, otherwise, they’ll be teaching and receiving little in the way of a critique.

So, how can you find a critique partner or critique group? Start a small group with two or three other writers or find a group that will let you join. Before you commit to any partner, however, you may want to vet each other to determine if you’ll be a good fit for your genre and your level of writing.

How Two Critique Groups Vet New Members

While talking with a group of writers who belong to my accountability write-in group, (a topic I wrote about in August 2024, “Accountability Can Be a Writer’s Best Tool”), one of our members, Llewella Forgie, told us how her group was looking for a new critique partner to replace a member who had left. Their three-step process is amazing.

Their process eliminates taking a chance on a writer who could prove to be a huge detriment later, even if that person is known to one or more of them.

Forgie states that when she joined an existing children’s book critique group, the group had dealt with an earlier, uncomfortable situation where the writer turned out not to be a good fit. Consequently, the group created a new policy to protect the group—provisional membership. 

Forgie attended her first meeting as a provisional member. Nothing was guaranteed at that point. As a result of her demeanor and contributions to the critiquing, she was invited to join. She had shown them that she would be a good fit for the group.

Since then, she has joined a second critique group and both groups now use this multi-step process when admitting a writer into their midst.

The Multi-step Process

Step One

Prospective members provide a writing sample. It’s an attempt to eliminate new writers who require far more teaching assistance than the groups want to provide. The groups want writers who match their skill level. While individuals within the groups don’t mind helping new writers outside of the critique group, they prefer skilled writers for their critiques. A writing sample quickly reveals a writer’s skill set.

Step Two

Writers who pass Step One are invited to a meeting. The purpose is to discover if the writer’s personality will be a good fit for the group. While a writer can have top-notch writing skills, if their personality isn’t a good match, the results can be disastrous. I’ve seen wonderful groups dissolve because a new member came in with unknown toxic behaviors, thus disrupting the dynamics. 

Step Three

The provisional member attends the meeting, reads and critiques submitted work like everyone else. This step is crucial, allowing the group to see how the new member provides criticism and how they respond to criticism. 

A writer who takes criticism personally or becomes defensive won’t be a good fit. Additionally, the provisional member needs to provide decent feedback, otherwise the group isn’t benefitting. A writer who offers nothing useful won’t be a good fit for the group.

In Summary

These three steps are how organizations hire personnel these days. Provisional with a trial period. 

It makes sense, then, for critique groups or even individuals looking for a partner to operate the same way. These provisional trial steps can prevent a group from being torn apart. So, what can you do when wanting to start a group or join an existing one?

1. Find an individual or group who shares your genre.
2. Exchange pages or a chapter to determine if your writing skill sets are similar.
3. Meet in person or on Zoom and chat for a brief time to see if your critique goals are similar. 
4. At the first in-person meeting, exchange verbal feedback with a return of your comments in their manuscripts.
5. And then, if all goes well, set up your guidelines for both future critiques and the meetings.

If at any point you discover right away that it doesn’t feel like a good fit, it’s easy to back away and try again elsewhere or with different writers.

What has been your experience with critique groups? Great? Not so great? Disastrous? 

Does this three-step process make sense to you? Would you ever start a critique group using it? Does it make looking for a critique partner a bit easier?

Important Note from the WITS Team

Did you get this post in your email box? WITS is updating the way we send out our updates. To make sure that you don't miss any updates, click here.

About Diana 

 Dr. Diana Stout finds joy in helping other writers and is working on her fourth resource guide for her Finding Your Fire series. Early this year, she published books two and three: CPE: Character, Plot, & Emotionand its companion book, the CPE Workbook, that show how character, plot, and emotion are three equal pillars of storytelling. Writers love the chart that compares the terminology of several storytelling experts and their plot point positions. 

Michael Hauge states that “Diana brilliantly reveals and edifies the uniquely powerful principles of plot and character.”

To learn more about Diana, visit her Sharpened Pencils Productions website and check out her Recommended Reading page where she provides links to books and articles that have helped her become a better writer.

About Llewella

When Llewella was young, her father read her the Oz books, the Narnia books, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Her family watched PBS costume dramas and murder mysteries on television together. In college she began attending Science Fiction conventions. All that comes together in her writing, as she writes fantasies set in historical times that involve stopping criminals.

Llewella has a Bachelors in English Literature and a Masters in Teaching. She has been called an “amazing editor” and also “a 21st century Maxwell Perkins.” She was one of a few developmental editors for the anthology Turning Points by Off Campus Writers’ Workshop which came out in June 2021, and she reprised that role for the anthology Meaningful Conflicts: The Art of Friction, also by OCWW, which came out in April 2023. Both anthologies have been finalists for awards.To learn more about Llewella, visit her Llewella Forgie website.