#AWP2019

The two times I've been to AWP, I've been lucky enough to sit at a table at the Bookfair with copies of my novels on display in front of me and available for signing and selling. It was pleasant to see sections of Minneapolis and Los Angeles as well, and I have nothing against the myriad panels I failed to attend. The whole thing costs quite a bit of money--hotel, conference fees, airfare--so unless a publisher, university, or other organization is paying for the trip, it can feel as if the money was wasted unless it's being treated like a vacation for book-gazing and sightseeing. I'd be cautious about expecting a reward for any efforts at AWP2019. It may be that authors are using AWP connections to pick up freelance work and adjunct classes, but it's nothing that was visible to me when I participated. With luck, it's possible to sell some books and not merely get stuck with trades and giving them away.