With so much expert content now available online—through webinars, courses, and virtual conferences—many authors wonder if it's still worth attending live events. The answer, as you'll see below, is yes. But not just for the educational sessions. The real value often lies in the connections you make, the energy in the room, and the unexpected conversations that can shape your career.
In the first part of this post, drawn from a recent episode of his Publishing for Profit podcast, strategist and host Joe Solari outlines how attending conferences can sharpen your business acumen, connect you with the right people, and offer early signals about where the publishing industry is headed. Following that, ALLi humor writing adviser and author Dave Cohen shares his personal experience navigating the post-pandemic return to conferences—highlighting what it feels like from the inside as a working writer.
Joe Solari on Why Live Events Matter
Joe Solari
In a recent episode of Publishing for Profit, Joe Solari shared why attending live author events can be one of the most transformative steps an indie author can take. “In 2017, I went to my first-ever live author event, and it was life-changing,” Solari said. “Not just career changing or helping me to get a better understanding of the career; it changed the trajectory of my life, and that’s what I want for you.”
Speaking both from personal experience and as the organizer of a major indie conference, he explained how these events can sharpen your strategy, deepen your connections, and offer a clearer view of where the industry is heading.
He described how, at that first event, he saw potential everywhere. “I observed some pretty amazing stuff. I saw what was going on in the industry and recognized the opportunity that somebody there was going to create iconic intellectual property that would create generational wealth for their family, the next Star Wars, the next Marvel, that kind of stuff.”
What struck him was not finding who would do it, but understanding that being near that energy and ambition mattered: “I was there to see an opportunity and know that if I was around this, I could help.”
Since then, he’s watched the indie publishing world shift dramatically. “The industry has had a lot of change and a lot of turmoil and a lot of things that we’ve had to adjust to,” he said. That’s why, even more than in 2017, he believes live events are vital today. They’re a place to find like-minded authors who are serious about both craft and business. “An event like an indie author conference is going to attract the people that you want to hang out with, right? It’s the whole idea of, who you surround yourself with determines the person that you’ll be.”
Solari emphasized that choosing to attend a live event is an act of commitment. “People that are deciding to spend the kind of money and time to go to an event are demonstrating their commitment to their business and to being part of the industry in a different way.” That’s why, he said, these are the people you want to build relationships with—people who will influence not just your next project, but your long-term growth as an author and business owner.
A live event is also where you can gain early insight into where the industry is heading. “Who’s on stage, who’s in the panels, who’s talking about what? That is going to be a great indicator for you of what the direction of the industry is,” he said. But the magic happens in unscripted moments too: “Ironically, it isn’t something that may come off of the stage as it is conversations that happen in the hall. That’s where some real magic happens.”
Solari also highlighted the importance of staying alert to macroeconomic cycles. “You’re signing up for being an entrepreneur, running a business where you’re responsible for the success of it. You’re the creator of the product.” That means riding out boom and bust cycles. “Most of what we do as authors is somebody else’s discretionary spending, and if they’re uncertain, they’re going to hold off on purchases just to see, and that means our economic opportunities are lower.”
Different types of events serve different needs. Large shows like Author Nation provide education and networking. Trade expos such as London Book Fair may be more focused on suppliers and services. Then there are regional meetups and masterminds. “Masterminds tend to come out of established relationships,” Solari said, and they work well for authors with shared goals and genres. But whatever the size, the takeaway is clear: in-person matters. “A virtual event does not have the same impact as a live event does.”
Networking is often the hardest part—but also the most rewarding. “What’s funny is someone who runs a conference, the most asked for thing is, help me connect with other authors. And the thing that is shown is the part that authors have the most concern about is networking and connecting.” His advice: “Not to have a particular agenda coming in, but to be listening for how I can help… that spirit creates reciprocity in the community.”
He encouraged authors to be mindful of how they’re perceived. “When people see you as opportunistic and a taker, they’re going to always keep you at arm’s length,” he warned. But if you show up with the right energy and contribute, people will want to help. And after the conference? “What really creates memorable connections is what you do after the fact. Did you get an email? Did you get a text? Did you follow up and answer that question that they had…?”
