Friday Speak Out!: No Appearance is an Island

by Blaise Ramsay

Has this ever happened to you? You're sitting at a table on a Saturday morning in the middle of Barnes & Noble, yet it doesn't appear like anyone is interested?

As authors we can get discouraged when sitting at a signing and it appears no one is coming up to see us or avoids eye contact the moment we look in their direction.

Why? Is it something we said?

Quite the opposite! It's what you aren't saying!

Now, you're probably thinking "I'm afraid to come off as too sales-y" or "I'm shy with approaching people." The truth is, readers are thermometers for enthusiasm and confidence. They can either catch or not see them a mile away.

A hard truth, not all events end in massive book sales. Some may not at all and that can be upsetting.

But! There's hope! It's not the end of the world. Promise!

The trick is finding ways to benefit from your signing other than for just selling books. Often, readers head into book stores knowing what they're looking for. They might not even know they want your book!

Here are five things you can do to make the most out of these signings without selling a single book but still benefiting from them:

• Start up a conversation - People love to engage with engaging people who are interested in what they're interested in. Don't bash them with "Buy my book" right out of the starting gate. Greet them and ask how they're doing first. They may want to talk or in some cases need to.

• Don't sit behind your table - That's one thing that's an immediate deterrent for many. Authors who're sitting with their heads down or looking at their phones can indicate they don't really care to be there. Get on your feet and shake some hands. You're missing your readers!

• Take a guestbook - Many readers like to sign up for lists who offer something in return. This can be an eBook, template, contest, etc. It's a great networking tool and can help build lasting relationships. Don't forget your book swag! Readers love those too!

• Be Approachable - There's professional and there's approachable. It all depends on your target audience. If an author has a deep scowl on their face, odds are readers aren't going to stop and chat. Keep that smile, they might just need one that day.

• Be Willing to Listen - So many times, our readers want to talk about how they wanted to write but are too scared to or want to share an experience. They may need encouragement to pursue their ideas or ask some questions. This builds trust and shows them you care.

Not selling can be disheartening but it doesn't have to be the only benefit from live events. Invest time and energy in your readers, build your brand and in time, they will invest their time in you!

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Fyresyde owner and creative entrepreneur Blaise Ramsay is the indie published author of the paranormal romance Blessing of Luna. When she's not writing for herself, she's a full-time ghostwriter and freelancer, blogger, mom, and wife.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bramsayauthor
Website: https://fyresydepublishing.com/
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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5 comments Blaise Ramsay, book signings, book-selling, Friday Speak Out, selling your book, writer tips

The National Book Festival

One of my favorite events of the year is fast approaching: The National Book Festival. Put on by The Library of Congress, it unites authors and their readers.

The format has changed over the years. Until recently, it was held outside in Washington, D.C. on the West Lawn along the National Mall. I have many fond memories ducking in and out of the tents, listening to authors like Lois Lowry, Diana Gabaldon and Neil Gaiman – riveted as they shared their passion for writing with thousands of eager fans.

As it was an outdoor event, we sometimes had to brave the elements. Rain wasn’t enough to stop me from listening to Katherine Patterson, even if I didn’t have a seat and I was soaking wet, standing in mud. There is a palpable excitement that exists among like-minded people who love reading and writing that not even fifty-degree weather and pouring rain can erase.

The festival is now held in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center – still in Washington, D.C. – but it is no less magical. Instead of speaking in tents, the authors and illustrators speak in large rooms which can hold twice the people. And as if having the chance to hear your favorite authors talk about their work wasn’t amazing enough, the festival also offers book-signings, performances, discussion panels, and my personal favorite – The Pavilion of States. Each state showcases up-and-coming authors and literacy movements in their area. It is a treasure-trove for teachers. I walk away with posters, bookmarks, pens, pencils, and a myriad of other freebies that I still use every year.

Last year, I stumbled upon Scholastic Books who was giving away free, hardcover, young-adult novels. My heart stopped and I dashed to get in line, jumping up and down like a child. In my opinion, there is no better gift than a free book. I also had the opportunity to hear Stephen King speak. Ever seen a grown woman geek out when one of her favorite authors of all time walks onto the stage? You would have if you’d been sitting next to me.

