Rick Walton's Book Signings

Help find the cure

Rick Walton's Book Signings

In my experience, the most successful book signings are in conjunction with another crowd-drawing event. Every author I know has had disappointing book signings, and many authors are hesitant to do a signing if the sponsor of the signing isn't doing something to guarantee success.

I don't charge for book signings. But I do expect the sponsor of the signing to do everything possible to make the book signing a success. I'm most likely to agree to a signing under the following conditions:

1. You've done a lot of publicity.

2. My books are prominently displayed in the store.

3. The signing is in conjunction with an event that will draw people.

4. There are other authors signing with me. (I like to meet other authors. Dead time at signings is a great time to talk.)

5. The signing is near my home, or near a location I'm planning to be at for another reason.

Some Book Signing Ideas

1. Throw a big party, on any topic. Just something that will bring kids in. Bring in authors who can be connected in any way to the topic of the party and let them sign.

2. Have a mass signing. Make it an event. Bring in a dozen authors for three hours. Have take turns reading from their books for the three hours. Do plenty of advertising. Serve refreshments.

3. Bring in one huge author who's guaranteed to draw a crowd, and also bring in several local authors.

4. Arrange for signings during a big Christmas sale or other major event.

5. Hold signings at non-traditional locations where there are a lot of parents with kids out spending money. State fairs. Arts festivals. Carnivals. Toy stores.

6. Build up one or more authors at a school, then have a special author visit/book fair. Along with the standard books brought in for the book fair, bring in your publicized authors to sign their books. Bring them in when kids are most likely to be their with their parents.

7. If you're a bookstore, a fundraiser, or a large company, have a company-wide Christmas season book signing for the employees of a company. Arrange for the books to be on hand, give the employees a discount, and have authors on hand to sign the books. Offer the authors lunch and a tour of the company.

Other Suggestions for a Successful Signing

1. Make sure that bookstore employees know a signing is taking place. I've shown up at signings to find that no one currently on duty knew I was coming.

2. Pay attention to the author. Ask if everything's okay or if the author needs something. Get the author something to drink if you have it. Little considerations go a long way.

3. Prepare an attractive display in the middle of customer traffic. Have the author sign there.

4. Remind customers frequently that you have an author signing in progress.

And Finally...

Authors do signings to meet readers and to build goodwill in readers and bookstores. Authors are also great readers and love bookstores, and they like to help out where they can. Authors also like to help out schools and other organizations that might sponsor signings. What authors don't usually do signings for is money. The royalties earned on books sold during a signing seldom justify the time spent.

Authors also talk to each other and tell each other where they've had good and bad signing experiences. There are some bookstores and schools that I'll go to at the drop of a hat because of how well executed the book signing was. I hope your signing is in this category. Because if it is you're going to get a lot more cooperation for your promotions from writers everywhere.