Preparation, he said, is essential. “Do the research into the particular speakers… start thinking about questions you may have on that subject already.” Instead of vague goals, be specific: “I haven’t written a book. What are the five things that I need to know how to do to get that book published by the end of the year?” That kind of focused intention makes the event experience more valuable—and often, more personal. “That could be all wrapped up in one conversation over a couple of drinks with one author.”
He ended with one of the most important takeaways from his research: “The things that really separate highly successful author businesses from other ones is authors that do three things. They have a peer group. They have an accountability system, and they have a mentor.” Authors with those three supports, he said, “get profitable 18 months sooner, and it’s going to be four times more profitable than the average.”
And finally, Solari reminded listeners that generosity pays off. “Remember that even if it’s just the act of listening, that is giving into the community, and it’s over time that you will find that that investment pays back in dividends that are far bigger than whatever you invested in the show.”
Dave Cohen on Showing Up
ALLi humor writing adviser and author Dave Cohen doesn’t romanticize the conference experience. He describes it honestly: sometimes inspiring, sometimes intimidating, often exhausting. But his message is clear—if you care about your writing career, showing up matters. Here’s what he learned from stepping out of his comfort zone and into the crowd.
Dave Cohen
Back in the depths of ancient history, 2019 BC (Before Covid), conferences were exciting, fun, a chance to hang out in a space where the successful people deigned to join you and you hoped that some of their success would rub off on you.
In 2023, when we started going to conferences again it felt like the most thrilling adventure possible. To be in rooms with people we’d only ever known from the neck up, unrecognizable without familiar book cases behind them.
It was exciting but the world itself had changed.
The 2024 British Comedy Writing Conference I attended was still great, but it wasn’t quite as exhilarating as the 2023 version. Maybe it was just me being a year older, but especially in the world of comedy writing it felt like the doors to development that already required heavy pushing before 2020 were now bolted and padlocked shut.
With so much online material to choose from, is it still worth turning up to a conference in person?
Yes it most definitely is.
What if you have to travel to another city or even country to attend?
I know it’s expensive to come to London especially if you have to stay overnight but I recommend you try and find a way of doing it for this reason alone. Precisely because it is so difficult, because it requires you to push outside of whatever is your safe place. It might involve some kind of sacrifice. I say it's a sacrifice worth making.
We writers exist almost exclusively in a self-contained bubble of one.
You might be confident about your abilities – although I doubt that, almost every comedy writer I’ve met at every level spends many hours of the day feeling like a fraud, apart from the ones who are cockily certain that they are good, and none of them are successful – but until you have that first credit or some other validation from a professional, you don’t yet feel like you deserve to show your face.
This year I attended the London Book Fair at Kensington Olympia. I’ve published two novels and a third on the way and remain as far from the inner sanctum of what can be described as the successful world of novelists as I was when I brought out the first book four years ago.
When I’m at the Book Festival I go to panels to listen to experts, aware that these people are so far ahead of me in terms of what they have achieved that I wonder if I’ll ever progress beyond this nowhere place where I reside.
I am overawed by the hundreds of stalls. Every book on display has arrived there because of the persistence of the writer, over and above the creating of the book itself, to persuade professionals in the industry to go with their work rather than someone else’s.
I can dream of being feted as the next JK Rowling, which is nice but unrealistic, or I can dream of being the next published novelist, which doesn’t feel quite so improbable. I know that some of you reading this may have already achieved that success.
What’s important is that I’ve taken the time out of my busy schedule to spend a whole day at the fair. I’m not expecting anything to come directly from it, but I spent a lot of time in advance working out which talks I wanted to attend as a priority, and if there were any people appearing in panels that I would go out of my way to try and meet.
Here are some of the things I learned at the Book Fair that will apply to your visit to a live conference.
Go there to find out what you don’t know
It’s great to meet the top people in the industry but that’s what everyone will be doing. Your principal reason for going is to connect with other writers.
It may sound counter-intuitive to want to co-operate with people who you are for the most part competing with for those ever-shrinking budgets or high prestige competition wins.
