Comic Con – Mark Stay Writes

What I Learned Doing 42 Comic Cons in 2025, Bonus Episode: Selling Overseas

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned from doing 42 comic cons in 2025.

Missed the previous episodes? Click on the buttons below…

Ep 1: WHY DO IT & THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF COMIC CONS

EP 2: COSTS & CASHFLOW

EP 3: RUNNING THE STAND & TABLE TOUR

EP 4: SALES Q&A

There have been four episodes so far and that was supposed to wrap things up, but I’ve had a couple of people ask about the logistics of doing comic cons overseas, starting with…

KATHERINE FRANKLIN

If you go abroad, how much of a pain is transport and customs/tax?

MORGAN DELANEY

My wife often suggests I try conventions but I live in Foreign*. If I wanted to do a convention I’d have to also pay for flights on top of all the other costs. That’s an extra 200-300€ at least. Do you reckon that’s still worth it? Oh, and I’d need to pay for somewhere to stay as well if I wanted to visit more than one day, which I assume is the goal?

*That’s a Discworld reference before you write in!

TRANSCRIPT

I’ve never sold overseas and so I asked a couple of writer friends who have, starting with…

ELINOR TAYLOR author of The Fisher Girl and The Balloon Hunter: www.elinortaylor.co.uk

Talking about selling at a comic con in NY: I can get a flight and hotel for under a grand and I’d be surprised if I didn’t get that back.The Americans are crazy for their books and you can charge more as they think we sell them cheap in the UK!

I have been talking about possibly splitting hotel costs with other authors

I sent my books to someone I know over there. But I don’t want to bother them again so checked with the hotel and they accept delivery and will store them until I arrive. Or you can arrange delivery to the venue much like you would for a London Con if you didn’t drive them there yourself.

It’s surprisingly not difficult.

ALEXANDER LINTON, author of A SONG FOR NIGHTFALL and THE WANDERING OF UMBRA: https://alexander-linton.com

Offers this advice…

Reach out to other attendees ahead of time:

For me, not knowing anyone is what made me feel the most out of my element. Just saying hi to other attendees ahead of time makes the whole ordeal a lot less daunting. It also opens up sharing logistics with others, like sharing vehicles for deliveries, and working out accommodation options

Sign up for opportunities during the event:

Whether it be attending/hosting panels, giving workshops or any other opportunities during the event, I recommend signing up for whatever you’re able to (including things that may make you nervous!), since the experience makes the step of attending abroad feel all the more worthwhile, and will introduce you to all the more people

Region-specific landing pages

If you have a website or Linktree, I suggest having links to pages specific to the region you’re attending, if possible. For example, if you have a QR code to purchase a product, it’s worth having a region-specific version with you to make the process easy for customers. We’re also more likely to have purchases if customers don’t have to find their local currency or wonder if it is available for purchase in their region at all!

Local printing

Whether printing art or books, I find it far easier to research local printers who can print close to the event, rather than arranging shipment from my own region. This has also been far cheaper for me. The caveat to this is arranging a place to store the books until you arrive in the country. There are typically warehouses that charge per day and per package (and again, this is a cost that other attendees would likely be happy to share).

Have fun!

Bit of a different one, but equally important in my opinion. The whole experience of travelling to another country for your passion is incredible if we allow it to be. Between arranging logistics and all the work during the event, take some time to enjoy the country itself through the food, sights and general novelty. It’s too easy to get so lost in the experience that it goes by like a blur and feels like it never even happened by the end of it. Don’t forget to stop and “smell the roses” on the way!

My thanks to Elinor and Alex for those insights!

For questions about tax: it’s a minefield. Consult a professional. This is where my expertise expires. If you’re running this like a business, then get an accountant.

And that’s it: all that I’ve learned from doing 42 comic cons in a year. And I’ll certainly be doing more in 2026. Find me at markstaywrites.com for updates or sign up to my newsletter. I hope you’re found these videos helpful and if you see me at a comic con do please say hello… and buy a book or two… or three. I’ve got ten. Happy reading!

