2019 Frankfurt Book Fair: Essential for Self-Published Authors

The 2019 Frankfurt International Book Fair (FIBF) is just around the corner! This year, ReadersMagnet will join the annual event for the third consecutive year. The publishing company believes that book fair content distribution is one of the best book promotion services a self-published author can avail.

This article looks at the eleven reasons why the 2019 FIBF is the perfect avenue for authors—new and upcoming novelists and seasoned writers—to share their stories with different audiences.

What is the Frankfurt International Book Fair?

The Frankfurt International Book Fair (FIBF) is the world’s largest book fair. In fact, the book fair usually gathers more than 280,000 participants and visitors each year. With over 100 participating countries, the annual event brings together thousands of authors, publishers, digital media experts, artists, performers, content providers, and book lovers. Last year, a total of 7,300 exhibitors took part in the weeklong event.

This international book fair follows a five-day schedule with a unique format. For Days 1 to 3, the event is exclusive for trade participants. So, who are trade participants?

• Authors, Exhibitors, Book Agents, Antiquarians, Service Providers, Content Providers, Guest Personalities, Multimedia companies, professional and trade associations, and other invited visitors from various sectors.

On Days 4 and 5, the fair is open to the public for a fee.

FIBF’s Guest of Honor

Each year, the Frankfurt International Book Fair has a Guest of Honor.

This tradition began in 1976, when FIBF chose a focus—a country. The representatives would present their literary and cultural program to the audience and participants. And so, a special literary program is organized for the chosen country.

The program includes readings, exhibitions, public talks, theatre productions, and other media presentations. Moreover, a special hall is set up for the guest country. The 2019 Frankfurt International Book Fair will feature Norway as the Guest of Honor.

Frankfurt International Book Fair’s Awards

The event awards two prestigious prizes each year. The first is the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. Since 1950, the awarding ceremony has been held in the famous Frankfurter Paulskirche. It’s usually awarded on the last day of the event.

The second award is the Bookseller/Diagram Prize for the Oddest Title of the Year. The award aims to poke fun at the book with the oddest book title. It was first awarded in the year 1978.

What’s Happening in this Year’s Book Fair?

There’s more to book displays, presentations, and performances when attending the annual FIBF. There’s incredible food and wine for guests.

This year, the venue features the Messeturm, or the Trade Tower, an 843-ft building. It is the second-tallest building in both Frankfurt and Germany and the third-tallest building in the European Union.

Moreover, participants also get a chance to visit the Gutenberg Museum and stroll along Leipzig Street, lined with specialty shops, small bookstores, a coffee roaster, a wine shop, and a souvenir shop. Of course, no FIBF journey is complete without tasting the German delicacies over the 5-day event.

Event Discounts

From budget options on fair stands to showroom packages, FIBF presents a variety of discounts and markdowns. Besides that, first-time joiners can also avail special packages and exclusive offers. Furthermore, Frankfurter Buchmesse provides marketing services, guaranteeing 100% fair success.

A Multisectoral Event and Global Marketing Network

The 2019 FIBF is expected to be attended by representatives from various sectors. Apart from publishers, exhibitors, book agents, academics, booksellers, and marketing experts, attendance also includes multimedia companies, content providers, film producers, illustrators, artists, multimedia suppliers, and trade associations, to name a few. Indeed, it’s an event for many professions.

Additionally, the book fair is a global market. Frankfurt International Book Fair coordinates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tapping international book offices. These are informational offices set up in the most in-demand markets around the globe, namely New Delhi, New York, Moscow, and Beijing, with contacts in Brazil and Southeast Asia. It means that book marketing is not confined within the trade fair grounds. Frankfurt International Book Fair commits to promoting an author’s brand around the globe, all year round.

The World’s Oldest Book Fair

The Frankfurt Buchmesse’s book fair tradition spans more than 500 years and has a rich cultural significance. The Frankfurter Buchmesse is Europe’s most prestigious book fair, and one of the world’s most important book events. To be a part of the world’s book fair is a truly remarkable feat—something that authors, publishers, and agents are proud of.

As the world’s biggest, oldest, and probably the most prestigious book event, FIBF attracts international media coverage during the five-day event. FIBF gathers not only the largest crowd in a book trade fair but also the biggest media
contingent in a literary event.

The media coverage for the book fair is incredible. The fair estimates that around 10,000 journalists and bloggers will attend and report on the highlights of the 5-day event across different platforms. This number doesn’t include representatives from the government media institutions.

Frankfurt International Book Fair in 2026

ReadersMagnet is once again joining the Frankfurt Buchmesse this coming October 7-11, 2026, at Messe Frankfurt. New and seasoned authors are joining the event along with their featured novels and works. It’s an exciting time for the publishing company and its beloved authors. The official Guest of Honor for this year is Czechia.

At the moment, ReadersMagnet’s booth number for FIBF 2026 is Hall 4.1 M5. More details to come!

Sign up with us today and join us in the largest book fair in the world- The Frankfurt International Book Fair. Call us at 1-800-805-0762 | 619-354-2643 or email us at [email protected]