 While thinking about and beginning to play events the 2025 Book Festival Season, I was talking with some other authors about the possibility of sharing sales space at fairs and festivals around the area. Why? Well, there are a few reasons. First, sharing the space means sharing the day. It’s always nice to have another author to keep things interesting. If you share space, you have someone to chat with throughout the day, especially in those moments when there’s a lull in the traffic. As authors, we expect that some shows will be busier than others. Still, nothing screams imposter syndrome to the little voice in your head louder than having no one to talk to all day. Second, sharing space means you’ll have someone to spot you for bathroom breaks (and you them), you’ll have someone to eat lunch with, and you can help sell each other’s books. Sometimes selling yourself is a challenge with that little voice screaming at you. If you run out of cash, your booth mate might have some extra to help you give back change, rather than forego a sale, which is also extremely helpful. Finally, of course, there is the most obvious reason… two people splitting festival costs means you both reduce your expenses and increase your revenue. I highly recommend you seek out authors whom you admire and who write in different genres (so no one’s toes get stepped on) and ask them to share booth space with you this year. You’ll have a good time, I promise. So, you’ve signed up to do an event with an author buddy, Yay! Now it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll set up your exhibit pace. For the purposes of this conversation, we’ll just talk about the big stuff… tents, tables, chairs. The smaller stuff, like table displays, how much inventory, swag, and all the other little details, we’ll leave for a different discussion. Almost every event I’ve ever participated in provides a 10’ x 10’ space… if that’s indoors, like at a school gym, or the multipurpose room at a church, usually spaces are marked out with tape, and they often allow for a few extra feet in between spaces. This not only makes the fire marshal’s job easier, but it’s also nice for you to not be so close to your neighbors… Extra walking space between booths entices more customers. At most outdoor events I’ve been to, the spaces are the same size and require that you supply your own tent and all the other necessities to sell books. But, unlike the indoor events, these spaces are usually sandwiched right up next to each other, wall to wall, if you will. If you don’t have a tent, you may want to make getting one a top priority before asking authors to share space with you. Although, schlepping a tent is a hassle... perhaps you can entice your author buddy to bring their tent if you offer to pay a little bit more than your share of the space. Remember, make it easy for them to travel to a show you want to do, with their tent, and both your lives will be easier. Or, if you prefer to buy your own tent, it’s probably not a wasted expense. Depending on how many outdoor events you want to do on your own, it can’t hurt. If after you buy it, you decide that outdoor events aren’t your thing… you can always use the tent in your back yard or at the beach with your family… and if you get the sides with window screens and a door, even better! You can find tents online… Amazon has bunches… and I highly recommend you get the sides to go with them. Just buy them all in one swell foop. Even though I always pack my books out each night for a multi-day event to safeguard against weather damage, it’s nice to leave the tent up so you don’t have to break it down and set it up for each day of the weekend. Sides make that process easier. Oh, and don’t forget the weights to hold it all down. Most event organizers won’t let you leave a tent overnight unless it’s weighted down. I tried using sandbags for a couple years… that was a disaster! Sand all over the car! I suggest you get real weight-weights, rather than sand. Yes, they’re a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my book. Don’t get weights that require stakes, as many outdoor events don’t take place on the grass or dirt. Many are on blacktop, in parking lots, and some have gravel “floors.” If you’d rather not pay for weights, check out YouTube. There are a bunch of videos out there that teach you how to make your own. When considering where to place the “furniture” inside your tent, there are a few different options for you, based on your particular needs. Your choices will change based on the orientation of your space, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, how many books you and your author buddy need to display, and whether or not Mother Nature chooses to cooperate. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you walk through the options:
The space configurations I describe in this article take into consideration two authors sharing one 10’ x 10’ space, which is a customary size. The standard table size is a 6’ rectangle (some indoor events will provide you with an 8’ table – though that’s rare). Authors with fewer titles might only need a 4’ table. Due to my fairly large catalogue of books, I set up on a 6' table, yet always bring along an extra 4’ table to use for overstock inventory, swag, my lunch box, cocoa mug… you know… the other stuff. I do this because it’s not always a good idea to put that other stuff on the ground. Mud, rainwater, dew, animals… all are possible when working outdoors. Bringing along another, smaller table isn’t a requirement, but it certainly makes the day easier for me. Keep in mind that an extra table isn't always possible with indoor spaces, but you might as well pack it in the car, just in case... it couldn't hurt. I recommend you buy tables that fold as small as possible… and height adjustable legs are nice, too. You never know what you need until you need it. And, the smaller things are, the easier they’ll stack on the cart and pack in the car. I always pack a 6’ table for all my events (sometimes two, depending). Often, I also pack a 4’ table, whether I use it or not. Sometimes things change (especially at indoor events) and you’ll want to be as prepared as possible to pivot to a smaller space, rather than forfeit the day. For