Let’s Talk About: Infinity Con

While social media has always been enigmatic to me, I have found a place to sell my writing at different events, such as comic cons and farmer’s markets. I’ve considered doing this for awhile, but I am finally going to jump into it: reflecting my experience as an author and vendor.

So in this new series, I want to spend time talking about each live event that I go to as an author. This will start with my most recent event, Infinity Con in Tallahassee, FL.

I attended Infinity Con on July 6 & 7, 2024. This was my first year attending, and while it wasn’t a bad event, it wasn’t amazing either. Granted, I probably went in with higher expectations than I usually do, since a handful of vendors had told me how amazing they had done in years prior. This made me a little overzealous, and that as a whole is my fault.

Loading into the event was seamless; the staff was friendly, and they provided me with a large space that allowed me to set up without a problem. I had more than enough room on the table for all my books, and with the black curtain behind me, it provided a defined area of what was “mine.” Considering I had to use one of my makeshift set ups, I was fairly happy with the display.

Within the first two hours of the event starting, the flow of people and sales was steady. I was excited! If it continued as it began, I would easily make back my expenses and more.

But…by 1PM on that first day, things slowed down noticeably. Part of it may have been the events, as the convention was sure to have a host of events that kept attendees occupied. This included a variety of panels, a section of the convention just for kids (which also hosted a Kids’ Cosplay Parade), and the cosplay contest.

But I wasn’t the only one feeling the slowness. Other vendors around me didn’t seem all too thrilled. While I typically stay on my feet for most of the convention, this time I sat down and focused on my knitting.

Ultimately, I finished Day 1 covering my table expenses though, so I wasn’t too disappointed, and I looked forward to Day 2 with a new round of enthusiasm.

And, at the start of the event on Day 2, sales once again trickled in, further fueling that enthusiasm. But, it behaved in the same manner; by 2pm in the afternoon, sales and attendance slowed. Once 3pm rolled in, I had no problem leaving my booth to meander. Events continued to occur throughout the day, but overall, the second day of the show was quiet.

I think a few factors caused this: 1) It was a holiday weekend and people were away, 2) a handful of larger events took place that same weekend (including MetroCon in Tampa, FL), and 3) most FSU students were not around, and that is a large population in Tallahassee. There are also issues that many vendors are currently facing. Spending power is not as strong and vendors have been forced to raise prices due to inflation.

Despite the quiet parts of the day, I’m not unhappy with the event. It is certainly a passable experience, as I made back my expenses plus a little bit extra.

Would I do it again? Maybe. If it was more local to me (Tallahassee is a 4 hour drive), I probably would do it again, as I would be much happier with my profit margin. But, since I did have to stay in a hotel and drive a fair distance, unless I hear that attendance and spending improves, I’ll probably shy away from this event at least in 2025.

One thing I did find interesting about this event was what sold at my table. As usual, my flagship novel, The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice sold the most. But, the next best seller was not one of my novels…but my handmade totes. These are just totes I make on the side, using Heat-Transfer-Vinyl and a heat press. Perhaps it was the price point that attracted people to these silly totes, saying things on them like “In a world of bookworms, become a book dragon”, or “I like Big Books and I cannot lie”, or even “This Barbie is a Reader”. I sold more totes at this event than any other event that I had attended, and I can’t really explain why. It was just an interesting observation.

But, with all this being said, I have given the following ratings to the convention from MY EXPERIENCE:

Ultimately, while there were quiet pockets of attendance, there were still a couple thousand of people there, which didn’t hinder much of the experience. In addition, the staff was amazing and acceptable to feedback. Really, it wasn’t a bad time at all. The biggest hinderance for me had to do with the overall return-on-investment. Did some people do better? Surely.

For all these reasons, I give the convention a passing grade of a C.

So my final verdict is this: if you are a Tallahassee local, definitely check out Infinity Con. I think you’ll have a great time – as an attendee or as a vendor. In the future, I might return as well.

Disclaimer: All opinions are based on MY personal experience at the event. This should not say anything in particular about the event as a whole. Rather, I encourage readers to gather multiple perspectives from other vendors and attendees to make decisions of their own.

For details on my rating system, you can go here.