Taking the Long View

Taking the Long View:  to think about the effects that something will have in the future

BookExpo is knee deep in taking the long view, balancing today vs. tomorrow.  Making certain that exhibitors and attendees get value for the show now, while making changes that will keep BEA relevant many years down the road.  

You can say all you want about publishing being an industry in transition, the digital transformation, the relevance of physical books or bookstores - all items up for debate.  What can't be argued is the fact that in 5 years - 10 years and 100 years - people will still be reading and no matter what the format or delivery, there will still be books.  That make's BEA's focus simple - continue to be an event creates audiences for books.  

I am excited by BEA's recent Conference Advisory Board Meeting.  There was a great energy and enthusiasm for publishing and BEA from this group of industry leaders.  One of the items we shared in that meeting are the top-line objectives for BEA and I think it is worth sharing those plans here.  Please note, while these initiatives will require new energy, thinking and resources, that does not take ANYTHING away from the things BEA does everyday to bring in librarians or independent booksellers or VIPs.  Those programs have been highly successful for BEA and will continue to be important.  The items listed below are being called out because they are going to see a stronger focus for 2014. 

• Increase Exhibitor Volume thru custom participation options & increased value: BEA in NYC and Javits simply costs more - that is a fact.  NYC also has delivered a higher value for BEA participants.  However, the point of entry is becoming a challenge for some important players.  BEA will come up with turn-key options that will allow anyone to fully engage in BEA for $2,500.00 or less.  This would be less expensive than BEA was for the average exhibitor 10 years ago.  There are too many booksellers, retailers, press, suppliers and industry players that can do business with a publisher at BEA that at that price point, they couldn't afford NOT to exhibit at BEA
• Manage D2C transition (Direct to Consumer):  From the BEA perspective, the events and Power Readers in 2013 were very successful (85% of Power Readers were Very or Extremely Satisfied and scored their experience off the charts in positive way), however, there needs to be more information for both the attending consumers on what is available and for publishers on what to expect, how to engage consumers and to deliver more value.
• Improve Saturday B2B Experience:   BEA will make a number of changes to insure that Saturday at BEA is a busy, productive and valuable day.  The last day of any trade show will be slower and we know from the vast majority of attendees: they need MORE than 2 days to get through BEA.  This includes added stipends to insure key buyers are at the show on Saturday, VIP buyer tours on the show floor, strong Saturday programming to make your time there worthwhile and more
  
• Deliver Superior Exhibitor Experience: We made massive improvements for attendees in 2013 with aisle congestion, improved autographing and expanded stage programming.  We are going to bring similar focus to making sure exhibitors have a superior experience at BEA.

Summer Slips Into Fall

I will be leaving for the Beijing International Book Fair on Sunday, so my summer is dwindling down faster than most by a week.  I do get home with with just enough time to enjoy a Labor Day burger or two and then we get into the maw of the busy fall season when publishing wakes up from the the summer slumber with sprint that finishes with the Holiday Season.

I know everyone is busier than we remember summers being and down time is a figment of the 1980's.   Still I want to share some of the planning and things that have transpired over the summer that people can anticipate will be part of BEA in 2014:

• Larger Buzz Committees and a clearer process so we can give more titles an opportunity to shine in the BEA Buzz limelight.
• More opportunities for authors to participate at BEA.  Not those with manuscripts, but authors that are engaged in the publishing process, looking to interact with readers.
• A bigger investment from BEA to bring in ABA members that have not been to BEA and other retailers that sell books.  Investment = travel stipends, cheaper hotel options, more value for coming to NYC - like exclusive author events, more sideline vendors with great products they would not find elsewhere and more....
• A busy B2B Saturday - there are no easy answers here, but I know that people that are not interested in Power Readers need a BUSY AND FULL day of real meetings with potential or existing customers.  This is a top priority.
• Speaking of Power Readers - there will be more, we will double the number from this year, more events for them and genre based programming like romance, children's,  comic and graphic novels.
• The Global Market Forum program, as previously announced, will be tacking the ambitious area of books in translation.  WOW - who knew the potential here, we have a host of incredible partners that are going to create a program for both the industry person and the fans of world literature that will be world class.
• BEA is working on  turn-key options for cost conscience exhibitors that need a total solution to participation in BEA, not just a cheap table & chair. For a flat fee they will be able to really be engaged in the show and connect with booksellers, librarians, retailers and readers

That is only a few of the top line things we are working on for BEA 2014.  If the Fall goes as fast as this Summer, I will be breaking out eggnog in no time.

Books in Translation: Wanderlust for the Written Word

BOOKEXPO AMERICA ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR

GLOBAL MARKET FORUM 2014

BookExpo America has announced a new development for its 2014 Global Market Forum (GMF) program that is uniquely exciting by bringing a dedicated focus to books in translation.    Leading US and international professionals that specialize in bringing the written word across languages will gather for a world summit on translation on Wednesday May 28^th  2014, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, and in the following days at and around the book industry’s largest gathering in North America which will take place Wednesday, May 28^th – Saturday, May 31^st 2014.  

BEA welcomes a host of prestigious partners that will develop the professional and cultural programs that make up the 2014 Global Market Forum: Books in Translation presented at BEA as well as various venues and institutions in the New York City area during BEA.  These include the Literary Translation at Columbia Writing Program, PEN World Voices, Open Letter Press at the University of Rochester, the Association of Author Representatives (AAR), American Literary Translators Association, Art of Translation in San Francisco as well as representatives of international markets promoting their countries’ literature in the US.

Books throughout history have been the vehicle for ideas and stories that transcend geography and cultures, reaching audiences far beyond a native land or language. Globalization and digitization bring new forces that are re-inventing the book trade and extending the possibilities for translations.

BEA is leading a collaborative effort from a variety of innovative organizations and experts in the sector to explore how these new opportunities can be turned into new business for authors, agents, publishers and translators.

Topics will include lessons learned from the recent success stories of translated authors, like the Swedish writer Stieg Larsson; explore how translated works can transcend from niche audiences to a large readership; debate best practices for making translations work – from English, as well as into English, and the help proposed from attractive funding programs. Marketing translations can now benefit from self-publishing to social media, by effectively managing interested target audiences, thereby facilitating the way to market for translated books.

“This is a logical evolution for BEA as international participation has outpaced every other segment at BEA aside from digital” says show organizer Steven Rosato.  “While this is different for the GMF program, which typically focuses on a single country or region, providing a platform for books in translation is part of the long term future of BEA and will support future GMF programs and create more business opportunities for all BEA participants.”

BEA will also provide a dedicated page for submitting ideas and suggestions for programs and partnerships for the 2014 Global Market Forum: Books in Translation in the near future.  

Press Contact: Roger Bilheimer, bilheim@aol.com

Program Coordinator: Ruediger Wischenbart, ruediger@wischenbart.com