Crazy amazing that is! I haven't felt that much collective bookish energy since I attended a midnight Harry Potter releases. Just being around so many people that shared a common love for books and being able to embrace my book nerdiness unabashedly was wonderful. It was certainly an event worth experiencing. If you are curious about Book Con or wondering if you should attend, here is a break down of my Book Con experience:
Before Book Con
I found out about Book Con late last year when researching bookish events around the city and it was close enough to my birthday that I though, why not treat myself and go? I purchased Saturday and Sunday passes for myself and a friend early February 2017 and as the date approached I checked on the Book Con website as they released more guest speakers, authors and events. I received my passes in the mail about a Month in advance.
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| Passes? Check! Metro Card? Check! |
Prep Time
Being the type A book nerd that I am I spent couple of days before Book Con researching everything from the floor layout of the Javits center to MTA delays and best practices as explained by Book Tubers who had previously attended Book Con. I'm definitely glad I spent some time researching before hand otherwise I wouldn't have know to activate my pass, print my tickets for ticketed signing and what signings required purchases vs gave away free books, and the difference between a Main Stage event and panels and how to line up for one.
Needless to say it's a lot of information so I am glad I had everything ready to go beforehand including a map, my tickets and my schedule printed before hand and my tote bag(s) ready which made the day of the convention run much more smoothly.
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| I love spreadsheets! |
Book Con!
I live in NYC which is great because I didn't have to worry about hotels or flights. I do however live in Queens which means an early start. On Saturday I woke up at 4:00am and left my apartment at 4:30am. My book buddy and I arrived at the Javits center at around 5:30am to find it closed and a small line of about 30 sleepy bookworms already lined up around the corner. We took turns doing Dunkin' Donuts runs for breakfast and coffee. I was glad I had brought a mass market paper back to keep me entertained through the long waiting lines although chatting with my friend and other people in line made the time go back faster.
At around 7:00am the line began to move and go through a security check still set up out side the Center. We were then corralled into another waiting line closer to the Center doors. At 8:00am the doors were open and we were lead to a large room in the bottom floor of the center where you could choose to line up for a Main Stage event or for the Show Floor. My friend and I chose the latter and we joined more book fans in a corral like line for 2 more hours. At 10:00am we were lead to the show floor. It was madness! People were power walking and cheering as we flooded the Show Floor, snapping up ARCs and forming lines within the first 15 minutes like there was no tomorrow.
Despite the best laid plans, being flexible was key since some events started early, lines filled up and there would be spontaneous arc drops or giveaways. Some of the best experiences I had were unplanned interactions with booksellers, publishers and of course fellow fans. I spent most of the time on my feet on the show floor between attending panels and signings. The vast majority of the time I spent in line waiting for an event or signing and by the end of the day I was exhausted but happy and somehow managed to drag myself out of bed on Sunday as well to do it all again.
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| SFF Resist Panel |
Attending Book Con for the first time was a surreal and awesome experience. There was also a lot of things I learned about making the most out of your experience! After some thought, here are the
5 Tips for Making the Most out of Your Book Con Experience:
1. Check the Book Con website and social media constantly for updates!
Things change last minute. Events are switched, new panelists and events are announced or canceled and the lining up system changes every year. Following the official Book Con website, social media pages and downloading the Book Con app will keep you updated of any changes. It's definitely to check in with these sources once in a while as you get closer to the event date.
2. Bring a Buddy with you!
If possible go with a fellow bookworm! There are so many ways that going with someone makes the experience better. Having a buddy makes the hours you spend waiting in line fly by, it lets you coordinate for bathroom/coffee runs, it means you have someone to gush with and share the excitement with and some one to hold your totes while you need a break.
3. Make a schedule...
There is just WAY too much going on at Book Con to do it all (as much as we might like to!) Events, signings, panels and meet ups overlap and you would do well to schedule at least 30 minutes of waiting time if not more for popular events. This means that making a plan is crucial to get as much out of your day as possible. You don't have to have a color coordinated spread sheet like some crazy people (me) but knowing how you want to prioritize your time, which events are most important to you and having a plan B and C is worth your time.
4. But be flexible
You would be hard pressed to find anyone whose Book Con schedule went completely according to plan and that's ok! Some of the best experiences I had were attending unplanned meet ups and running across random book drops. Lines are long and your time is limited and sometimes things just don't work out. Take it in stride and have fun because ultimately that's what we're here for!
5. Talk to your fellow Book Nerds!
Mingling with Book Nerds is really what made my experience at Book Con great fun. It can feel daunting for an introvert but everyone is there because they all love books too! You already share a common interest and almost everyone is incredibly friendly so talk to everyone! Please standing in line with you, attend meet ups, talk to book sellers and publishers they have incredible insights, anecdotes and advice. If you're extra nice they'll let you know when their next book drop will take place. You also don't know who you might run into! I stumbled into Gabby Rivera the author of Juliet Takes a Breath and of the new America #1 Marvel comic in the bathroom. Of course I just melted into a blubbery mess of awkward admiration but she was super nice about it.
All in all it was a wonderful experience! I can't wait for next year, I hope you get a chance to go too!
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| Bookish Bonanza! |
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