When I mentioned the festival to some of the teachers in my school, they had never heard of it, and so it occurred to me that, perhaps, there were fellow writers who didn’t know about the festival either. If you are in the general D.C. area, I highly recommend going. Every year I walk away with valuable writing advice. I’m inspired to kick-start a new idea. I’m reminded by the 200,000 plus people who attend, that reading and writing do still matter.

The festival is on Saturday, September 2nd this year. You can find me hanging on the every word of M.T. Anderson, Ernest Gaines, and David Baldacci.

Bethany Masone Harar is an author, teacher, and blogger, who does her best to turn reluctant readers into voracious, book-reading nerds. Check out her blog here and her website here.

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3 comments Authors, Bethany Harar, book signings, fans, Library of Congress, National Book Festival, National Mall, readers, Washington D.C., Writers

Where's the book signing?

Because I write a book blog for a local newspaper, local authors sometimes contact me to tell me about book signings in our area. The last four book signings I heard about were being held at a winery, a historical society, an art show and a bird sanctuary. What happened to the traditional bookstore book signing?

First, think back to the last time you were in a bookstore. It takes careful consideration for me since the nearest bookstore is about 45 miles away -- in another county! How crowded was it? And no, don't count the people that were obviously there just for the coffee and insanely huge muffins. Count the book people. How many? If it was a chain store there may have been two or three dozen if it was a rainy Saturday afternoon. If it was an indie store they may have been no one there except you and the store owner. Now imagine having a book signing there. If you're lucky there will be 36 people meandering past your table stacked high with books. Maybe a few more if you really do some serious promotion on your own.

So maybe, like the authors who contacted me recently, it's time to start branching out with your book signings. Because what makes for a successful book signing? An author seated in a room full of books? No. An author surrounded by people. Lots of people. The more people that attend your book signing (either intentionally or accidentally) the better your chances of selling a few books.

Sometimes (most times -- unless you're James Patterson or Nora Roberts) it's tough to attract a large audience. So instead of counting on people to come to you, focus on going to where the people are. Piggyback on another event -- a wine tasting, an art show opening, a town founder's day -- that is guaranteed to have a large audience. Established, annual events that you know do lots of promoting and have had large audiences in past years are a better bet than a brand new event.

Don't be discouraged if they never had a book signing before. Call the organizers and pitch your idea. Be prepared for some of the questions they may ask.

• Why should we have an author? Can you get other authors to come too?
• Will you just be sitting at a table with your books? Will you be doing a reading, talking about writing, doing magic tricks (imagine the crowds THAT would attract)? 
• Will you be selling your books? Cash, check, credit card?
• How long will you stay -- an hour or for the entire event? 
• Will you be giving away a book?
• Does your book have anything to do with our event/organization/business?
• Will you promote our event on your website/social media?

Look beyond the walls of the bookstore. Follow the crowds and find the ideal spot for a book signing! I once set up my table at an outdoor car show to sell a book about baseball trivia. I figured cars=guys, guys=baseball. It worked.

Have you ever hosted/attended a book signing in an unusual spot?

Jodi M. Webb is writer living in Pennsylvania who also is a WOW blog tour manager. You can find her at Building Bookshelves.

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5 comments book promotion, book signings

Selling Books 24/7

Writers often go about selling their books as if it’s something finite. But selling books is more than just an event, a couple hours at a bookstore. It’s downright infinite.

Honestly, writers are selling ALL the time. They may not be selling a book all the time but they sure as heck are selling themselves (in a completely legal and above board way).

Take me as a buyer, for example. I think I’m pretty typical. Most of the books I buy, I buy because I know and like the author. I read a ton of books for any number of reasons: I like the genre or a protagonist or the humor. But those books, I’ll check out from the library. Buying a book requires an investment. So somehow or other, that author has sold me.

I thought about book sales at a conference I attended a couple weeks ago. I, along with ten other authors, launched books. Meaning we were given three minutes to speak about our recently released books in hopes that the conference attendees would buy those recently released books. In other words, we had three minutes to sell.

