Brave New Bookshelf Episode 70: Using AI for Convention Success with Amy Campbell

AI is often talked about as a writing, editing, or marketing tool. But in this episode, we look at something many authors may not have considered yet: using AI in the physical world.

In episode 70, we’re joined by fantasy author Amy Campbell to explore how she uses AI to prepare for live events, optimize convention tables, troubleshoot tech issues, and make smarter business decisions.

From booth layout planning to cost-benefit analysis, Amy shows how AI can become a practical assistant for indie authors who want to make conventions more profitable, less stressful, and more strategic.

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Meet Amy Campbell

Amy Campbell is a fantasy author known for writing across distinctive subgenres, including Western fantasy, steampunk dragon fantasy, and MM dragon romantasy.

She is also an experienced Kickstarter creator with a strong focus on premium special editions, eye-catching book design, and high-quality reader experiences. Her author brand often includes “blingy” editions, special finishes, and AI-forward cover art.

But Amy doesn’t just use AI for creative work. She uses it across her author business, from planning physical setups to diagnosing technical problems and evaluating whether an event is worth attending again.

Using AI to Plan a Convention Table

One of Amy’s most useful examples was how she used ChatGPT’s vision tools to prepare for a convention where she only had a six-foot table.

Instead of guessing how to arrange her books, merch, and display items, Amy laid everything out on her living room floor, took photos, and asked ChatGPT for feedback.

The AI helped her think through:

• How to improve the flow of the table
• Which products should be featured most prominently
• How to make the display more visually appealing
• How readers would likely approach and scan the setup

It also helped her assemble a difficult banner stand by walking her through the instructions step by step using photos.

Then, once Amy arrived at the event, she realized the foot traffic was coming from a different direction than expected. She took another photo of her booth, and the AI suggested flipping the orientation of her key items so they would better catch the attention of approaching readers.

For authors who feel overwhelmed by in-person selling, this is a powerful example of AI acting as a second set of eyes.

Making Better Business Decisions with AI

Amy also uses AI to evaluate whether conventions are worth the investment.

Before attending an event, she asked ChatGPT to research attendance information from sources like Reddit, Facebook, and local news archives. The AI estimated that around 800 people would attend the weekend event, which turned out to be surprisingly close to the real number.

After the convention, Amy used AI again to run a cost-benefit analysis.

She entered details such as:

• Book sales
• Travel costs
• Hotel expenses
• Event fees
• Time away from writing
• Long-term brand value

The AI helped her compare the short-term profit with the bigger picture. In the end, it made a strong case that the convention was worth attending again, not only because of immediate sales but because of the long-term visibility and reader relationships it created.

The key lesson: AI can help authors make decisions based on more than gut feeling alone.

AI as Tech Support for Authors

The episode also explores how AI can function as a 24/7 tech support assistant.

Amy shared how ChatGPT helped her troubleshoot a slow MacBook by identifying that new desktop widgets were using too much RAM.

Danica also shared how she used Google Lens to identify a specific laptop battery for an older machine, saving time that would otherwise have been spent searching manually.

Amy also offered a clever tip for authors creating special editions: she uses AI to isolate specific design elements from her covers, such as dragons or title text, and convert them into black-and-white SVG files for gold foil printing.

For authors who manage a lot of their own tools, files, hardware, and production details, these small AI use cases can save hours.

Why Authors Should Use AI Wide

A major theme of the conversation was the importance of not relying on one AI tool alone.

Just as authors are often encouraged to publish wide instead of depending on a single retailer, the hosts discussed the idea of “using AI wide.”

If one AI model changes its terms, becomes unavailable, or stops working the way you need it to, having backup tools can keep your workflow moving.

The group mentioned using different models for different tasks, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and tools like Typing Mind that make it easier to switch between models.

The takeaway is simple: AI can be powerful, but your business should not depend on only one platform.

Staying Human at Live Events

Even though Amy uses AI heavily, one of her strongest messages is that authors should “double down on being human.”

At conventions, readers are not just buying books. They are meeting the person behind the stories. Amy found that people were often interested in how she used AI as part of her design and publishing process.

Rather than hiding it, she uses AI as a conversation starter.

For Amy, AI does not replace creativity. It supports it. It helps her test ideas, solve problems, and show up more prepared, while the real connection still happens between author and reader.

Tools Mentioned in This Episode

Several tools and resources came up during the conversation:

• ChatGPT for vision, research, layout planning, and troubleshooting
• Google Lens for identifying physical objects and hardware
• Notion AI for organizing podcast content into playlists
• Typing Mind for switching between different AI models
• Book Vault for high-quality print-on-demand books and special edition features
• Claude and Gemini as alternative AI models for writing, brainstorming, and backup workflows

Key Takeaways from This Episode

AI can help authors far beyond writing and marketing. It can support real-world logistics, live events, production planning, technical troubleshooting, and business analysis.

For convention success, try taking photos of your booth or table and asking AI how to improve the flow, visibility, and reader experience.

When using AI for business decisions, always ask it to explain its reasoning and show how it reached its conclusions.

Do not rely on one AI tool for everything. Build a flexible workflow with backup models and platforms.

Most importantly, remember that AI is a tool. At live events, your human connection with readers is still the most valuable part of the experience.