Blogging Goals: Attend Book Expo America

Many, many people have asked me where I’m taking this blog.  What are my goals for its future?  Do I foresee a time where I’ll have to stop blogging?  (Let’s hope not!)  What direction do I want to take The Mad Reviewer?  Is my goal to monetize my blog?

To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer to any of those questions at the moment.  Right now I just want to talk about books like I always have while building up a following of awesome readers.  So far, so good.  It’s basically what every other book blogger wants.

But lately I’ve been thinking about book blogging conferences and book fairs.  Particularly Book Expo America (BEA), which has a book blogger’s conference in conjunction with the regular show.  From what I’ve seen of other blogs it seems like a great place to go: you get some free books, listen to interesting talks from industry professionals and network with other bloggers.  So yes, as a dedicated book blogger I obviously want to go.  The only question is when.

Looking at my financial situation right now, going in 2014 is out of the question, unfortunately.  2015?  Maybe then, but certainly not next year.  Right now it’s really only the financial part that’s holding me back.  Travelling alone to somewhere like New York is a little intimidating I’ll admit, but it’s not like I haven’t travelled alone before.  Just never that far.  I may splurge and buy a bunch of business cards for my blog beforehand, but that’s something to worry about in the future when I actually have a permanent logo and more followers.

So yeah, attending Book Expo America is currently my only book blogging goal.  If you’re a blogger or an author, would you want to attend something like BEA?  Have you already attended it?  What was it like?

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