Things to Think about When Doing In-person Author Events

This fall, I did a lot of in-person events, and I noticed some things as I watched those around me. There were a few (usually newer authors) who complained about the crowds and their sales, and then there were the authors who had a lot of success.

Here are some things that the successful authors had in common.

The Presentation:

• Always bring a tablecloth and make sure it’s not wrinkled.

• If you make signs or handouts, make them attractive and readable.

• Always give out something. Everyone I talk to gets a bookmark. You never know who will buy an audiobook or an ebook later.

• I stopped giving out candy when I had some melt in the summer. I have little trinkets for kids (and adults) that relate to my books. Lately, I’ve been giving away sparkly “Pearly Girl” bracelets, and plastic marine animals for the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. Kids tell everyone where they got cool swag.

• Make your table attractive and inviting. Don’t clutter it with stuff. And don’t pile things so high, they can’t get close to talk to you.

• Don’t stack hundreds of books on your table. That gives the person the idea that there are lots and no one is buying them. Put only a few out and create the illusion of “get ‘em before they’re gone.”

• Take a look at your display from the front after you set it up and make sure it looks the way you want it to.

Your Look:

• Dress for the event. Some authors have props or a hat. They attract attention. If that’s not your style, then look professional and dress as comfortably as you can.

• Wear colors that stand out. You want to be seen in the pictures, and bright colors draw people’s attention.

• Stand up if you can. You look more approachable.

• Smile and greet people.

• Even if people are just walking by, ask what do they like to read or what their favorite type of book is. Know what other authors are near you and point out ones with genres they like if you can.

• Do not sit and scroll on your phone. You look bored and boring. People will walk right by.

• Look like you’re having fun. Talk with your tablemates. Take pictures with friends. Take pictures with people who buy books. People like to see what’s going on, and they don’t want to miss something. And they tend to gravitate to tables that look interesting and fun.

• Have your quick tag line ready and be able to tell them about your books in a succinct way. No boring dissertations.

• It is hard to start conversations with strangers, and it feels weird to talk about yourself so much. If you’re introverted or shy, you need to psych yourself up. Smile, look people in the eye, and talk to them. Not everyone is going to buy a book. But you’ll be surprised at the people you’ll meet. I have recruited a lot of mystery lovers to our Sisters in Crime chapter from these conversations.

• Caffeine and candy are good for quick energy boosts to keep you going.

• Be willing to answer questions. People want to know about you, your writing, and your path to publication. And sometimes, you’ll get some questions that you don’t want to answer, and that’s fine. If that happens, be a good politician and steer it to an answer that you do want to give.

• And don’t forget to invite them to sign up for your newsletter list.

Before and After the Event:

• Before the event, make sure you have all of the contacts and logistics information.

• Make sure you share the event on your website, newsletter, and social media sites. If you have followers in the area, they may stop in to see you.

• After the event, make sure to post pictures of all the fun you had. The group pictures are great for this. People love to see who was there. And tag everyone you can on social media.

• Make sure to thank the sponsor/coordinator. Their teams work hard to put on these events.

What would you add to my list?

Getting Yourself Out There - Where Do I Start?

Not only do you write, but you have a lot to say. How do you find opportunities for author panels, workshops, and other speaking engagements? Note these are often an investment of your time, energy, and money, and you may not get to sell books at every event. But you are meeting people and talking about your work. A lot of times, I see my ebook sales spike after an event. People may not have bought a book at the event, but they did later. Here is what has worked for me.

1. Join a writers’ group. I’m a member of two groups that keep a database of volunteers who will speak to schools, colleges, libraries, and other groups.

2. Offer to speak at book clubs. Get the word out on your website and newsletter that you’ll visit or Skype with book groups. Tell all your reader friends. Contact your library and local book stores to see if they have book groups that would be interested in writer visits.

3. Get to know your librarians. Many are looking for programming ideas, and they need speakers or people to lead workshops. Our mystery group writes a murder script each year for our local library’s fundraiser. They have an event where the audience tries to solve the mystery, and the authors discuss and sign their books.

4. I speak to school groups and English classes because I want to encourage young writers. Usually, this isn’t an opportunity to sell books, but I always have bookmarks, pencils, or swag for each kid.

5. Connect with other writers in your area to see where they do appearances. See what they recommend. This gives you insight into venues, how the events do publicity, and the audience that you can expect.

6. Connect with other writing groups. They often need speakers or instructors for workshops and conferences.

7. If you attend a conference that has panelist opportunities, sign up. I love meeting fellow authors and talking about books. These usually have book signing opportunities too.

8. Google writing events or conferences to see what is offered in your area.

9. Be creative. I’m in several themed anthologies, and we did signings at wineries and wine shows or the book that was wine-themed. We have some pet expo signings lined up for our dog-themed anthology this year.

10. Talk to your friends who are in clubs and organizations. Many of these are looking for speakers for their monthly programming.

If there is a fee to register or a cost to rent a table, you need to weigh the cost and your investment of time. Think about sharing a table with another author to keep the cost down. Also, when I do handouts for workshops and speaking engagements, I always make sure my website, newsletter, and social media links are listed.