Should You Go to BookExpo?

For those of you wondering whether you should go to BookExpo America from May 29-June in Los Angeles, here's my advice:

• Its location rotates each year, but the general time (May-June) is the same. Next year it'll be in Manhattan, then it will go on the road to Washington DC, and in 2011 it'll land in Las Vegas. If you are near LA this year or can easily get there, and you haven't yet finished your book, attending isn't necessary but will no doubt be helpful. If you go--whenever you go--attend the Writer's Conference, which is an all day conference and does NOT include admission to BookExpo. If you can do only one thing, go to the Writer's Conference.
• If your manuscript is complete and you have the ability to get to LA--and you don't yet have an agent--do whatever you can to get to BookExpo, and attend the Writer's Conference.
• If attending next year's Expo in Manhattan is easier for you and you're still writing, wait until next year.
• If your budget is large and going to LA this year isn't a big deal, even if you're not finished with your manuscript you should go.

I've taken clients to BookExpo who have no idea how publishing works to introduce them to publishers, editors and agents I know. While there, I walk through the seemingly endless rows of books and publishers with them to try to prevent them from getting overwhelmed, which is very, very easy.

There are always agents at the Writer's Conference, and there's always time allotted for attendees to pitch agents. However, I have yet to be able to pitch anything as time always runs out. So if you're going for that reason alone, you might need to get creative about how, when and where to pitch prospective agents. You need to be dedicated to tracking someone down to pitch them.

Finally, if it's possible to go to LA this year, before you make your decision look carefully through all of the information about this year's speakers and events. For some people involved in niche-y ventures, some years simply don't offer enough to make a $1,000 trip worthwhile. And if you're an entrepreneur, looking carefully into what's there for you this year is important in determining whether the cost and time involved in attending will outweigh the benefits.