Friday Fun Post: TBF Tips

With only about a hundred days left until Teen Book Fest, you might be starting to think about attending the event as either a guest or a volunteer. As someone who has, throughout the years, participated in each of the two positions, I can tell you that both are incredibly rewarding. However, there are a couple of tips you can use to make your day even better (if that’s even possible).
As an attendee, make sure to arrive early. I know it’s Saturday and waking up at any time before nine might not seem to be the most appealing option, getting to TBF at the 8:30 opening time is certainly worth it. First of all, you’ll get the chance to peruse the book selection before the most popular novels are already taken, and, second of all, you’ll also be able to snag a good seat for the Teen Book Fest opening ceremony. Even if you can’t arrive by 8:30, make sure to be at Nazareth by the time this starts, 9:15 a.m. I missed it the first time I attended and have regretted it ever since. Also, make sure to plan out your day. If you’re like me, you’ve already been scouting out the attending authors for months so you might have a good idea of who you want to see. Make sure you know the top three or four authors you’d like to see, and, as always, have some backup options available in case a session is full or you arrive late. Finally, be prepared. Make sure to have bring a water bottle, some food (in case you run across a starving author, of course), and money (for books!). Also, if you have copies of any books by the attending authors, don’t forget to bring them to be signed. Again, this is a mistake I’ve made in the past and one I still regret. Most of all-- don’t forget to have fun! TBF is book lovers’ paradise so make sure to take advantage of it.
As a volunteer, don’t forget to sign up. It may sound self-evident, but I know that without any reminders, I can miss things pretty easily. Set a reminder on your phone, write it down in your planner, whatever you need to do because it’s simple for that due date to slip by. Secondly, make sure to attend the training session on May 15th at Nazareth. It’s important to get a layout of the campus, and schedule as well as meet your fellow volunteers before the event. Finally, the day of the event, don’t forget to take a deep breath and quell your nerves. When meeting an author, it’s pretty much a natural instinct to start freaking out-- particularly about whether the writer will like you or not. Don’t worry. Be yourself. Things will go fine.
So, whether you are an attendee or a volunteer, mark your calendar for May 19th where I hope to see you all at TBF!
-- Kate G