You can also support me by popping a few quid in my direction at Ko-Fi…

What I Learned Doing 42 Comic Cons in 2025 (part three): Running the Stand and a Tour of my Table

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and welcome to this third episode where I’m sharing what I’ve learned from doing 42 comic cons in 2025…

Missed the previous episodes? Click on the buttons below…

episode 1: why do it & the different kinds of comic cons

Episode 2: Costs & cashflow

Let’s talk about table displays, setting up, running the stall and getting to and from the venues… We’re going to start with some excellent questions, then in a separate video, I’ll take you on a tour of my table…

TRANSCRIPT

ALLEN STROUD

Have you tried/are you open to collaborating with other authors to make the running the stand a little easier for lunch breaks, etc?

JULIAN BARR

What do you pack in your “survival kit” for the day?

Do you bring a buddy to help run the stall? If so, do you pay them? If not, well… what do you do if you need to pop off to the loo?

JENNIFER TAYLOR-GRAY

Any tips for travelling with lots of books? (I’ve only done one and that was local to me… it was amazing but without a car not sure how other ones are possible).

Thank you all for these questions. Let’s take them one at a time…

Do I take someone with me to help run the stall and cover for breaks? Generally, no. Other authors might bring their partner along – and most cons offer two passes/wristbands as part of your fee – but my wife works hard enough as it is without me dragging her to a comic con just because I need a whizz. That said, we traders do look after each other and will keep an eye on a neighbouring table if someone has to rush off to do something unmentionable…

And, yes, thank you for inquiring into my toilet habits… I’ve learned to not drink tea or any other diuretic drinks while selling. I sip water. Sip, don’t gulp! For lunch, I usually get little sausage rolls or similar small snacks. Something you can nibble quickly. I’d love a big sandwich, but if you’re mid-bite and a customer comes along and you’re wiping mayonnaise off your chin etc it’s not a good look. I also have low-calorie snack bars and an apple. And I graze. From, say, 11 onwards, I have a little nibble every half hour. I’m sure some nutritionist out there will tell me this is a terrible thing, but I have the attitude that I’m there to sell: I live in fear of wandering off and missing a sale.

The only time I make an exception is when I’m at something like the MCM and I’m doing a panel. That means that I’m away from my table for over an hour, and one of my kids will cover the table for me and ask people to return later.

And to answer Jennifer’s question about travelling to/from cons without a car…

I only ever use my car, so I asked a few author friends who use public transport to get to comic cons and other events…

Ian Hunter, author of the Fyn Carter series and The Shoe Creeper – https://ianhuntercreates.com/ – sent me this…

IAN HUNTER: Travelling to a comic con or event via public transport can feel like a daunting task. Here are some of my top tips to help you feel prepared!

Packing

Suitcases are good options for keeping books secure. You can cut a box to fit the inside and pad it out. A suitcase with a hard shell gives more protection from bumps, but it also helps keep your stock waterproof. Using a case with four wheels (and using them all rather than tilting), means your case is better balanced with less chance of a wheel breaking mid-journey.

Size vs Weight

If you’re travelling away for more than a day, or the event is a big one, you might want to take more stock and need a bigger suitcase. No problem, you may be tempted to think. I can wheel the suitcase! Absolutely always ensure you can also lift the packed case first. If you can’t lift the case off the ground, you will struggle with things like getting the case on and off a train or bus. Worse – lifts could be out of order (transport alterations mean you might encounter this despite planning the journey). Even if you find help, a case of books etc. is no light task.

Other considerations

Flat-pack displays help with space.

Carry items you might want fast and easy access to in a backpack/small bag so you don’t need to open the suitcase mid-journey. Carry delicate items the same way so you can protect them more easily.

If staying overnight, taking a separate sports bag (which you can balance on top of the suitcase) means you can leave the heavy suitcase at the event and only take the essentials to your accommodation.

