Inside a Book Signing
Most people experience a book signing from the front of the table, book in hand, a smile on their face as their favorite author signs a book or two for them. But what’s it like from the other side?
This weekend I had the supreme pleasure to witness a book signing by not one but two authors. Pat Simmons and Lisa Y. Watson were here in Houston to promote their books with a dual signing. Ms. Simmons was promoting her second book in the Guilty Series, NOT GUILTY OF LOVE. Ms. Watson had her debut novel, WATCH YOUR BACK. Each woman writes very different books, but as a team, they are perfectly matched.
The table was small, but covered in books. All three of Ms. Simmons’ books were represented in tall piles, while Ms. Watson’s covered the entire front of the table. One author stood by the table, one worked the doors. While these ladies are not household names (yet), they know how to handle themselves.
It’s hard to get people to come see what your book is about when they have never heard of you, or in Ms. Watson’s case, you have your first book just barely out on shelves. You have to work the crowd – pass out bookmarks or postcards about your book, smile and say hello to everyone walking through the door. You can’t judge by appearances, either, because you never know who is going to be interested – I saw men and women of all ages and races come by that table to see what these ladies had to offer.
One of the more critical aspects is the “elevator pitch.” Most people who want to write are familiar with this concept – sum up your book in 30 seconds or less. You want to draw people in, not let them pass you by, and then you have time to get into the details of your book.
My role was what I call the wingman. Having read two of the four books on the table and being very familiar with the books and the authors, I could help answer questions when the ladies were busy with other customers or were signing books. The wingman is not a requirement, but can be helpful. This is where your friends and family come in handy – if you have someone there saying how good your book is, people are more likely pay attention.
For authors, new and established, book signings are hard. You wonder if you have enough – enough books, enough information about your book, enough energy to stand for two hours. You wonder if you can get customers interested in your book or if you are going to be sitting alone at a table, surrounded by piles of unsigned books. But if you come prepared to work, you can have a successful experience.
Other than at RT, have you ever gone to book signing? Have you discovered a new author thanks to an author signing in a bookstore? Tell us in the comments.
Nicole
This weekend I had the supreme pleasure to witness a book signing by not one but two authors. Pat Simmons and Lisa Y. Watson were here in Houston to promote their books with a dual signing. Ms. Simmons was promoting her second book in the Guilty Series, NOT GUILTY OF LOVE. Ms. Watson had her debut novel, WATCH YOUR BACK. Each woman writes very different books, but as a team, they are perfectly matched.
The table was small, but covered in books. All three of Ms. Simmons’ books were represented in tall piles, while Ms. Watson’s covered the entire front of the table. One author stood by the table, one worked the doors. While these ladies are not household names (yet), they know how to handle themselves.
It’s hard to get people to come see what your book is about when they have never heard of you, or in Ms. Watson’s case, you have your first book just barely out on shelves. You have to work the crowd – pass out bookmarks or postcards about your book, smile and say hello to everyone walking through the door. You can’t judge by appearances, either, because you never know who is going to be interested – I saw men and women of all ages and races come by that table to see what these ladies had to offer.
One of the more critical aspects is the “elevator pitch.” Most people who want to write are familiar with this concept – sum up your book in 30 seconds or less. You want to draw people in, not let them pass you by, and then you have time to get into the details of your book.
My role was what I call the wingman. Having read two of the four books on the table and being very familiar with the books and the authors, I could help answer questions when the ladies were busy with other customers or were signing books. The wingman is not a requirement, but can be helpful. This is where your friends and family come in handy – if you have someone there saying how good your book is, people are more likely pay attention.
For authors, new and established, book signings are hard. You wonder if you have enough – enough books, enough information about your book, enough energy to stand for two hours. You wonder if you can get customers interested in your book or if you are going to be sitting alone at a table, surrounded by piles of unsigned books. But if you come prepared to work, you can have a successful experience.
Other than at RT, have you ever gone to book signing? Have you discovered a new author thanks to an author signing in a bookstore? Tell us in the comments.
Nicole
posted at 10:21 AM
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