But my books are work-for-hire in the education market and are only sold in Korea. Many writers in this category don’t bother to launch their books. After all, it’s not like they need to sell these books; books in the education market pretty much sell on their own.

But it wasn’t those books I was selling when I did my shtick. And I mean shtick because I brought Cathy-on-a-Stick along to interview me and have a little fun.

Before I ever stepped on that stage, I was thinking about the day when I’d have books in the trade market. I was thinking that when people hear the name Cathy C. Hall, I want them to think of humor because, well, I hope I write funny books. I was thinking of how I could sell myself as a funny writer. So I launched my Korean books with Cathy-on-a-Stick, even though no one could buy ‘em.

But when I wasn’t on that stage, I was selling, too. Talking to two or three people at lunch, or speaking to a hundred people at the conference, I was selling. The same as if I were standing at a podium, launching books.

It sounds a little commercial, or maybe even calculated, and of course, in sales, there’s always a bottom line. But it’s more than dollars and sense. It’s understanding the business of being a writer.
Whether we’re blogging or leaving a comment on someone’s blog; having dinner with friends or sitting at a banquet table where we know no one; signing books at a huge festival or for a handful of kids in a preschool, we’re selling.

It’s impossible to measure what your reach might be. The potential is infinite which is kinda scary. But it’s downright exciting, too!


~Cathy C. Hall

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2 comments book sales, book signings, Cathy C. Hall, marketing, writer's conferences

Writing Lessons of 2013

Though I’m already making plans for next year, I’m compelled to take a look back first.

See, I don’t want to make the same mistakes I made this year. So I checked my blog for a feature I call “What Not To Do” where I share my mistakes and what I learned from said mistakes. And I thought maybe you could benefit from my year-end inventory, too. So join me as I walk down Memory Lane, reliving those magical writing moments where I messed up in 2013.


What I Learned About Book-Signings

I finally scheduled a book-signing for a couple of anthologies wherein I had stories. And I thought I’d made thorough plans. But I did not count on the wind (it was an outside festival), and I did not consider the heat (chocolate melts), but mostly, I didn’t really think about the importance of selling the book.

I suppose I thought the book would sell itself. But here’s what I learned: people want to talk to writers about the book—and they want to talk about their own experiences, too. And if you take the time to connect—to listen and interact with the people who drop by—the book sort of does sell itself.

For my next book-signing, I’ll check the weather and I’ll bring melt-proof candy. But mostly, I’ll be ready to engage with shoppers. Because shoppers are the ones who’ll buy—and read—the book!


What I Learned About Proofreading


I don’t often ask for help with proofreading. But after sending a query out to an agent, I realized I’d made an error. And not just a simple comma error. Nope, this was an epic error involving the actual text and…honestly, I still want to bang my head on the desk, thinking about it. How, I asked myself. How did this happen?

It happened because when we write, we often mentally correct an error. We know what we mean to say and our brain helps us out by showing us what we expect to see rather than what’s on the printed page.

So I learned (rather painfully) that I shouldn’t rush the proofreading step. Sometimes, it’s enough to leave the work for an hour or two. An error is likely to jump out when we return. For larger works (like an entire manuscript), there are several options for proofreading. There are premium or free services that will analyze text (search “grammar check”). But we can also ask our fellow writers for proofreading help, perhaps our critique group, or a trusted writer friend. And then we must actually do it. (Your head will thank you.)


What I Learned About Reading Writing Books


In April, I learned that, despite my best intentions, I had read only one of the writing books piled in a stack by my bed. It was an excellent book, filled with great writing advice, and so I decided that I would actually read my writing books instead of letting them sit, hoping that the advice would somehow transfer to my brain through osmosis.

But here’s what I discovered in December of 2013: I still have not read my writing books. So I’m sure you can guess what the first What Not To Do of 2014 will be.

Oh, well. Now that I’ve looked back (and learned) from my mistakes, it’s time to look forward, to figure out my What To Do list for the coming year.

Ahhhh. That’s much better. (And may your 2014 be much better, too!)

~Cathy C. Hall

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9 comments book signings, Cathy C. Hall, learning from mistakes, proofreading, setting goals, writing advice, writing books, Writing What Not To Do's