| I promote the shit out of my book. Online. Via mailings. In person. And for the most part, I really enjoy this part of the job. It's fun to interact with people and share my enthusiasm...or dementia (you say potato, I say...) So far, I haven't found a promotional method I didn't feel comfortable with. Until this past Sunday, that is. A few months back, I got this really flattering request from a local Barnes and Noble to do an in-store signing appearance. Their sales of Happy Hour had been brisk and consistent and they were confident it would be an awesome opportunity. I didn't need to be talked into it, I would have come no matter what. I figured, I'd go sit around chat with some folks sign a few books that the store could then sell. No big deal. When I got there though, there were 20 books sitting on the signing table, so I felt some pressure going in. Not to mention the fact that I was regaled with tales of a previous author sticking around and handselling his massive hardback western to tons of people. I was pretty sure this was a standard pep talk kind of thing. Like an urban legend. Until I'd taken my seat and watched the customers as they marched in. Can I just say, NOT my demographic. They were primarily teenage girls buying their 10th copy of Twilight and middle aged men hunting for Car and Driver or the latest Baseball bio. Zombie bitches was not just a hard sell in this crowd it was an impossibility. Second, I noticed that none of these people would give me even a blink of eye contact. I felt like a door to door salesman. Sad. The four people--count 'em: 4--that actually were interested enough in the cover to come over and chat, bought. Four in nearly three hours. I wondered if it was a timing issue. Is there a better time for buying urban fantasy with a potty-mouthed protagonist than right after church? When do you go to bookstores? I go on Friday nights sometimes. Was it the weather? It was sunny. Do people buy cannibal comedy instead of attending picnics? Was it me? I'd bathed an everything. Whatever it was, the in-store was uncomfortable and kind of unproductive (though the staff was great and really receptive to the book--which one had read and another bought). I really prefer the "reading event" as a means to hawk my wares. I can reach into the aisles with a mic, but anchor me to a desk and I'm weak. Thoughts? |
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Don't sign at B&N. Seriously...I did one for NIGHT LIFE and NO ONE showed up. NO ONE. Signing at indies is way more productive.
I'm so sorry to hear about what happened. Obviously there are a lot of people without taste or in some cases manners out there. If you had been in a store I walked into, I would have definitely bought a copy and had you sign it on the spot!
Darn that Stephenie Meyer. Re-releasing one of her books with the first chapter of the next book in it!!!
Seriously. That sucks. But the shame is that people aren't learning to expand their horizons. I have an autographed book I bought one time off of an author at one of those types of signings. It wasn't bad. And heck-half of what I'd bought for and at RT, I'd never heard of.
So what did you bathe in?
Okay, stupid pun out of the way. We go to Borders at least twice a month. One time they had an author signing which we stumbled into because they stuck her in front of the kiddie section. I didn't even remember seeing a sign out front detailing her. My guess was that they (Borders) didn't advertise this very well.
When I get to wander the store I see a handful of people per section. Of those, they split off into their "zones" per section. So There might be one or two individuals there into my kind of books over the course of a half of an hour.
And it's like the damned library - no humor! Everyone locks their gaze on the bookshelves and awkwardly stumbles over you as they move around. So, had B&N stuck their neck out you might not have had such a shitty night. I'm with Caitlin about the indie stores and conventions. Cons get tons of folks that want a piece of authors.
Well because I ACTUALLY work At B&N I can tell you that people DO SHOW UP for signings. But timing is absolutely everything. I think you need a more "young" place though. That is why UB is so good for you! Also they gotta do the promotion for you. It's not a chain thing I assure you. We had a signing downtown last wee, 150 people showed up.. It's all about timing..
That being said I am sorry it was an awful experience for you, I feel sad and somewhat responsible..
they invited you they should have made it a good experience for you.
First off. It wasn't a bad experience, overall. Handselling to people that don't normally buy the genre is just really hard and I've never had any retail experience. My preference is to sell the book by doing a reading, that's all.
So Caitlin, I don't think it's the store, it's the method.
Synde, the staff was really nice, but it was totally sink or swim. I'd gone to one of these with another author, and she didn't get much more traffic. It's kind of a crapshoot, I think. It's not like it was promoted like the UB signing, which was in all the local papers (major and indie).
The other thing is I did get to meet Rachel from Bitten By Books and her husband, who were very nice and hung out to chat.
Hi Rachel!
Two words--group signings. That's all I do. "Group" can mean 500+ or 3, but I don't do signings by my lonesome. That way you have someone to talk to, which tends to make you more relaxed, thus approachable and if your book doesn't initially appeal maybe someone else's will lure people over. Frequently (In a small group signing) people will then buy everyone's books. And it makes what could be torture fun. :)
How many times were you asked for directions to the bathroom?
I've done a solo signing where nobody showed, too. It's much more productive to do a group thing unless you are a Big Name. I remember sitting there thinking, "I gave up hours of writing time for this?" You can always go in to do stock signings for local stores. Efficient.
