Abigail Patner Glassenberg - Crafters Market: The DIY Resource for Creating a Successful and Profitable Craft Business

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Photo by Lisa Neighbors

When I left my job as a middle school teacher in 2005 to become a mother I could never have imagined that Id start a craft business. Although Ive always been artistic and have enjoyed making things with my hands since I was a child, I thought my art and craft could only ever be a fun hobby. Today, I have a thriving sewing pattern business that helps to support my family. I work from home with flexible hours, and my business out-earns my former full-time salary. Plus I craft every day! I get tremendous satisfaction from helping other people to turn their talents into a fulfilling creative career, and Im proof that its possible.

One of my mantras is to show up every day and make things as though its your job. This means approaching your crafty endeavors with the same discipline you would a real job. Dont be afraid to share what youre making online and in person. If you follow this path consistently over time, crafting will in some way become your real job. Whether its getting a licensing deal, writing a craft book, teaching workshops, selling wholesale, or having gangbuster holiday craft fair booths, treating your work seriously and with discipline pays off.

Crafters Market is an immensely useful tool for business success. This book is for crafters of all types including knitters, crocheters, paper crafters, woodworkers, quilters, and more. The front section contains a variety of articles from craft business owners, each with a wealth of experience that they drew from to share valuable lessons. Read their best tips on getting press, working with retailers, choosing an ecommerce option, and more.

Following the articles are more than a thousand listings to help you connect with places to market and sell your work. Youll find dozens of book publishers, craft magazines, industry shows, craft communities, craft fairs, and marketplaces. I encourage you to put these listings to use. Reach out and see if you can get your work in front of new eyes this year. Success is the best motivator, so dont be afraid to take that first step.

Happy crafting!

Abby Glassenberg

If youre picking up this book for the first time, you might not know quite how to start using it. Your first impulse might be to flip through and quickly make a mailing list, submitting your work to everyone with hopes that someone might like it. Resist that urge. First, you have to narrow down the names in this book to those who need your particular style. Thats what this book is all about. We provide the names and addresses of places to sell your handmade creations and publish how-to instructions, along with plenty of business advice. You provide the hard work, creativity, and dedication to making and selling handmade goods.

The book is divided into market sections, from craft fairs to publishers. (See the Table of Contents for a complete list.) Each section begins with an introduction containing information and advice to help you break into that specific market. Listings are the meat of this book. In a nutshell, listings are names, addresses, and contact information for avenues through which you can sell your craft and hone your business.

In this book, you will find helpful articles by and about working crafters, editors, and experts from the craft world. These articles give you a richer understanding of the marketplace by sharing the featured artists personal experiences and insights. Their stories, and the lessons you can learn from other crafters feats and follies, give you an important edge over competition.

We suggest you follow the instructions in the listings and explore the different methods and avenues you can use to successfully sell your handmade goods. Whether your interest lies in publishing, craft fairs, or growing your online presence, you will find instructions in the listing on how to reach out to the correct people.

1. Read the entire listing to decide whether that publisher, craft fair, or website is a good fit. Do not use this book simply as a mailing list of names and addresses. Reading listings carefully helps you narrow your list to select the most appropriate places to sell your work.

2. Read the description of the company in the first paragraph of the listing. Then jump to the Needs or Media heading to find out what type of artwork is preferred. Is it the type of craft you create? This is the first step to narrowing your target market. Only consider working with those places that need the kind of work you create.

3. Send appropriate submissions. It seems like common sense to research what kind of samples a listing wants before sending off just any artwork you have on hand. But believe it or not, some artists skip this step. Look under the First Contact & Terms heading to find out how to contact the market and what to send. Some companies and publishers are very picky about what kinds of samples they like to see; others are more flexible. Failure to follow directions in submissions may result in automatic rejection from a publisher or show.

4. Be sure to read the Tips. This is where editors and directors describe their pet peeves and give clues for how to impress them. The information within the Tips will help you get a feel for what a publisher might be like to work with or a show might be like to attend.

These steps are just the beginning. As you become accustomed to reading listings, you will think of more ways to mine this book for potential craft outlets.

KEY TO SYMBOLS & ABBREVIATIONS

	Canadian market
	market located outside of the U.S. and Canada
	market prefers to work with local artists/designers
b&w	black &white (photo or illustration)
SASE	self-addressed, stamped envelope
SAE	self-addressed envelope
IIRC	International Reply Coupon, for use when mailing to countries other than your own

If you are using this book to locate a publisher or find a magazine to work with, its important to consider what rights publishing companies buy. It is preferable to work with companies that buy first or one-time rights. If you see a listing that buys all rights, be aware you may be giving up the right to sell that particular craft in the future. See the Copyright Basics article in this section for more information.

Read listings closely. Most describe their specialties, clients, and products within the first paragraph. If you are primarily a knitter, it probably wont be beneficial for you to apply as a vendor to International Quilt Market. If you design plushie patterns, look for a magazine that caters to sewing or general craft, not scrapbooking. Make sure your submissions and applications are targeted to maximize the potential success of your craft endeavor.