BookExpo America: What Went Down And What Should Have Happened

I'm an honest person.

Frankly, it's what I do. I don't like lying and I don't like beating around the bush; some people would call me brutally honest, but I just tell it as I see it.

My BookExpo America experience was fantastic, honestly. I did not run into people getting grabby at piles or cutting lines; I wasn't bit or hit or anything. Everybody I encountered was nice and cordial and it was an all around good experience.

This didn't happen for everybody.

Who This Happened To/With/Whatever
Frankly, this applies to everybody. It's not just bloggers that did this or had it happen to them. It's not just teenagers that did this or had it happen to them. This applied to every profession, every age group, everybody that was there.







The Controversy
(Or What Everybody Has Been Raging About)
On Twitter and on some blogs I've seen a lot of people complaining about a number of things.

1) People cutting lines
2) People biting/hitting other people to get books
3) People grabbing more than one copy of books

My Opinions
Lines are lines are lines.
I'm gonna be honest here and lay it on the line - cutting lines really isn't that big of a deal most of the time. Le gasp, I know. It's RUDE and you shouldn't do it. Sometimes, however, a friend is saving a spot for you. If that's the case, simply explain yourself to the people as you pass them and get to your friend. If you're cutting merely to cut - or if you're a GIANT group of people cutting - don't do it.

I'll be honest - I've jumped in front of a few people to hang out with friends in a group. It's always on lines that I know there will be enough copies that whoever is behind me will still get a copy and, frankly, the order doesn't really matter. In cases like lines for Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star or lines where there are a limited amount of copies - don't do it. Cutting is BAD. BAD, BAD, BAD.

What the hell? Biting, hitting? It's just books, guys.
Apparently people got bit and hit at BEA when people were grabbing books.

I think this is kind of self explanatory - don't do it.





Sometimes grabbing multiple copies is okay. Sometimes, it's a no-no.
This is the big one that people are raging about as the other two have rather self explanatory answers. Other people there want them, so you shouldn't take more than one copy, right? It's rude. But what if you asked to take more than one? Or you're grabbing one for somebody who couldn't be there?

This is one of those things that's very iffy. If you see somebody with more than one copy of something, you tend to assume they've just grabbed more than one, and thus give them death glares, especially if it's something you want. That's not always the case.

It is NOT acceptable to grab more than one copy of a book if it is a book that you know many people want. And let's face it - you KNOW when it's going to be a popular book. For the most part, don't grab more than one copy. It's unfair to the other people at the expo who may want a copy.

However, there are exceptions to this. For instance, if you've seen a whole bunch of books lying around for a while and you know it's not going to be something popular and you think you can help promote it - sure. Grab a second copy. But you know what? The best thing to do is ask the publicist.

This is the most logical thing to do. If you ask the publicist - be it in the booth or at a signing - for a second copy and explain why you want it, chances are you may get it. Don't grab a second copy just to have a second copy. Last year, I asked if they had enough copies of Richelle Mead's Spirit Bound that I could have a second signed one to do a giveaway, and both Richelle and the publicist were fine with that. If you're at a booth and you talk to the publicist - introduce yourself, so on - they'll explain if they have enough and more than often give you some other books to help out with the blog.

How People Are Reacting
Not at the expo, but afterwards.

I swear, if I see one more venomous Tweet I'm going to stop following whoever sends it.

Yes, some of the things that happened weren't necessarily the best. But don't attack people who grabbed more than one copy or spend all your time complaining about how you didn't get a copy of something but so and so go two.

It's BOOKS. We're here because we love 'em. Raging and getting worked up over what happened isn't going to change what actually happened. Put aside your anger and just work towards making the BEA experience better next year.




How To Act And What To Do Next Year
I'm not going to spend my time worrying abut what has already happened. Instead, I'm going to work towards making next year more fantastic for everybody. Here are some tips on how to act and what to do for the next time you're at the Expo (or your first time for some!).

This is an industry event.
This is not your personal happy land. Yes, it's FANTASTIC that you get to run around meeting authors and snagging books. But it's also a place for you to start making a name for yourself and to talk to professionals. Don't dress like a hobo - and don't act like one, either.

Remember, it's just books.
Keep your emotions in check. If you don't grab something you wanted or they ran out before you could grab a copy, it's okay. You're there to have fun and meet people in the industry. Make it a happy experience - try not to get angry or upset.

And remember - these publishers don't have to give you anything. You're not entitled to the books just because you're there.

When you see somebody doing something, it's okay to say something.
You're in New York, the home of "see something, say something." For me, the same applies to the Expo. If you see somebody cutting a line, just politely point them towards the back of the line. If they're rude to you or don't listen, you can politely tell the publicist nearby what they're doing. Though it's a bit different for when you see people grabbing multiple copies, it's okay to speak up. Just remember to be polite.

Talk to the publicists.
Yes, if there's a pile of books, go and grab something. But take the time to introduce yourself to the publicists. Tell them about your blog/website/whatever and ask them about the books they have coming out. More often than not they'll be willing to hand you a few ARCs that you may not have even known were there - and it's a great way to get a new contact.

This is also what you should do if you want a second copy of something, be it for a blogger who can't attend or a giveaway or something else. Explain the situation to the publicist and ask for a second copy. There's a good shot that they'll give it to you if you have a good reason.

Be patient.
Lines are long. Don't cut them. It's okay to wait - and in some cases, you can meet some of the best people that way.



Feel free to talk about what happened in the comments below; they're open to everybody and Anonymous is turned on if you don't want to express your opinion and connect it to your blog. If you guys have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.