Yep. I've done the duo and group signing thing and tons of drive-by stock signings but I really couldn't say no to the invite.
aww... i would love it if i walked into a bookstore and there was a signing.. but concidering where i live thats not likely to happen.. the nearest bn is over 2 hours away so i dont get there only a couple times a year.. as a reader, i say the internet is what has brought me 100 percent of my reading.. see i found this site following Dakota.. who i found following someone to her group..etc.. you would be amazed at the chain reaction.. see now i will be checking out all of you and looking for your books, and eventually you will have a guest that will spin off somewhere else...lol..
mark I just want to give you such a big hug for that post! You rock!
um that was me synde..im just at work..sorry!
What madness! Heh...reasons to always stop by when someone is doing a signing and at least say Hi. :)
That's why I make a point to no longer do such things alone. At least, if you've got a writer buddy there, you've got someone to talk to if no one shows up.
Since we're relatively NKOTBs, the group thing makes so much more sense at our level.
Not that anyone is close enough to New York to do any with me.. sigh...
And I don't knock chains or indies, since my day job is kinda working with them both...
We all want to do so much to help pimp our books, but we have to make sure we're doing targeted events that make sense.
I knew one author who made t-shirts, chocolates with the cover of the book on them, coffee mugs, pens... you name it, he made it. I think he spent every penny he might have made on all that, simply because he was eager and not focused...
Anton - I try to be prudent and thoughtful, it's just really hard to turn down an invitation. Particularly when it's local.
As for authors spending every dime of their advance on promo, I've heard those stories, too.
My test tubes were even Semi-Homemade. I should have my own crafts show.
You know, you might want to team up with Jackie for an NYC signing.
Hey Mark!
I thought you smelled just fine....good enough to eat! LOL At least we had one zombie siting while I was there.
I think everybody has a valid point here. It was definitely timing, and the weather. Having owned a store where we sold books, I can tell you Sunday was the WORST day for us. So much so that we closed Sun-Mon after awhile. And if the sun was out forget it. That is a major event here in the Seattle area. LOL
I think Indie book stores have much more to gain / lose by promoting or not promoting events. Promoting means people coming in and buying. Paying the rent for another month. When you are responsible for the bottom line on all levels, it becomes a HUGE motivator to support your authors and guest speakers.
That isn't to say that large chains aren't capable of promoting, sometimes they just don't have the buy in from employees. The BN synde works at is absolutely lucky to have her. She cares about what she does, cares about the authors and other people in general. It is employees like her that can make the day. :)
I think a group signing would be AWESOME!
I could go on and on, but I won't bore you to the point of wanting to chew your own fingers off.
The selfish part of me is so glad I did get to meet you, but the practical side knows how much it sucks to sit for 3 hours with minimal sales.
OH, I now have an idea for you! Will mail it later!
Thanks for all the swag on Sunday too. :)
Rachel
(Bah, forgot my account again.) Well, I never did a signing, but it sounds like something I better prepare myself for hours of self-doubt as I watch people blowing past, just like sitting on the edge of a highway with your blinkers on.
Another favorite author of mine once told me her biggest fear was having a book signing and no one showing up for it. She makes it a point to try to contact the local paper to and a local tv stations to help promote the signings she does do.
I've noticed in my area that most of the signings are done at a large locally owned book store (which is not close to me so I don't usually attend) more than any of the B&Ns around town and they are usually on week nights. (Another reason I don't attend.)
Sorry you had such a dismal turnout for your signing. Hopefully the next one will be better. We wouldn't want you to bathe for nothing. ;)
Sheesh I really should learn to reread these before posting them.
I swear I do have a basic grasp on grammar and spelling. *smacks forehead for being such a dunce*
My experiences last year:
Summer signings = teh suck. One Border's appearance (they'd done a TON of publicity), the only person that showed was a personal friend of mine whom I'd agreed to meet there for lunch pre-signing.
Chains - always better to do in a group unless you're on the NYT bestseller list.
Love me some indies, though!
Hi Mark,
I am sorry that it was not the greatest experience...what were they thinking not wanting to buy your book...they really have no idea what they are missing.
I wish that I lived closer, but no I live in Wyoming...where no-one...well with the exception of CJ Box...have book signings.
Mark-
I would do a signing with Jackie if it weren't for that damn restraining order!
I work at Borders and agree with Psynde at the Death Star. Timing is everything. But being that I am at a small store in the suburbs of the suburbs we get ony a few people who show up on purpose for the signings. Most people are just browsing for other stuff.
Oh, man.
I've done signings were I had a line of people. I've done ones where two people showed up. But that's true with speaking/reading events as well. I once traveled to New England for a panel with five other authors at an indie bookstore where I used to work, and we still outnumbered the audience. Having worked for years at various Borders, I have to say it's as uncomfortable to be a bookseller as it is to be an author in these situations.
Toughest experiences I've had were mall bookstore signings, where you're up in front next to the pretzel lady and the cell phone hawkers. I'm all for big pimpin, but that's just not worth the psychological gut-punch.
Check out JA Konrath's tips for doing signings. Adjust what he says for your comfort level, and have fun with it.
Argh, I sort of sound like I was hating on B&N, and I really don't hold it against them that no one came to my thing...the staff tried. Psynde's right, you need promo before the fact. And possibly a stun-gun to waylay buyers with. :P
Or a booth bunny. :)