With large and heavy luggage, ensure you tell a taxi company when ordering (so they don’t arrive with a car without enough boot space). Be prepared to accept that the luggage section on a train etc. may already be full, so you might need to stay with your luggage between carriages and sacrifice your seat.

Allow extra time for connecting trains etc. Partially due to potential delays. Partially because there could be queues for lifts.

Remember that it might feel like a mission, but with a bit of careful planning it can work. Either way you’ll learn for next time. You’ve got this!

I got this from the wonderful Joe Dawson, author of The Goodness Potion and its Side Effects https://joedawsonbooks.com/

JOE: Remember you have a chance to advertise and market until the second you close your front door. I have an upright trolley with clear boxes with the books in, on the inside I have paper taped with the book title and a QR code, and I have made sales on the tube/ DLR, since people will be looking at the big bulky thing anyway. (But it also means you have to keep a smile on your face regardless of what’s happening around you- oh the problems of being a celeb on the tube).

For Joe, the con starts the minute he leaves home and until he returns. While I’m stuck in traffic, he’s still selling books!

My thanks to Joe and Ian for sharing those top tips!

ALLEN STROUD has another great question…

Do you use a POS solution for payments? If so, what’s worked for you? How do you manage setup and take down on your own?

That sounds like a cue for a tour of my table, so let’s do that now…

LINKS

For the Amazon links I can earn affiliate payments…

Timber Ridge Trolley

My tablecloth: Table Covers Now

My display signs were designed on Canva and printed by Pro Design Studio.

SumUp. Here’s a discount link with up to £100 discount on your first purchase.

Thanks to Dom Currie for the jingle, and Emily Stay-Newton for the camera work on the table tour.

CLICK HERE FOR EP4: A SALES QUICKFIRE Q&A

If you’ve found this helpful, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi…

What I Learned Doing 42 Comic Cons in 2025 (part one)

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and I’ve been selling my books at comic cons for ten years.

But in 2025, I really went for it: selling at 42 comic cons in the UK. And I’m not alone: I’ve made lots of new author friends this year at the cons, and I know that many more are thinking about it, so I thought I’d put together a series of short videos passing on what I’ve learned…

In this series of 4 videos, I’m going to cover…

The different kinds of comic cons in the UK and which ones might be right for you.

What kit you need to invest in, and I’ll take you on a tour of my table and how I lay it out.

Ordering stock, cashflow (or lack of it) and other expenses.

And I’ll be answering specific questions that some of you good people have sent me…

Let’s start with why I do them, and the different kinds of comic cons I went to this year…

TRANSCRIPT

I’m Mark Stay, author of the Witches of Woodville series and The End of Magic trilogy and I’ve been selling my books at comic cons for ten years. But in 2025, I really went for it: selling at 42 comic cons in the UK. And I’m not alone: I’ve made lots of new author friends this year at the cons, and I know that many more are thinking about it, so I thought I’d put together a series of short videos passing on what I’ve learned…

In this series of 4 videos, I’m going to cover…

The different kinds of comic cons in the UK and which ones might be right for you.
What kit you need to invest in, and I’ll take you on a tour of my table and how I lay it out.
Ordering stock, cashflow (or lack of it) and other expenses.
And I’ll be answering specific questions that some of you good people have sent me…

And let’s begin with the big one:

JAN CARR

Why? What’s your motivation?

Why do a comic con? It’s a lot of hassle. You have to buy stock, set up a stall, get all the bits and bobs (more on that later), get up at the crack of dawn (or before dawn in the winter) and drive for hours to some draughty gym hall in a leisure centre.

It’s not glamorous, and I’m not doing it for the money, I can tell you that. I always make a profit on the day, but the margins are slim and the cash flow is a nightmare (more on that later, too). So the first question to ask yourself is: what are your goals for selling at comic cons? Why do them at all? Why not stick with online advertising and social media?