However, there’s something you know a lot about isn’t there? Way more than anyone else in the room. And there’s one person in that room for whom that knowledge will spark something that will be a great leap forward for them.
What will be the thing that will spark you? You won’t know until the moment you hear someone talking about it. And you won’t be able to do that until you’ve built up the courage to go up to strangers and ask them questions about themselves and the things that fire them up.
Be there to learn about how the industry works
Be aware of how the system works and where the panellists fit in. If you have a specific industry question for a panelist go up to them at the end of the session and wait your turn. Do your homework. Be sure it’s something you can’t find out anywhere else. Don’t ask them a question to which the quickest answer is “Google it.”
Don’t ask the panelists a question unless it’s something you think the rest of the room might benefit from
You know how much you love talking to people about your own work? Please do us a favour and hold onto that thought for the duration of a panel.
Most of the questions for panelists are fine but there’s nothing makes the heart sink more than when the roving microphone arrives in the hand of a writer who has a precisely specific question about the latest problem they’re having with their own work.
Listen carefully to everything the panelists are talking about. I guarantee something of interest to you will come up in the event and for one reason or another it won’t be fully resolved. Ask for clarity or elaboration. It’ll almost certainly be rewarding for everyone else present, including the panelists.
If you’re going to talk to a panelist, don’t talk to them about anything to do with your own work
If there’s one you like, introduce yourself and talk to them about something they’ve done.
You know how much you love talking to people about your own work? Panelists are the same. There’s nothing we love more than to talk about our own projects. If you hit it off you may end up talking to them about your own work anyway. Now that you’ve made a connection they’ll put more effort into replying to you about it.
Have fun
Turn up with a curious mind and an open heart.
Whatever else happens your future writing career will not hinge on this conference. But you should leave inspired to do whatever it takes – to make a living at writing? Possibly. To become a better writer. That’s the win.
ALLi Members on Live Events
Of course, every writer’s experience is different. We asked ALLi members to share what they’ve gained from attending live events—whether large conferences, small meetups, or anything in between. Here’s what they said.
Meagan Hubbell
“I attended the Women in Publishing conference for the past two years and it has made a huge difference for me,” said Meagan Hubbell. What stood out most were not only “the array of briefings that are given but the people you meet in the networking sessions.” She added, “I have learned tons of tidbits about things I didn't even realize I needed to know.” One session in particular stood out: “I sat in on a presentation about book clubs and learned all about making virtual puzzles related to your book material. It is an amazing resource!”
Julie Snider
Julie Snider echoed that enthusiasm. “I love WIP!” she said. “Completely agree about the quality of the presentations, networking, and new knowledge.” Her experience at the conference even led her to further opportunities. “I’ve joined Alexa Bigwarfe’s Book Launch in a Box as a result of my WIP conference experiences. Great stuff!”
Deb Cushman
Deb Cushman
For Deb Cushman, it all started with a local event that didn’t seem promising on the surface. “The location wasn't the greatest, the parking was terrible, and I wasn't sure about publicity for this first-time event,” she said. But she went for it anyway. “The deciding factors? It was free and the coordinator was a lovely woman.”
The outcome? “I sold nine books and had a great time with readers and authors.”
That single decision sparked a string of opportunities. “Since that day, this networking opportunity has provided an interview on a local radio station and a newspaper article.”
The event itself has grown, too. “There are more than 60 authors participating, a bigger venue, a tent with activities for children, and author workshops. Publicity is amazing.”
Cushman was featured in a local family magazine and added, “A video reel was produced about my book by the coordinator and posted on Instagram and Facebook.”
Reflecting on the experience, she said, “All of this happened because I took the risk of saying yes. Who knows where it will lead?”
Thoughts or further questions on this post or any self-publishing issue?
If you’re an ALLi member, head over to the SelfPubConnect forum for support from our experienced community of indie authors, advisors, and our own ALLi team. Simply create an account (if you haven’t already) to request to join the forum and get going.
Non-members looking for more information can search our extensive archive of blog posts and podcast episodes packed with tips and advice at ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Center.
