tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post115799955429585407..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: Book Tours and SigningsBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159963507224058722006-10-04T08:05:00.000-04:002006-10-04T08:05:00.000-04:00you're right, Kate. I met so many wonderful author...you're right, Kate. I met so many wonderful authors who simply stopped in. Writers on a whole are great people, they're just not people oriented. It's such a solitary field. When I was at RWA nationals, in a room of hundreds, only a handful actually had lines. The rest simply didn't have the name recognition, or reader base to draw a steady crowd. Although to be fair...I did see three fabulous authors who talked to everyone that passed, handed out bookmarks and candy and chatted up their books. And those are the ones I remember.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14553958040386480998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159932642416308352006-10-03T23:30:00.000-04:002006-10-03T23:30:00.000-04:00Excellent comments, Jolinn! I've been to all kinds...Excellent comments, Jolinn! I've been to all kinds of book signings and can honestly say that I think stock signings are more effective. I stop in at bookstores and offer to sign my books, meet the employees and chat awhile. Sometimes they're interested, sometimes they're not, but at least I feel as if I'm putting my face and personality to my books. I've made some pretty good friends among booksellers in the past year and count those contacts as not only good for my career, they're good for the soul, too.Kate Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05486916548114546095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159930911659804512006-10-03T23:01:00.000-04:002006-10-03T23:01:00.000-04:00I used to be a bookseller, and from the perspectiv...I used to be a bookseller, and from the perspective of the "other" side...booksignings are expensive. Please think about labor. Before you even walk in to the store, it takes a person to set up your table, utilize precious retail footage for your event, promote your signing, order in your books, (and for some reason authors always think they should have stacks and stacks of books)and get you your drink. You are essentially asking for a donation of time and money. Unless you're a big name, or heavily promoted, you're coming in with no expectations of selling more than a handful of books. The bookstores (the ones that do) do it as a labor of love. Not out of any expectation of financial reward. I have handled and seen more "sad" booksignings than I ever want to see again. These poor people sit there, out of the way, all alone, with no one to talk to, and every one ignores them. If they're in a group, they talk amongst themselves, and it automatically excludes people who would otherwise approach them. If they're alone, they practice bad body language.<BR/><BR/>Unless you can sell something, please, don't autograph. You are selling YOURSELF, and if you aren't comfortable talking with strangers, can't stand (sitting fosters an "uncaring" image) for the time of your signing, and aren't BIG name. At least think about getting a book on salesmanship. As a former "sunshine artist", my pocketbook knows that an artist who walks around her area, talks and says "hi" to the passersby, makes eye contact and initiates conversation, makes money. Introverts don't.<BR/><BR/>The best way to sell is to write a good book. Listen to Bookends. Go visit your booksellers, give them a copy of your book. Give em some little trinkets. Chocolate is always good. Don't think that just because you sit behind a mall table with your books in front of you, you'll automatically morph to Nora Roberts.<BR/><BR/>*er* climbing off my soapbox.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14553958040386480998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159925677611269032006-10-03T21:34:00.000-04:002006-10-03T21:34:00.000-04:00I read the Konrath report, too. I can't believe so...I read the Konrath report, too. I can't believe some of the bookstore clerks wouldn't let him sign the books. I'm not published yet, either, but I'm already thinking about places and ways to sell books when I am.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159905396681277622006-10-03T15:56:00.000-04:002006-10-03T15:56:00.000-04:00In the fall issue, Spinetingler followed Barry Eis...In the fall issue, Spinetingler followed Barry Eisler and J.A. Konrath on a day of book touring. It's a great article! And Maria's right about his blog; it's a fantastic information source!Spy Scribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299551957327543491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159888446551490692006-10-03T11:14:00.000-04:002006-10-03T11:14:00.000-04:00Thanks so much for sharing these tips...I'm not pu...Thanks so much for sharing these tips...I'm not published yet, but when I am, using these gems will certainly help!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-1159884851810493772006-10-03T10:14:00.000-04:002006-10-03T10:14:00.000-04:00This post pretty much matches what author J.A. Kon...This post pretty much matches what author J.A. Konrath has to say on his blog about touring. He recently visited 500 bookstores--mostly on his own dime. But he knew from the get-go that it was to meet the booksellers. If you read the posts from about midsummer on, there's valuable info in there about how to go about talking to the booksellers, etc.<BR/><BR/>I think the advice is dead-on in this post. You have to get out and talk to people that talk to people.Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234907275906877802noreply@blogger.com