I’m preparing to go to Toronto next week for BookExpo Canada (BEC). What is BEC? Well, it’s the Canadian version of BEA, BookExpo America. I know, clever name. Anyway, BEC is a book convention. Canadian publishers gather in the convention centre, they have booths, and booth parties, and in the booths are typically sales and marketing folks who talk to booksellers and media about the upcoming season and the fantastic books on the list.
Why do we do this? Some publishers offer discounts on book orders at the show, but in recent years the number of book orders taken at the show has dropped off. It’s not really the purpose of the show. Ok, so what is the purpose? Authors often attend and sign books for booksellers, who already love or know about the author. Signings for unheard of authors don’t draw a crowd so publishers have stopped inviting unknown authors. Unpublished authors sometimes come and try to meet the editors and pass off a manuscript, but generally the editors don’t come or don’t want to carry around manuscripts, which eventually get lost in the booth anyway. So why, why do we spend the money every year to participate in this event? I’m not sure, but I’m going to start asking people who might know.