Award ceremonies, book festivals, book fairs – do you go to these? As a writer who is not on the circuit, these events could  be considered gawking, fantasizing, maybe checking out the competition. Not sure what to think.

I have been to a couple of book festivals. More as a book lover than as a writer I should say. When I attend events in the festivals that are meant for children’s books – the audience is filled with kids and their parents and the events are targeted at the audience. Why do I go? Because I want to hear the successful authors talk? Do I want to know what works? What type of questions are they asked?

I am not sure why I went. I did do some non-fiction and current affair book events. And I looked around the bookshops, collected some free pens, bags and moped around hoping one day my book will be out here.

Award festivals – that’s another thing. I have not been to any except the booker talk, the day before the awards were announced. I have now booked tickets to the Red House Children’s awards. I remember last year thinking that I live so close Southbank and still  missed the event. So this time I have tickets and I have some good friends to come with me.

But how will I feel when I get there? Will I use it to network? Lots of bloggers and writers and maybe publishers might be around. But will I fret over whether if my book will ever be published or if I will get an agent or will I be good enough to be nominated?

Sometimes I do wonder if successful writers did ever attend these things? Did they know the industry at all? Were they so good at their craft that their agent did all their networking for them? Is it really important to network? Can I not use that time just to write more or better?

Other times I think I want to be part of this culture of books. I want to read good books and talk about them. I want to spot famous authors in the crowd and be proud to have been there in the same room.

After a long think I think I know why I go. Because I want to be part of the book industry. I want to know what’s going on. For me at least, it is not enough just to write. I love the craft as much as the industry. I love reading the research about digital vs print. I want to know about mergers and acquisitions. I want to know about companies that are expanding, growing, changing gears.

Writing might be a lonely thing to do. But the purpose of writing is to make something that belongs to you, belong to the rest of the world. To let the world embrace what once belonged to you.

And I want to see the world that can take magical things such as books and float them into the skies. I want to be part of the industry, the people, the passionate crew of editors, publishers, rights managers, agents who make the stuff made out of dream dust.

Do you go to events? Why? What do you feel when you watch someone perform? Listen to someone talk to their audience?