Sign, Sign, Sign!

I recently had my first book signing at a local bookstore (shoutout to Meeting Street Books and Cafe!). It was a great experience, and something I encourage every author to try to arrange.

But once the date is set, you’ll still need a few things to make your book signing great, so I wanted to help you out with a simple checklist.

Your Books
This one may seem obvious, but having copies of your books to sell and sign is vital. If your signing is at a bookstore, they may be willing to purchase and handle the sales of the books for you (be sure to check), but in most cases, you’ll be expected to bring your own.

Make sure you know the lead times for getting your books in, and keep it in mind when you schedule your signing—if it’s going to take you a month to get your books from Amazon, you don’t want to schedule a signing for next week!

Promotion
Nowadays, this is mostly done on social media. Start promoting your signing as soon as the date and time are finalized. I made graphics to post, and the bookstore where I held my signing created an event on Facebook. If your community had a strong arts scene, see what you need to do to promote your signing there--newspapers, radio stations, community bulletin boards. The more you get the word out, the more likely your signing will be a success.

Pens
Another obvious thing, but one that’s important to think about. Do you want the bold permanence of a sharpie? Maybe a felt-tipped Papermate? Your favorite Pilot G2? (I use a Pilot G2 in grape, since purple is my favorite color.) It’s something to think about and make sure you have handy, or else you’re at the mercy of what you can borrow, beg, or steal…

A Signature
Yes, I know you’re looking at me thinking “I’ve signed my name thousands of times, what do you mean I need a signature?” And if you write under your real name, you can skip this step.

But what if you use a pen name?

Have you thought about your signature? It’s not going to be automatic; you’re going to have to think about it every time you do it. And you want it to be as consistent as you can get it (unless you just like sowing seeds of chaos).

So before your signing, try a few different signatures out. Once you find one you like, practice until it becomes consistent.

Payment Methods
When cash was king, this was easy. You’d just run to the bank and get a few ones and fives to make change.

But now? It’s all digital, baby!

Having a PayPal account is essential. I also use CashApp and Venmo. If you think you’re going to be doing this often, you can also invest in a credit card reader for your phone.

And you should also have some cash to make change. Some readers are old-fashioned, and may still like paper money.

Signage
At minimum, you can print up a price sheet with your name, book prices, and payment information.

But I prefer dry erase boards. Chalkboards will also work. That way, you can reuse them at future events and make adjustments as needed.

You can also purchase table wraps and standing signs to promote yourself, though those can be pricey for your first event. If you’re just starting out and money is tight, a couple whiteboards will be plenty.

SWAG
If you want printed SWAG, this is another thing you should plan early (ask Rebecca for her horror story). But really all you need is some good candy to get people to come talk to you.

Decorations
Some authors like to decorate their tables for signings. It makes it more fun, and makes you stand out. You don’t have to, but if you want to, plan ahead. Do a mock-up at home of what you want your table to look like, that way you know what you need to take!

A Plan
What do you want to do at your signing? Sit and sign books? Are you doing a reading? Performance art? A Q&A?

Knowing these details in advance and having a plan will reduce your stress on the day of your event, and make you feel more in control and ready for whatever comes your way.

Patience
I sold four books at my signing. 

Chuck Palahniuk I am not…yet.

The internet is full of stories about first-time authors (and even experienced authors) who hold events that are duds. But the point of signings, even ones that are poorly attended, is to get your name out there and help build your brand. 

I sold four books this time.

Next time, I might sell five.

And soon enough, I’ll be having national book tours (I hope).