Book Signings: Preparation is the Key

Happy Monday!

I'm about to embark on my first author signing. Half of me is anxious. The other half wants to dance around the room! I know there's a way to escort anxiety to the door. One simple word comes to mind: preparation.

Where to Start

There are many components that go into getting ready for a book signing. If this task seems a little daunting, take a breath. Then sit down and write out a preparation check list. Think about everything you'll need for your signing day. Check off each item once you've accomplished them. Seeing all those check marks is a reminder you're making progress and will help ward off anxiety.

Your Most Important Item

This might seem silly to mention but the first thing you should do is order your books! You need to give yourself plenty of time for them to arrive before the event. I've heard horror stories about authors who didn't allow themselves enough time. When the day arrived, they had no books to sell. Order your books at least a month ahead of time to avoid that nightmare.

How Many Books?

This is a bit of a tough one. One thing that's helpful is to find out how many people normally attend the event. The rule of thumb is to bring book copies for 5% to 10% of the expected attendees. It also depends on whether you'll be selling and signing in a room with books of the same genre or if it's a mixed-genre event. If it's mixed, you might want to order a few more because you'll have less competition. If you're still uncertain, a minimum baseline of 15 to 25 copies should work.

Calling All Creatives

Now for the fun part—your author table! If you're like me and love to decorate, you'll like this part. Below is a list of items to complete the rest of your check list. Think visually and have fun putting together your table.

🔑 A tablecloth. Check with the venue ahead of time. Some places provide them.

🔑 A table runner. This is a fun one! A table runner made personally for you will help draw buyers to your table. (Vistaprint has great options!) On this runner, you'll want: 

• • • Your name and title
    • Eye-catching artwork. (Better not to put your book cover on the runner so it's reusable when you have future books published. 🥳)
    • Your website address or social media addresses
    • The name of your publishing company
    • QR code for easy purchasing (optional)
      

In addition, you'll need:

🔑 A rack to display your books

🔑 A mobile card reader (e.g. Square reader) for credit card purchases

🔑 A well-stocked, locking cash box

🔑 Multiple signing pens (Look for pens that won't bleed through paper. Pigma Micron PN is my fav.)

🔑 Post-It Notes for writing down correct name spellings for personalizing books

🔑A candy dish (always a hit). Individually-wrapped candy works best

🔑 Framed artwork pertaining to your book or a vase of flowers

🔑 An email sign-up sheet for you to promote your future books

🔑 Swag: bookmarks, stickers, or book-illustrated pages with Crayons

Other Tips

With preparation, you will hold the key to success. Preparing a short one-or-two sentence summary of your book will hook your buyers. When the crowd arrives, stand by your table. You'll be more approachable this way. Bring a friend to help with book sales. And don't forget to take care of yourself—water to stay hydrated, and small snacks to keep up your energy.

 If you'll be joining me on this magical day of your own, enjoy! If you're not there yet, keep writing and persisting. You've got this!