International rights shows are an important link to the world market for your titles. There is a huge business opportunity in foreign rights sales and distribution beyond the shores of North America, and it's important to be involved. Many find the notion of international shows to be daunting, but as we've all come to learn, this is a global market. There is impact and economic success across the seas and beyond our borders.

In Frankfurt, London, Beijing and Bologna, publishers rent a stand in much the same way they do for BEA, ALA and the regional bookseller shows. But instead of a steady stream of potential trade buyers walking by or meeting with reps to talk about new titles, shipping discounts and/or meeting the author at domestic shows, the purpose for showcasing titles overseas is to attract the attention of agents or foreign publishers interested in acquiring the rights to your title(s) for a particular country. The sale of these rights is an excellent source of additional income for smaller presses--but it involves a commitment that begins with exposing your titles to this market and properly following up.

The cost of the stand, travel expenses and time out of office is often prohibitive for small presses to even think about getting started in the process. ForeWord Magazine is one of several companies who try to make these financial obstacles easier to bear with co-operative spaces. Your exhibit fee pays for this access through us: we rent and manage the stand, using our international brand identity and nearly a decade of experience and contacts that have helped introduce many publishers to the foreign rights marketplace.

Our stand is limited to about a hundred titles. Rest assured at least some portion of your book is read by someone representing you at our stand. It is organized in the category-appropriate shelf, and we direct visiting agents, as well as walk-by traffic, to specific titles once we have understood their needs and interests. We have meetings at the booth with agents and distribution clients all week long-many who have done business with us over the years and know we host a representative slice of the U.S. independent press marketplace at our booth. When agents express an interest in any title, we exchange cards and we deliver the information to the publisher upon our return, usually with a general letter about the show itself and ways to proceed.

A black and white catalogue of participating titles is distributed at the fair in addition to copies of ForeWord Magazine. Typically, we have "physical" inquiries on about 20% of the titles, but many publishers are contacted through the catalogue and the magazine beyond our efforts. We act as a lead generator. And we do have a list of testimonies vouching for our services if you would like to hear more.