Booksignings a la Lisa -- Part II

Today, I'm finishing my post on doing book signings (Part I was on Friday, just scroll down if you'd like to read it). Today I'll talk about dealing with nerves, choosing a passage from your book to read, having fun with the audience Q&A, and good bookstore manager/event coordinator etiquette. What can I say? I'm a Southern girl; I've been taught to write thank you notes and bring a hostess gift. The event coordinator has invited you into their store for the evening, therefore they're a host/hostess. ; )

You're scheduled for your first book signing -- yea! The first thing to do is take a deep breath and calm down. Chances are you won't forget how to talk, nor will you throw up or pass out. And unlike the dream you had the night before your signing, you won't look down and discover that you're standing at the podium naked. As I'd said in my previous post, I've only done group signings (signings with one or two other authors). I've never done the solo kind where it'd be just me, a stack of my books, and a whole lot of lonely. Not my idea of a good time. I prefer an event with one or two other authors, and my favorite format is reading/Q&A/signing.

The bookstore manager or event coordinator will let you know ahead of time what the format is and how much time you'll have for your reading. Generally you'll have ten minutes to read. Pick a passage to read that will give your audience (and potential new readers) a tantalizing taste of your book. Action sequences are great. I've been told by an author buddy that unless you're Robin Williams, steer clear of trying to read big passages of dialogue. Well, with Armed & Magical, I didn't have a choice. It went rather well, if I do say so myself. I didn't do voices (and I would never try), but I did insert a slight pause to indicate that another character was speaking. And if it was clear on the page who was speaking, but not so clear if it was being read out loud, I ad libbed some dialogue tags to help the audience know who was speaking.

When you select a passage, it's critical that you rehearse it. If you're comfortable with what you're reading, you won't be as nervous. Practice also helps you pace yourself -- you don't want to read too fast or too slow. The event coordinator may provide you with a microphone on the podium, but I've never needed one -- not a surprise to anyone who knows me. ; )

Discussion and audience Q&A is great! For my first signing, this is the part where I relaxed. I'll admit that I was a little tense during my reading, even though I'd rehearsed the heck out of it. I love talking about my books and having people ask me questions. It was a blast.

Thanking the bookstore manager or event coordinator: Before my first signing, I did some online research about booksignings so I wouldn't be completely in the dark. One of the things mentioned was to bring a gift for the bookstore manager or event coordinator (or whoever did all the legwork to arrange your signing). A small box of chocolates or nice potted plant is good, but I've discovered ProFlowers. Flawless flowers, they arrive in pristine condition, and they're not expensive at all. I do maybe 2-3 signings a year, so I've started going with ProFlowers. The event coordinator has worked hard to arrange the event, and I like to make sure they know that I appreciate their efforts. And to me, nothing says "appreciation" like two-dozen assorted color roses delievered the day of your signing. I also follow-up the signing with a thank-you note or email -- being the good Southern girl that I am. ; ) (And gifts for business purposes are tax deductible.)

Coming up this week: Tomorrow I'll talk about promotion goodies and where to get them for cheap (or even free), and then I'll continue the "what I didn't know until I got published" series with tax write-offs, dangers of burnout, Amazon rankings (ignore them), gifts for your publishing "team", advertising, and more.

Lisa