Once a month, I share insights for other writers. Last weekend was my first experience as an author at Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago. If you are an author who hasn’t tried this book fair yet, here is my review.

2025 is the 40^th anniversary of what was originally called Printers Row Book Fair. It was renamed in 2002 when the Chicago Tribune took it over. Historically, there were a number of printing companies once operating in the area, and as they moved out, blight threatened to creep in. The book fair was one way for the city to revitalize the neighborhood.

Known as “the largest free outdoor literary event in the Midwest,” Printers Row is a sprawling few blocks with tents full of bookstores, publishers, and individual authors. There are also live events featuring best-selling authors, speakers on writing and publishing, storytelling, and kids’ activities. This literature festival attracts more than 100,000 people over two days. It’s a very big deal!

While I have attended Printers Row as a reader, this was my first time as an author. I belong to the Chicago Writers Association, which sponsors a tent every year and offers members the opportunity to sell their books for a few hours during the event. It’s an affordable way for a bunch of writers to try out this important fair.

Because I hesitated about whether to take the plunge when it was announced, there weren’t many slots open when I decided to buy a space, so I chose Sunday from 10:00 until 1:00. With tables on all four sides of the CWA tent, there was room for sixteen authors, although I believe one table was an info booth for joining CWA. Oddly, a couple of people didn’t show, and we wound up having a whole table instead of sharing one.

At the very beginning, we chatted a bit with the folks on either side of us, but we were very busy working for the rest of the time. I couldn’t even tell you what authors were on the other side of the tent.

Many, many people passed by, but they seemed to be mainly taking a stroll rather than looking at books. There were dog walkers and coffee drinkers and suitcase pushers, all walking in the middle of the path, barely looking at the tents or the tables. I guess passing the tents was just a way to get from one end of the street to the other.

One of my tent-mates worked both days, and he felt that the crowd was bigger on Saturday. Also, more people were willing to stop and chat, he said, and he sold more books.

Even though the traffic may have been lighter, there were still folks who wanted to talk about books and look at the books on our table. We had some wonderful conversations with Agatha Christie fans and with people interested in Chicago’s early history.

As someone who has lived many years outside of Chicago proper, how people dressed was especially interesting to me. Mini skirts and go-go boots! Flowing caftans! Vintage accessories! And so many T-shirts with thought-provoking messages!

So how did my Printers Row experience compare to my local library author fair experiences? Let’s take a look:

At local author fairs, I usually make some sort of good connection, such as an invite to another event, a lead for a speaking engagement, or the start of a friendship. That didn’t happen at Printers Row. Also, I didn’t sell as many books as I hoped, although I did sell enough to offset my costs, plus a bit more. I’ll call that a win!

If I do it again, I will jump on one of those Saturday slots as soon as they’re offered and bring a warmer jacket. Otherwise, we were well-prepared with change, credit card processing, wind-resistant signage, and a wagon to transport it all. If you are a local author, I encourage you to join the Chicago Writers Association and budget for a few hours at Printers Row next year. It’s an experience every writer should try.