Anatomy of a book signing

Well, it's over. My very first book signing in the Tampa Bay area. What a journey it has been in reaching this milestone. It's hard to put into words what it represents to me. (And I'm rarely at a loss.) For those of you who have never been, a signing is an opportunity for people to come, greet the author, mingle, and, hopefully, purchase their book. I've attended quite a few in the past, and none of them are exactly the same. Most are held in traditional places like book stores, others in shops or libraries or stores of another nature. The goal, of course, is to attract as many folks as possible and to put the book into reader's hands. That isn't as easy as one might think. Some signings are hugely successful, numbers-wise, with people going to great lengths, standing in long lines to spend a few short seconds with the famous author. These signings usually involve authors with house-hold names and big marketing machines like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, or Rachel Ray. For others, success is measured by another set of variables. Especially when you're just getting off the ground, the fact that you're been invited to have a signing, and that a major book store has agreed to carry your book, is an honor in and of itself. This is the scenario that best describes me.

So here I am the day after. I deem my signing a success. It was simply terrific. I came away with lessons learned and a few observations I'd like to share:

Keep your feet planted firmly on solid ground--
This is something the owner of the book store reminded me so no matter what happens I can remain firmly planted and grateful for the opportunities that come my way. He's right, and I am. (My feet are staying put.)

Expect the unexpected--
Those who you least expect to come show up. You are amazed. Those who you are absolutely, positively certain will be there aren't. You are amazed. Those who you have never met but have come long distances to see you because they've heard your message, want your book and want to meet you. You are amazed.

Not everyone in attendance that should buy your book will buy it--
As strange as that sounds--and it is particularly strange to me--there are people who will attend and not make a purchase. This mostly applies to friends who come with friends to hang out or out of a sense of curiousity. Some folks are just too cheap or they make the excuse that the subject matter doesn't apply to them. They will only buy a book on sale or borrow it from someone else when they are done reading it. Paperback books are especially affordable and cost less than a CD or a few drinks at Chili's. You're not talking a huge outlay of funds like a painting or sculpture. It is a small yet significant purchase. I don't mind telling you, author or not, I do not get this mentality. I recently attended a signing where the topic was about something which didn't apply to my life. That doesn't matter. I bought the book anyway because I was there to acknowledge the accomplishment of the author and knew I could still read it and enjoy it. It's the principle, not the price.

If you bring kids make sure they're like the ones who came to my event--
There were adorable kids who attended my signing and they couldn't have been better. They were respectful and behaved beautifully. I enjoyed their presence. I am happy they came. When in doubt, only bring children if the author has written a book especially for them.

People get excited by a cool book mark--
I have a really cool book mark designed especially for me by Billy the Kid.
It is something that can be used over and over and I gave them to everyone as a small token of my appreciation. The reaction was so positive.

Refreshments are a plus--
Not all signings have snacks and beverages. While you shouldn't go crazy--it's a signing, not a party, whenever possible, some simple snacks and something to drink on hand is a welcome addition while folks are chatting. My guests and even the book store employees enjoyed the snack display.

Good friends/family are priceless--
People who step up and are there for you are invaluable and no words can express how thankful I am for the good friends I have, for their steadfast belief in me, and for their contribution to my success.

All the preparation is worth it--
A lot of hard work goes into the making of a book and the subsequent marketing of the finished product. The payoff is worth every once of energy put into the process. A book signing is but one way to reach out to an audience of readers who can be touched by your message. It's a fun-filled experience I look forward to doing more of in the future.

It's only the beginning. See you at the next signing . . .
Pz~

Introducing Pz Hopkins

Hi,
My name is Billy of Billy "The Kid" Productions in Tampa, FL. I am proud to introduce Author Pz Hopkins, The Author of Club Shattered and owner of www.PzPower.com. Pz is a self help motivational author and speaker who is on the cutting edge of finding solutions to today's problems. She uses years of experience and common sense to find unique problem solving solutions.
Yes, Pz has also been known as the "Problem Solver" Or should we say " Problem Zolver"