Yallfest Tips

Hey everyone! With Yallfest 2012 coming up in just a few days, I thought it might be a lot of fun to put together a post with some advice about what I learned last year and some of the tings I'm going to be doing this year to be even more prepared. Helping each other be prepared is what the blogging community is all about, right? *cue a chorus of rights* So let's get started yall!

1) Bring a rolling bag- I did this last year and it was a life saver. There are a whole ton of amazing authors coming this year and odds are you are going to be lugging around lots of wonderful books to get signed (I've got 33 myself plus what I still need to buy). You definitely want to have a magical bag with wheels to help you so you aren't stuck with a sore back at the end of the day.

2) Bring an extra tote- That way you can put the signed books in it and have more room to search through your rolling bag. Plus, you can carry the tote to the car and leave the rolling bag with a friend.

3) Study the schedule and pack your bag accordingly- If you put all the authors that are going to be appearing in the first part of the day at the bottom of the bag, you are going to have a lot of trouble getting them out. If you look at the schedule and pack according to appearance (last authors of the day on the bottom), you'll be all ready to go.

4) Accept that you aren't going to see everything- This happened to me last year when they were only doing a few panels in the same hour. This year you'll have to choose between 3 every hour which means you are most definitely not going to see it all. And that's okay. It makes each experience unique. For me, the most important part is getting my books signed and getting some one on one time with all the awesome authors there this year.

5) Don't be afraid to ask someone to take your picture with an author- This one is pretty self explanatory but  if you want a picture with an author and you are solo in line, turn around to that person behind you and flash a smile. Odds are they will say yes and might even ask you to stick around and do the same.

6) Don't be afraid to introduce yourself- If you've been tweeting with a certain author or had them on your blog or even just want to, introduce yourself and tell them your blog name or Twitter handle. I was talking with Michelle Hodkin last year and told her I'd been tweeting her back and forth and told her my Twitter name. She recognized me and thanked me for telling her so she could. This goes for fellow bloggers too. If you recognize one, go up and say hi
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7) Bring a water bottle- I didn't do this last year and ended up getting really sick which was my own fault. I spent all day rushing around without a drop until it was too late. This time they have a spot in my rolling suitcase.

8) Expect a lot of running around- Last year there was a lot of back and forth between the signing lines and the panels. Sure you have to hustle but at least there is some exercise involved. Just wear a pair of comfy shoes.

9) Expect lines- The signing lines get pretty long, especially for popular authors. But they are organized and go pretty quick. Just remember when the line is held up, if you were up there chatting with your favorite author for a little bit, wouldn't you want a few seconds to say hello and extend that courtesy to the person in front of you.

10) Thank the volunteers- They worked hard for nada to make sure this whole thing gets off without a hitch. If you see one, it might be really nice to thank them. I know I did last year.

11) Bring business cards- Whether you are speaking to an author and want to show them something visual to remember your blog or you want to have one for a fellow blogger who you met, a few business cards will go a long way.

12) Don't forget about the pie!- There is pie there. Don't forget to snag your favorite flavor!

That's the shirt I'll be wearing

13) Say hi to me- Yeah, I had to throw this one in there. I'll be running around and tweeting so say hi. I'll have on my Down the Rabbit Hole tee, which is red so look for it! I know quite a few of you are attending and it would be awesome to meet you!

If you attended last year, any tips you'd like to share?