People from all over Southern California assembled at the University of Southern California campus for the Los Angeles Times’ Festival of Books on Saturday and Sunday.
The event brought together a broad variety of performers, including authors, musical groups and even comedians as they showcased their talents for a diverse audience.
Attendees had the opportunity to walk along paths of stages and tents, each put together by the party inside. The fair spread throughout the USC campus but was centered around the Alumni quad.
Panels were held for readers of various genres, from young adult to nonfiction. Artists and musicians also put on their own shows at the multiple stages and buildings on campus, making up a long list of attractions for fans of various media.
The event was free, but to reserve a spot in discussions with the high-demand authors, such as John Green, author of “The Fault in our Stars,” attendees had to pay $1 to reserve a spot.
The panels were opened up to audience questions for the last 15 minutes, and questions were asked from not only fans, but also aspiring authors.
“Towards the end the panels were answering the same questions or giving similar answers, but they were really insightful to the creative process,” Jason Clark, Sports Editor with the Daily 49er said.
Aspiring writers learned from the pros what they should do when they get stuck, and how they should structure their writing to make sure they can get through from beginning to end.
Clark likened the crowd of artists, writers and fans to Disneyland. Authors did not only sign book after book, but they had lengthy conversations with fans.
Two most recognizable authors on the list for Sunday included John Green and T.C. Boyle, along with writers of recognizable titles such as “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home of Peculiar Children.”
Aside from the book tents, there was a main stage with music from acts including indie band The Blank Tapes and Mexico68.
Authors Christina Cannarella and Vanessa Fewings decorated their tent with pink couches and cozy pillows. They were among many authors who attended the event to promote their books. One of which, titled “Piper Day’s Ultimate Guide to Avoiding George Clooney,” they worked on together.
“The novel focuses around a nurse who works backstage on a busy Hollywood set,” Cannarella said. “It is a very light-hearted romance tale and an easy read.”
Fewings offered advice to future writers who may have a little trouble getting started.
“If you want to write a novel, start by writing 250 words a day,” Fewings said. “If you do that for a year, then you will have your first novel.”
Onstage at the event, stand-up comedian and writer Rob Delaney shared his experiences with perfecting his art.
“I recently became able to achieve peace with my first draft not being very good,” he said. “Waiting for inspiration to hit can be problematic for people who write for a living, so the best thing to do is just write, and don’t stop. Proofread later.”
Books were sold at many tents, but some authors held signings where they gave their books away for free.
Among these people was author CD Harper, who wrote a historical fiction novel titled “And Face the Unknown: The Journey of a Lincoln-Freed Colored.”
Harper dedicated this novel to his great-great-grandfather, a slave that was separated from his mother and sold when he was only 13 years old.
“Until you put pen to paper, nothing will ever happen,” Harper said. “Write, and continue to write. The most important thing is that you write for you.”