Online ads with the likes of Amazon and Facebook never worked for me (despite ploughing a lot of money into them over the years), and I’ve never been great on social media, but… I was once a bookseller and a publisher sales rep. I know how to hand-sell a book, and my books – especially the Witches of Woodville series – are classic hand-sell books. The first one was published in the second lockdown, so never got that bookshop boost that it needed, and when the fifth and final one was published last year, it became clear to me that my publisher had moved on to promoting other things (which happens), and that meant it would be down to me to keep the momentum going. So I went back to what I know best: bookselling.

For me, going to comic cons isn’t necessarily about the sales on the day, it’s more about creating new readers who will come back for more. A long term investment of your time and money into something that might pay off further down the line. Will it work? One of the great pleasures of doing so many events this year is seeing those readers come back and tell me how much they’ve enjoyed the books and have told their friends and have come back for more. So, it seems to be working.

Let’s start with the fundamentals: how much do these things cost…?

COSTS & CONVENTION VARIATIONS…

KATHERINE FRANKLIN

I’ve heard tables at comic cons are expensive – was it ever tricky to make back the pitch fee?

ANDREW GUILE

What does it cost?(!)

JULIAN BARR

Are big cons necessarily better than small ones?

JENNIFER TAYLOR-GRAY

Which cons were the best for you and why? Was it due to anything you did differently those days, or the con set up itself?

All great questions. Let’s start by looking at the different kinds of conventions in the UK.

This year, I’ve been to cons organised by Bolt, Striking, Creed, Showmasters, Reedpop and Monopoly Events, plus a whole bunch of independent and local events. Each offer different opportunities and have varying costs…

(If you click on the images, you’ll be taken through to their pages for exhibitors)

BOLT/STRIKING

Both quite similar and I believe they were once the same company but bifurcated at some point. They’re really well run, the organisers are lovely (they bring round bottles of water and snacks to your stall!) and the events are aimed at families. Young families. These are more like toy fairs or collector events than comic cons (there’s a lot of Pokemon for sale) and very often I’m the only author with a table.

Table costs vary depending on the size/location of the venue and range from £65-£125 for a table (most are at the lower end of that). You pay a small deposit beforehand to secure a table, and settle up on the day. The atmosphere at these events is warm and welcoming, they have great accessibility policies, meaning they allow early entry for folks with disabilities and hidden disabilities. I really like them, though the young family demographic means that I do okay at these events. My books are aimed more at adults. I know that some of my author friends who have kids’ books do better than me, so bear that in mind. I’ve always made a profit, though.

Every now and then they have guests for photo opps and signings, but not often. I’ve done more of these events than any other this year, and have already booked more for 2026.

CREED/SHOWMASTERS

Again, these share some organisational/crossover DNA. These are generally bigger events and, crucially – for me – have lots of great guests. I’ve discovered that if there’s a cast member from Doctor Who or Red Dwarf present, then I will have a pretty good day. Fans of those shows are literate, have money and are willing to read new authors: gawd bless ‘em!

Showmasters also run the London Film and Comic Con, which in the autumn co-hosts with YALC… and that’s a huge event for SF&F authors. The readers bring their own little wheeled trolleys which they cram with books, and we love them for it.

Creed/Showmaster tables cost between £40-£100 depending on the venue and, for me, are great value. YALC tables cost more, but from talking to author friends who paid the extra it sounds like they’re worth it.

REEDPOP/MCM

I’ve been doing the MCM Comic Con in London for ten years. They were my first cons and they’re still the biggies. I think the last one had 130k people at the Excel Centre over the three day weekend. Creator/author tables cost £255 (cheaper for the MCM in Birmingham, I think) and they have a Writers’ Block, where all the indie authors are gathered in their own section. When I first started, there was nothing like this: just me and Kit Cox stuck in a corner nattering to ourselves (Kit kindly let me share his table, which you’d never get away with now). The MCM comic cons are now a very big deal for authors and because of that, they have a selection process. Not everyone gets a table and you have to pitch yourself to them. I can’t speak to why some authors get in and others don’t. I always offer to moderate panels, which has helped. And I think it helps if you’re planning to launch your book at the con: they love an exclusive.

