Calling All Arizona Authors: Why You Should Attend Phoenix Comicon

When I was a bit younger, the term “Comicon” brought up images of cosplayers in anime gear, super-fans screaming their heads off when their favorite Star Trek character walked on stage for a signing, and booths upon booths of collectors’ edition action figures.

Well…all of that does exist at Phoenix Comicon.

BUT! There’s much more, so much more, and I’m thankful that I crawled out of my editor/author cave (it is supposed to be 118 degrees this Saturday, so let’s just say I’m avoiding the sun to the level that a vampire on “True Blood” would), both last year and this year to experience all that Phoenix Comicon has to offer for Arizona-based authors and aspiring writers.

First off, the number one thing you should do at Phoenix Comicon if you’re an author is:

1. Attend Author Panels

These are fantastic (and included!) in the overall day pass for Phoenix Comicon, and they are not to be missed. How often do you get the chance to hear refreshing, applicable writing advice from New York Times bestselling authors like V.E. Schwab and Pierce Brown? (Yes, I heard them both speak yesterday, and it was glorious.)

Find a lengthy list of all author panels, fun events like “Sam Sykes’ “Author Batsu” (last year he made author Myke Cole eat salsa so spicy that the man nearly vomited on stage) and at least a dozen classes ranging from how to write interesting villains to infusing your book with romance at Phoenix Comicon’s Programming Schedule.

2. Consider Signing Up for Writing Workshops

For an additional $8/class, you can enroll in a variety of writing workshops all day Friday and Saturday ranging from tips for social media to finishing a book in 21 days and learning how to query agents and publishing houses. Enroll here, through the Programming Schedule. These classes are taught by local professionals like NYT’s bestselling author Michael Stackpole and Chantelle Aimée Osman, author and Anthony Award-nominated blogger, and consultant.

3. Meet Famous Authors

Yes, they are famous. Yes, they are nice to you, too. Last year I attended several panels for writers and got to meet one of my personal heroes, NYT’s bestselling author Chuck Wendig. Want to know the coolest part?! He actually let me take him out for a coffee after one of his signings, and we walked around Comicon talking about writing, marketing and the publishing industry as a whole. It was glorious. And the best thing about Phoenix Comicon is that you can do this too! Authors like NYT’s bestseller Aprilynne Pike, Suzanne Young, Pierce Brown and Tom Leveen are all circulating around the “Books and Authors” area of Comicon and are so pleasant and delighted to meet you, shake your hand, talk writing and sign a copy of their book for you. Prepare to get your fangirl on.

You can still buy passes for Friday, Saturday and Sunday here in Phoenix for Comicon! Check out their website here—and I’ll see you there. Look for the editor drooling making intelligent conversation with well-known authors like V.E. Schwab downstairs (this also happened yesterday and I was flabbergasted to meet her) at the Galaxy Books booth, where you can find dozens of books written by attending authors to get signed in the signing lounge.

Contact Midnight Publishing’s award-winning team of self-publishing experts, editors and ghostwriters today to discuss getting your book published (and maybe even into Phoenix Comicon!). We’re based in Phoenix, Arizona, but serve clients all over the world. Midnight Publishing: trusted with over five million words since 2007.