Book Fairs and Writers' Conferences, 2014
Our listing of book fairs and writers’ conferences coming to a city near you
Book fairs can be a valuable tool for indie authors looking to promote their books.Much like a comprehensive marketing strategy and an active social media presence, book fairs and expos, writers’ conferences, and literary festivals can be a valuable tool for indie authors looking to raise their profile and promote their books. At conferences, writers can showcase their work, meet fellow self-publishers, network, share skills, and a whole lot more. Below is our list of just a few of the book fairs and conferences happening across the globe—from New York City and Chicago to Delhi and London—in 2014. Some of these events should be of particular interest to self-publishers, either because of specific programming or the presence of relevant vendors. Those events have been marked with an asterisk. That said, all of these shows offer indie authors useful information and valuable connections.
January
*Digital Book World Conference & Expo
Where: New York, N.Y.
When: Jan. 13–15, 2014; Jan. 13–15, 2015
Web site: conference.digitalbookworld.com
Wizard World Portland Comic-Con
Where: Portland, Ore.
When: Jan. 24–26; 2015 dates TBD
Web site: http://www.wizardworld.com/portland.html
*ALA Midwinter Meeting
Where: Philadelphia, Pa.
When: Jan. 24–28; 2015 dates TBD
Web site: alamw14.ala.org/
45th International Cairo Book Fair
Where: Cairo, Egypt
When: Jan. 22–Feb. 4
Web site: www.cairobookfair.org/
Angoulême International Comics Festival
Where: Angoulême, France
When: Jan. 30–Feb. 2
Web site: www.bdangouleme.com/
February
*Indie Author Conference & Pitchapalooza 2014
Where: Phoenix, Ariz.
When: Feb. 1
Web site: www.changinghands.com/indieauthorconference2014
Minsk International Book Trade Fair
Where: Minsk, Belarus
When: Feb. 5–9
Web site: www.belkniga.by/
Taipei International Book Exhibition
Where: Taipei, Taiwan
When: Feb. 5–10
Web site: www.chinaexhibition.com/trade_events/4183-TIBE_2014_-_Taipei_International_Book_Exhibition_2014.html
Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con
Where: New Orleans, La.
When: Feb. 7–9
Web site: www.wizardworld.com/home-neworleans.html
*The Annual GENRE-LA Writers Conference
Where: Van Nuys, Calif.
When: Feb. 8–9
Web site: www.wcwriters.com/genrela/index.html
2014 San Miguel Writers Conference
Where: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
When: Feb. 12–17
Web site: sanmiguelwritersconference2014.org
*San Francisco Writers Conference
Where: San Francisco
When: Feb. 13–16
Web site: https://sfwriters.org/
Feria Internacional del Libro La Habana
Where: Havana, Cuba
When: Feb. 13–23
Web site: feriadellibro.cubaliteraria.cu/
New Delhi World Book Fair
Where: New Delhi, India
When: Feb. 15–23
Web site: www.newdelhiworldbookfair.gov.in/
Vilnius Book Fair
Where: Vilnius, Lithuania
When: Feb. 20–23
Web site: www.litexpo.lt/lt/home
Brussels Book Fair
Where: Brussels, Belgium
When: Feb. 20-24
Web site: flb.be/
*Indie Girl Con
Where: Charleston, S.C.
When: Feb. 21–22
Web site: indiegirlcon.com/about/
*IndieReCon
Where: Online
When: Feb. 25–27
Web site: www.indierecon.org/
*AWP
Where: Seattle, Wash.
When: Feb. 26–Mar. 1
Web site: https://www.awpwriter.org/awp_conference/
*SleauthFest 2014
Where: Orlando, Fla.
When: Feb. 27–Mar. 2
Web site: www.mwaflorida.org/sleuthfest.htm
*London Author Fair
Where: London, England
When: Feb. 28
Web site: www.londonauthorfair.com/
March
Dublin Book Festival
Where: Dublin, Ireland
When: Mar. 2014; dates TBD
Web site: www.dublinbookfestival.com/
Wizard World Sacramento Comic Con
Where: Sacramento, Calif.
When: Mar. 7–9
Web site: www.wizardworld.com/sacramento.html
*South By Southwest
Where: Austin, Texas
When: Mar. 7–16
Web site: sxsw.com/
*PLA (Public Library Association) 2013
Where: Indianapolis, Ind.