MONOPOLY

I only did one Monopoly event last year – For the Love of Fantasy – and the Saturday was my biggest single day of the year. Bigger than the MCM… and if I’d had enough stock, I don’t doubt that the weekend would have been my biggest of the year. It’s at the Excel Centre (just one hall) but they had celebrity guests from Supernatural and Lord of the Rings. They run events in places like Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham: I’ve not been to these, but I’ve heard good things.

DARIUS TWYMAN

What was your favourite con this year and why was it the Canterbury Gaming Convention? 😉

Thanks, Darius. It was definitely in my top 40!

Actually, the Canterbury Gaming Convention was great fun. Not a comic con, but there were a few authors there and we had a good day and I’d definitely like to come back in 2026.

I’ve done plenty of independent conventions and events, and these can be hit and miss, but the costs are often much lower than the big cons, so are worth a punt. I’ve especially loved anything with the steampunk community: like Doctor Who and Red Dwarf fans, the steampunkers are literate and lovely. The Fort Amherst event every Easter has become a highlight for me, despite being stuck in a cave for two days.

So that covers the different kinds of conventions and the basic table cost. In the next episode, I’ll be digging deeper into expenses, targets and cashflow… no, really, it’ll be fun, I promise. Well, informative at the very least…

click here for part 2: Costs & Cashflow

If you found this helpful, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi…

I’ll be at the Basildon Comic Con, Sunday 29th June

I’ll be selling and signing m’books in Basildon this Sunday 29th June, so if you’re in the area do please pop by to say hello! The event runs from 10 till 4 and is in the Basildon Sporting Village, which I’ve not been to before, but I’m imagining lots of people in tennis whites jogging about while sipping something healthy and green.

GET TICKETS

I’m at the Brighton Comic Con this Saturday 14th June

I’ll be selling and signing m’books at the Brighton Comic Con this Saturday 14th June at the Amex Stadium. They’ve got some great guests, including one Brian Blessed, who I’ve not seen since he opened Waterstones in Epsom. As the staff prepared to have our photo taken with him for the local paper, he shouted ‘KNICKERS!’ in that voice and we all cracked up. If anyone should every come across that pic, do please send me a copy.

Anyhoo, if you’re in the Brighton area this Saturday, do pop in and say hi!

get tickets here

Come and see the sci-fi by the sea shore…

Ahoy!

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve blogged and one reason for the delay is that I flopped into an exhausted heap after completing the crowdfunding for my novel The End of Magic. A huge thank you to everyone who pledged, spread the word, banged the drum, stopped strangers in the street etc. I could not have done it without you.

The next stage is the edit, which should take until mid-September, and I would reckon the book would be published Jan/Feb next year. In the meantime, here are all the things I learned from crowdfunding.

Oh, and there’s still time to pre-order the book and get your name in it. Just click here and choose from the list of options.

The Bestseller Experiment podcast has had an eventful few weeks: a live show with Orion Fiction editor Ben Willis where we went deep into metadata while eating cheese and onion crisps, I caught up with my filmmaking friend Deborah Haywood and talked about how she wrote and directed her fantastic debut feature film Pin Cushion (and it’s the only episode of the podcast where a guest has meowed like a cat), and I talked about being buried alive with Sharon Bolton (as you do). Never let it be said that we don’t offer a varied platter of awesomeness.

If you love a bit of sunshine and sci-fi, then I’ll be with my brothers in ink Kit Cox and Thom Burgess at the Sci-Fi by the Sea convention in Herne Bay on June 17th (Father’s day). It promises to be a fab day for geeks of all ages. Kit, Thom and I will be there signing our books and happy to chat about all things sci-fi and fantasy. We’d love to see you there, and you can get tickets here…

The Robot Overlords are finally here…

On 13th July 2010* I received an email from Director Jon Wright with the subject heading ‘Two page idea attached’. In it he outlined a movie idea that had come to him in a dream: a world where humanity had been defeated by an invading alien robot empire and everyone is ordered to stay inside their homes. Back then it was called OUR ROBOT OVERLORDS. Some of those ideas have survived through to the finished film, some have fallen by the wayside and others could still be used in potential sequels or TV series, but already the world felt strong enough to start bouncing ideas back and forth and start working on a script.

