This weekend I’ll be exhibiting at a show I’ve never done before, Northeast Comic Con! Being a vendor at a new show always carries a risk, but they’re usually worth it. New experiences are invaluable additions to a creator’s toolbox, and new conventions provide the opportunity for them in droves; from meeting new people to being in new environments.
Except I’m not taking a huge risk with this show. It’s located a relatively short drive from where I live, and some of my dearest friends live close by. So while traveling to a new show sometimes involves all the associated risks of navigating long-distance travel or exploring a new city, I’m starting my 2025 convention circuit close to home and rather safe. I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed every night of the con.
The financial risk is always the biggest one, even if expenses are lowered because you’re local. I may not have to deal with budgeting for lengthy travel or a hotel stay, but that doesn’t make a lousy sales weekend feel any better. Even the biggest, most established, high-attendance shows run the risk of being a dud for sales, and a lot of that comes down to luck. You could do everything right and still have a disappointing sales weekend, and sometimes that’s beyond your control.
But I find new shows and the inherent risks involved exciting. Meeting new people is a chance to make new friends, and maybe in the business world that would be considered “networking” but I never think of it that way. And even if a new show is a complete disaster (it’s only happened once to me), I’ll at least come away with some spectacular stories to tell, and that’s sometimes worth the price of admission. If you’re a local, anyway.
So come by and see me this weekend at Northeast Comic Con!