When: Mar. 11–15
Web site: www.placonference.org/
*EPICon
Where: San Antonio, Texas
When: Mar. 13–15
Web site: www.epicorg.com/epicon.html
Leipzig Book Fair
Where: Leipzig, Germany
When: Mar. 13–16
Web site: www.leipziger-buchmesse.de/
Paris Book Fair (Salon du Livre)
Where: Paris, France
When: Mar. 21–24
Web site: www.salondulivreparis.com/
*Unicorn Writers Conference
Where: Portland, Conn.
When: Mar. 22
Web site: www.unicornwritersconference.com/Pages/home.html
Bologna Children’s Book Fair
Where: Bologna, Italy
When: Mar. 24–27
Web site: www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/home/878.html
Bangkok International Book Fair
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
When: Mar. 28–Apr. 8
Web site: bookforeignrights.com/bangkok-international-book-fair/
*The Self-Publishing Conference
Where: Leicester, England
When: Mar. 30
Web site: www.selfpublishingconference.org.uk/
April
*London Book Fair
Where: London, England
When: Apr. 8–10
Web site: www.londonbookfair.co.uk/
Québec International Book Fair
Where: Québec City, Canada
When: Apr. 9–13
Web site: www.silq.ca/
*PubSmartCon
Where: Charleston, S.C.
When: Apr. 16–18
Web site: pubsmartcon.com/
*Norwescon
Where: SeaTac, Wash.
When: Apr. 17–20
Web site: www.norwescon.org/nwc37/
WonderCon Anaheim
Where: Anaheim, Calif.
When: Apr. 18–20
Web site: www.comic-con.org/wca
Budapest International Book Festival
Where: Budapest, Hungary
When: Apr. 24–27
Web site: www.konyvfesztival.com/
St. Petersburg International Book Salon
Where: St. Petersburg, Russia
When: Apr. 23–26
Web site: www.spbbooksalon.ru/
Buenos Aires International Book Fair
Where: Buenos Aires, Argentina
When: Apr. 24–May 12
Web site: www.el-libro.org.ar/
*2014 Redwood Writers Conference
Where: Santa Rosa, Calif.
When: Apr. 26
Web site: http://redwoodwriters.org/conference-2
26th Geneva International Book, Press, and Multimedia Fair
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
When: Apr. 30–May 4
Web site: www.salondulivre.ch/en/
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair
Where: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
When: Apr. 30–May 5
Web site: www.adbookfair.com/
Bogota International Book Fair
Where: Bogota, Colombia
When: Apr. 30–May 12
Web site: www.feriadellibro.com/
Thessaloniki Book Fair
Where: Thessaloniki, Greece
When: Apr. 2014; dates TBD
Web site: www.thessalonikibookfair.com/2013/default.html
May
Idaho Writers & Readers Rendezvous
Where: Boise, Idaho
When: May 1-3
Web site: www.IdahoWritersGuild.com/rendezvous/
*Nonfiction Writers Conference
Where: Online
When: May 7–9
Web site: nonfictionwritersconference.com/2014-nonfiction-writers-conference/
25th Turin International Book Fair
Where: Turin, Italy
When: May 8–12
Web site: www.salonelibro.it/
Prague International Book Fair and Literary Festival Book World
Where: Prague, Czech Republic
When: May 15–18
Web site: www.svetknihy.cz/en/menu/
Gourmand International Paris/Beijing Cookbook Fair
Where: Beijing, China
When: Mar. 19–22
Web site: www.cookbookfair.com/
Warsaw International Book Fair
Where: Warsaw, Poland
When: May 22–25
Web site: www.targi-ksiazki.waw.pl/en/
*BookExpo America (BEA)
Where: New York, N.Y
When: May 28–May 31
Web site: www.bookexpoamerica.com/
*uPublishU at BEA
Where: New York, N.Y
When: May 31
Web site: www.bookexpoamerica.com/BEA-Conferences/DIY-Authors-Conference/#page=page-1
June
*The Santa Barbara Writers Conference
Where: Santa Barbara, Calif.
When: June 7–12
Web site: www.sbwriters.com/
Cape Town Book Fair
Where: Cape Town, South Africa
When: June 13–15
Web site: www.capetownbookfair.co.za/
Seoul International Book Fair
Where: Seoul, South Korea
When: June 18–22
Web site: www.sibf.or.kr/
*ALA Annual Conference
Where: Las Vegas, Nev.