several years, the 4’ table I used was not the foldable type. It wasn’t heavy or gangly by any means… but finally getting a foldable 4’ table was, for me, a game changer. They aren’t that expensive, so just do it. You can find them all over the place… Target, Home Depot, Amazon, Walmart… they’re everywhere. So, now we get to the floor plans. This list is in no way exhaustive… I’m sure there are a lot of other creative interior designers out there who can come up with more attractive and more effective designs. If you are one of those people, please send me your ideas. If you have a better mousetrap, I’d like to try it. All of these configurations assume (yeah, I know) the top of the image is the back of the booth, and the bottom is the front. Front is usually the highest trafficked side of your space. Whenever possible, I recommend leaving a little bit of a tent hang over in front of the tables to allow for shade and sunny days and a bit of protection from the rain on wet days. It’ll make the day nicer for everyone. [PS. These drawings are not to exact scale... math isn't my thing... so consider these as "rough guides."]  Config. A This is a standard front-facing booth configuration for two authors who have just a few books each, and don’t need a lot of space. Both authors have their own 4’ table to display their books and swag. The 4’ table in the back is for tools like the cash box, credit card reader, signing pens, and additional inventory, snacks, and lunch. Customers walk by in front of the tables, and the authors sit behind their tables. Easy-peasy.  Config. B This second front-facing configuration is ideal for two authors, one of whom has just one or two titles, and the second who may have more. It’s an excellent option for new authors who want to share space with a “mentor” author and learn how they set their display and sell. As you’ll notice, because the space is 10’ x 10’, two 6’ tables won’t quite fit. So, this is a great choice when one author or the other requires less space.  Config. C This arrangement of tables works well in situations where there is extra space between booths at an event. Customers can traffic from three sides, and still see everything on the tables. If you choose this set up, remember to place at least one of your titles… probably your newest or a bestseller… facing the front of the booth (in grocery store "end-cap" fashion) to entice readers to become curious about your other titles, and stop to see what else you have to offer. Config. D & E Setting up your tables with this plan is perfect for those shows when you have lots of space on either side where customers can traffic, and still have lots of room to gather under your tent without feeling claustrophobic, even if the sides are down, due to inclement weather. This floor plan also allows for extra room for customers who may have strollers, guide dogs, or wheelchairs. The only difference between these two plans is where to position your author chair. You may want to change it up depending on the weather. Remember, you want to engage readers to interact with you, but you don’t want to get in their way as they reach for a book.
Config. F & G These two booth plans are fantastic for those of you who choose to spend that higher registration fee and reserve the corner spaces. Whether a left or right corner, setting your tables in this way allows you to make both authors’ books visually available to all directions of traffic. Also, setting your chair at the end of your table gives you an opportunity to make eye contact and greet customers, no matter which direction they come from. This is an open concept plan, with lots of space for people, strollers, wheelchairs, and guide dogs without shoppers feeling trapped. The mirror option... putting your tables on the outside edges of the corner may also work well... however, if Mother Nature is having a bad day, you'll want the interior tent space open to allow visitors a respite from her shenanigans.
Config. H & I The “H” layout is an excellent choice if you are in a space where you’re extremely open to traffic on all three sides of your booth. Think about indoor events where the booths have more room between them, or outdoor events where you’re widely spread out over a grassy field. Each author has both side and front space available to showcase their books, and when customers are “checking out” they can move to the middle table of the “H,” thereby freeing up space on the sides for other interested readers to discover your work, rather than feel that your table is too busy to accommodate them… and it still gives you an opportunity to make eye contact with those new visitors while processing transactions. The difference between these two layouts is how you set up the payment table. Some customers might feel added pressure if they perceive that they are “trapped” when pulling out their wallet. Moving the table forward and flush with the two side tables eliminates, or at least reduces, that sensation.
Config. J & K These two booth layouts are the inverse of each other. Configuration 'J' works best when the sides are down on your tent, and 'K' works whether they’re up or down. Keep in mind that using either of these plans will decrease your available space for visitors significantly, so choose wisely.
Again, these are just the big things… we’ll talk about all the smaller things... what to put on the tables, signage, etc. at another time.
Oh, one last tip, if at all possible, I strongly recommend you set up your booth configureation in your backyard, basement, or garage as a test run. Sure, you may not get it exactly the same way when you do a show, but at least you'll have a practice run behind you, which means you won't fumble or take more time than you need to set up. And that translates to sleeping in late the morning of your event... and you all know how lovely extra sleep is! 😁 If you have a design that you’ve found works better for you than any of these, please tell me about it. I’m always interested to learn how different authors work their careers. We’re not competitors, we’re collaborators, each bringing stories to readers in our own way. The more we share, the more we learn, the more successful we’ll all be.
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