Ask a Picture Book Editor
What are Bookfairs?
The publishing
calendar is punctuated by important sales opportunities: large trade fairs at
which foreign rights are sold and book deals are made. October features the Frankfurt
Bookfair, and in the Spring, the London Book Fair, Bologna (for children’s publishing) and Book Expo America
What’s all the fuss?
Highly-illustrated
picture books are expensive to produce! For picture book publishers, selling foreign
rights at trade fairs is essential
because it means that they can print larger print runs at once, reaping the
benefits of an economy of scale.
What are foreign rights?
When you sell
your picture book, the publisher will often ask for world rights in all
languages. This gives them the right to sell your book around the world:
1) in the English language at home (the
UK)
2) in the English language in export
markets (for example, in Australia, NZ,
South Africa, India, etc.)
3) in translation – in other languages
other than English.
What goes on all day at the fair?
Several
massive exhibition halls are crammed with a mini-city of exhibitor booths, some
featuring big blow-up displays of the latest must-have books.
Elaborate artwork grabs passing sales people! |
Everyone has
appointment diaries broken into half-hour blocks of back-to-back meetings –
essentially speed dating potential customers. So, for instance, UK publishers are
aiming to sell foreign rights – a license to a foreign publisher to
publish in another country or another language – to as many publishers in other
countries as possible, so that your book can appear in Japanese, German,
Korean, US English, Portuguese, etc. UK sales teams might be meeting with major
retailers and discussing how to maximize sales.
The
bookfair is a valuable opportunity to meet customers face-to-face and build new
relationships.
It is also a place where publishers can network, suss out the
competition, and keep abreast of new developments in the industry and
marketplace.
Occasionally,
authors/illustrators are invited to meet their foreign publishers, celebrate
their books and discuss ways in which they can support sales in other
countries.
After the fair?
Publishers
will often take picture books in development (a partial colour and black and
white dummy) to show foreign publishers and gauge interest in the story and the
artwork style. Some publishers also proof the whole book in order to have the
best possible material to show their customers.
After the
bookfair, foreign rights sales teams will send out follow-up material to
interested customers they met at the fair and hopefully secure vital co-editions to join the print run.
Should authors and
illustrators attend?
Bookfairs
offer events, seminars and workshops, the opportunity to network with fellow
authors and illustrators, and get familiar with the marketplace and its latest
trends.
The 'wall' at Bologna is a place to network and find new talent. |
But
DO NOT expect to necessarily sell a book or show your portfolio. Publishers
come to fairs to SELL and do not have time to meet you in person, even if they
would like to.
Though
sometimes editorial and design staff may be available for appointments, many publishers only send
foreign rights and sales teams.
So,
if you do go, be prepared to explore, network, and even enjoy a holiday break to
a foreign country!
SCBWI will have a stand at
Bologna 2016. It is a great hub for fellow authors and illustrators from around
the world. Look out for more information from your RA about how you can get involved. If you attend the fair, stop by and say hello!
Natascha Biebow is editor, mentor and coach at www.blueelephantstoryshaping.com
Check out the Cook Up a Picture Book Coaching Courses:
Thanks for the background information. I've been to the London Book Fair, it's a great day out.
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