When: June 26–July 1
Web site: ala14.ala.org/
*The Writers’ League of Texas 2013 Agents & Editors Conference
Where: Austin, Texas
When: June 27–29
Web site: www.writersleague.org/38/Conference
July
Tokyo International Book Fair
Where: Tokyo, Japan
When: July 2–5
Web site: www.bookfair.jp/en/
*ThrillerFest IX
Where: New York, N.Y.
When: July 8–12
Web site: thrillerfest.com/
Hong Kong Book Fair
Where: Hong Kong, China
When: July 16–22
Web site: hkbookfair.hktdc.com/tc/index.aspx
*Comic-Con International: San Diego
Where: San Diego, Calif.
When: July 24–27
Web site: www.comic-con.org/cci
August
Travel Writers & Photographers Conference
Where: Corte Madera, Calif.
When: Aug. 14–17
Web site: www.bookpassage.com/travel-writers-photographers-conference
Beijing International Book Fair
Where: Beijing, China
When: Aug. 27–31
Web site: www.bibf.net/websiteen/home/default.aspx
DragonCon
Where: Atlanta, Ga.
When: Aug. 29–Sept. 1
Web site: dragoncon.org/index.php
September
*Indie Romance Convention
Where: Lebanon, Tenn.
When: Sept. 10–13
Web site: indieromancecon.com/
*35th Annual Kentucky Women Writers Conference
Where: Lexington, Ky.
When: Sept. 12–13
Web site: womenwriters.as.uky.edu/
New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Fall Conference
Where: Arlington, Va.
When: Sept. 19–21
Web site: www.newatlanticbooks.com/fall_conference.html
Moscow International Book Fair
Where: Moscow, Russia
When: Late September; dates unconfirmed
Web site: www.moscowbookfair.ru/eng/about.html
Göteborg Book Fair
Where: Göteborg, Sweden
When: Sept. 25–28
Web site: www.bokmassan.se/en/
*Chicago Writers Conference
Where: Chicago, Ill.
When: TBD (2013 dates: Sept. 27–29)
Web site: www.chicagowritersconference.org/
*Writer’s Digest Conference West
Where: TBD (2013 location: Los Angeles, Calif.)
When: TBD (2013 dates: Sept. 27–29)
Web site: www.writersdigestconference.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=61986&
October
International Book Fair LIBER
Where: Barcelona, Spain
When: Oct. 1–3
Web site: www.liber.es/en/inici
Alternative Press Expo
Where: San Francisco, Calif.
When: Oct. 4–5
Web site: www.comic-con.org/ape
*Frankfurt Book Fair
Where: Frankfurt, Germany
When: Oct. 8–12
Web site: www.book-fair.com/en/
*New York Comic-Con
Where: New York, N.Y.
When: Oct. 9–12
Web site: www.newyorkcomiccon.com/
Helsinki Book Fair
Where: Helsinki, Finland
When: Oct. 23–26
Web site: www.messukeskus.com/Sites3/Kirjamessut/en/Pages/default.aspx
*Queen City IndieCon
Where: Cincinnati, Ohio
When: Oct. 24–25
Web site: queencityindiecon.com/
International Belgrade Book Fair
Where: Belgrade, Serbia
When: Oct. 26–Nov. 2
Web site: www.beogradskisajamknjiga.com/active/en/home.html
November
Sharjah World Book Fair
Where: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
When: Nov. 5–15
Web site: sharjahbookfair.com/
*Self-Publishing Book Expo
Where: New York, NY
When: November 15
Web site: selfpubbookexpo.com/show-info/
Istanbul Book Fair
Where: Istanbul, Turkey
When: Nov. 15–23
Web site: www.istanbulbookfair.com/
Montreal Book Fair
Where: Montreal, Canada
When: Nov. 19–24
Web site: www.salondulivredemontreal.com/
Moscow International Nonfiction Book Fair
Where: Moscow, Russia
When: Nov. 26–30
Web site: www.moscowbookfair.ru/
Guadalajara International Book Fair
Where: Guadalajara, Mexico
When: Nov. 29–Dec. 7
Web site: www.fil.com.mx/
Basel Book Fair
Where: Basel, Switzerland
When: November; dates unconfirmed
Web site: www.buchbasel.ch/
* These events are of special interest to indie authors due to specific programming and/or the presence of relevant vendors.