This weekend was the first annual Ohio Readers and Writers Expo, held in Akron, Ohio. The organizers did a great job with putting together a well-run show. Over thirty area authors participated with booths and workshops.
I sat on the Fantasy/SciFi Authors’ Panel discussion, and along with my author buddy Jerjonji, I led a workshop called “What’s Next After the First Draft,” about pre-publication platform, editing tips, and beta reader guidelines. We had handouts and a powerpoint, courtesy of Jerjonji, and our attendees were furiously taking notes throughout. One young man said he’d been to other con workshops, and that ours was the most useful he’d ever been to.
That same young man also gave us a cool idea for breaking into YouTube channels. More to come as we work out the details.
Despite sparse attendance, this was a successful expo for me. These events are less about selling books and more about making connections with readers and other writers. We all have ideas to share and the Ohio writing community is full of amazing people.
Thanks to all who participated, and I hope you enjoy Horizon Alpha and Flamewalker!
DWV
Have you ever been to an author event? What did you like best? Dislike? Share in the comments!