And so ROBOT OVERLORDS was born, and a mere four years, eight months and fourteen days later it’s in UK cinemas for the public to see. That’s pretty fast for an independent British movie.

Jon and I met back in September 2006** when he became attached to a screenplay I’d written called WAITING FOR EDDIE (later EDDIE’S DEAD). We were introduced by a Producer called Dean Fisher who had optioned WFE and had got the project into the inaugural Film London Microwave scheme. Over the week of workshops and development we all bonded, but I knew I’d get on with Jon because when we first met in a Nero’s outside Liverpool Street Station, we banged heads as we sat down and were both too polite to say anything about it.

We worked on developing a number of scripts over the following years while he made TORMENTED and GRABBERS, but ROBOT OVERLORDS is the first of our joint projects to get off the ground, and I have to admit that there are days where I feel like I’ve jumped the queue. Because what you’re supposed to do is make a mega low-budget horror or two and then you might be lucky enough to make the kind of science fiction adventure that you loved as a kid.

And it’s been one hell of a ride. I’ve seen and done some incredible things during its making:

Felt a strange, other-worldly thrill at the first shout of “Action” on set.

The firs take... ruined by a bunch of us taking photos on our phones. Photo by Paddy Eason — The first take… ruined by a bunch of us taking photos on our phones.
Photo by Paddy Eason

Watched actors of the calibre of Sir Ben Kingsley, Gillian Anderson, Geraldine James and many others take our words and bring them to life.

Not to mention watching our gang of heroes Callan, James, Ella and Milo genuinely become friends over the course of the shoot.

Jon chooses who get vaporised next... — Jon chooses who get vaporised next…

Stared in awe at a bluescreen stage and wondered what the ten-year-old me would make of all this…

Strolled around Pinewood Studios like we owned the place.

Author videos are so much cooler on the backlot of a major studio complex! Photo my www.mpsv.co.uk — Author videos are so much cooler on the backlot of a major studio complex!
Photo my http://www.mpsv.co.uk

And, bloody hell, Jon even let me be in it (and my family!)…

Me in the much-coveted role of shouty man in dressing gown... — Me in the much-coveted role of shouty man in dressing gown…

George, Claire and Emily in costume for our day as extras.

Being thrilled as Nvizible took our ideas and came up with stuff like this!

And then I got to write the novelisation (available now wherever books are sold)!

I attended the premiere at the London Film Festival like a proper Z-list celeb!

All the beautiful people at the LFF premiere... and me! — All the beautiful people at the LFF premiere… and me!

And did my first panel at a ComicCon:

I’ve chronicled some of those events on this blog, and there’s a whole ‘shoot diary’ section in the book, and I’ll no doubt bore you with it some more over the years, but for a first film I could not have asked for a more incredible experience and I suspect I may never have it this good again. And now the film is now in the hands of the Great British Public.

Some folk have expressed dismay that it’s not on everywhere, and we do indeed have a limited release, but that reflects the reality of British indie cinema distribution at the moment. And you only have to look at the box office returns of the last ambitious Brit Sci-Fi Film to see why some lesser distributors were nervous about taking us on. But our bold and pioneering independent distributor Signature have a very clear strategy for the film over the coming year, and this is only the beginning. I have faith that you’ll all get to see it one way or another, but if you can see it on the big screen then do please go: plenty of people worked very, very hard to make it look and sound so magnificent.

See you at the movies…

*I keep a diary, so can very specific about dates.

**1st September, since you’re asking.

TRANSCRIPT

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JAN CARR

COSTS & CONVENTION VARIATIONS…

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