I think I have everything ready for the Galveston Book Festival:

• Books, inventoried and boxed
• Price list
• Ebook cards, inventoried, priced, and prepped
• Cash to make change and Square for credit cards
• Table cloth and decorations
• Jar of giveaway candy (Worther’s Originals—they don’t melt)
• Author poster, price poster, “we take credit cards” sign, “ask about our ebooks” sign
• Guest book for newsletter sign-ups
• Pens for autographing
• Utility plug to keep the phone charged and extra chargers in case I’m not near a plug (no phone, no credit card sales!)
• Business cards
• Tablet for notes (you can pick up great tips from the other vendors/authors at these events)
• Signed by Author stickers
• Award stickers from Texas Association of Authors for The Final Ride

I think that’s it. This is different from our festival trips, where we have to supply the table and tent—and my AC, because MSB knows what happens when I get too hot. With this event, everything is included. Except the tent. We’ll be indoors.

Tell ya what, if you’re a Texas author and don’t belong to TAA, you should. B. Alan Bourgeois is always on the look-out for great opportunities for the members, including library shows where librarians and retailers can purchase your books, signing opportunities through festivals like this or individual events, newsletter and radio announcements of new releases, and more—things I haven’t had time to explore. Through this organization, I have opportunities all over the state—the nation, if I allow them to take my books to library shows.

If you’re not a Texas author, see if there’s a similar organization in your state. The membership dues and extra prices for opportunities are worth it. Frankly, I’ve seen considerably higher prices required by similar, national organizations.

Investing in your business is a good use of your money. Join a national organization of writers for whatever your genre is. That is a must, because networking is a must in this business. You meet other authors, blog designers, marketing experts, book cover designers, agents, editors, publishers. If they’re involved in the business in any way, they’re likely to belong to a national organization. Join organizations like TAA for sales and visibility opportunities. Any marketing opportunity is important. While organizations for writers are geared toward the business, organizations like TAA are geared toward the reader. And ultimately, we all work for the reader. The more visible we are, the better.

I enjoy making personal sales, but cybersales are vital too. There are organizations that aid in marketing through cyber means exclusively. I belong to one of these too.

We all go through the joys and pains of writing, of giving birth to the stories in our heads, but once they’re born, we have to remember—this is a business. Start considering the professional side of being a writer as early as possible.

Meanwhile, if you’re anywhere near Galveston this weekend, come see me!