*gulp* You want me to do WHAT? Book signings

[Jason]

Okay... So I currently have four book signings scheduled for an Ohio tour I'm doing in about a week and a half. I just got a call from one of the book stores asking if I would do a reading. I said, "Yes, of course. I'll be happy to.", then I hung up and thought 'what the heck did I just agree to?!'

Yes, I'm green. I am an Author that has never been to a book signing, or a reading. So... What do I do at a reading? My book is an anthology of short stories, surely I'm not going to sit there and read an entire short story.

I have visions (having children) of all these adults sitting cross-legged on a large circle rug while I sit on a chair holding up my (non-illustrated book) reading them page after page.

So, what do I do? Read one or two pages just to wet their appetite? Read a whole story?

Any advice to calm my nerves is welcome. :)

[J.S.]

I have been to a couple of readings (Kate Atkinson and Andrew Martin). They both introduced the story quickly, then read a section (Kate's was definitely edited-down, don't know about Andrew's) ending on a cliff-hanger!

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Yep, I've been to quite a few at the Edinburgh book festival over the years, and that's the usual kind of pattern, wee intro, then read a juicy bit! Good luck anyhoo

[Patti (baconater)]

Interesting topic, Jason.

I'm just going to shift the thread to Agony Aunt and change the thread title a bit.

I'm sure you and other authors would be interested in feedback from both authors and readers.

[Will]

I do an average of three a month, Jason. (Birkenhead this saturday.)

what do you want to know?

Tips: Find out how the staff dress, and wear something similar. Then, if you approach younger ladies they are less likely to run away at once, screaming...

Don't waste your time sat at the table, get out there and accost people!

[Andrew]

I went to a signing/launch/Christmas party for Love Songs For the Shy and Cynical by Rob Shearman a couple of years back. Rob signed a bit, spoke a bit, read a whole story (edited slightly, I think), signed a bit more, and later read another story. He was very good though, he's worked in theatre, done a spot of acting and teaching, and is a confident speaker.

I've also done a spot of acting and teaching and am a confident speaker, so I can give you two tips.

1) To work out how long an extract will last when read aloud, allow roughly three words per second. So a 2,400 word short story will take about eight minutes to read. It's a rule of thumb, but it's a pretty precise one.

2) No matter how well you think you know your work on the page, practise reading it aloud as much as you can before the event. You might be the author, but an unexpectedly long sentence can still trip you up if you don't go in prepared. It should also help calm your nerves if you've done it a few dozen times in front of the bathroom mirror.

Good luck!

[Ian]

Hi Jason.

Haven't done any public readings yet, though I did one as part of my first radio interview the other night.

But I did a book tour a couple of months back and have detailed my adventures on my blog here:

http://www.ianayris.com/p/the-abide-w...

I also cobbled all of that together into a post of blog signing tips here:

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blog...

Hope some of the stuff proves useful, and most of all, just have a load of fun.

All the best, mate.

Ian

[Jason]

@Andrew - Thank you so much for the wonderful advice! I do have quite a bit public speaking experience. Was in theatre, was a radio DJ and also I do the reading for my own audio books. So I'm not too worried about being nervous.

I guess what I am worried about most is... the quantity. Would hate to look up from reading to see a ton of bored people.

@Ian and Will, Thank you as well for the wonderful tips and advice. Will let you all know how it pans out.

(more advice always welcome)

Cheers!

[Kath]

having read your book and listened to the audio version of one of the stories, i don't think you need to fret about people being bored! have you thought about which story you are going to read from?

[Jason]

Kath wrote: "having read your book and listened to the audio version of one of the stories, i don't think you need to fret about people being bored! have you thought about which story you are going to read from?"

Most likely... Feathers in the wind. Tends to have a deep impact on a lot of people. I wonder if it's too long to read the whole thing though...

[Kath]

You have a wonderful reading voice Jason (I've listened to your audio thing too). I think it's the length of the reading you need to establish. Maybe the store would advise?

[Kath]

that's about 1/2 hour.
but when i listened to it, it didn't seem that long.

whether it IS too long, i have no idea, never been to a book reading so i'm not much help really...!

[Will]

Make up some display stuff, too. Covers, blurbs, anything related, and get some cheap display stands. The table looks much better then.

If you are flush, Vista print do some free standing banners at about 70 quid. (the claim they are only 20 or 30 pounds, but forget to tell you at that point you need a stand, too at £35....

[Ian]

Will's right, Jason.

Bookmarks, postcards, flyers. Punters love a freebie, something to take away.

These people are fantastic, and very reasonable:

www.stressfreeprint.co.uk

All the best, mate.

Ian

[Jason]

Great advice on the stuff to pass out. Don't know if I have time to have it printed though before I go to Ohio. Flyers, yes... but book marks and pushcards take time to have printed. Will see what I can come up with.

Thanks again guys for the great advice!

And... HAPPY FRIDAY!

[Ian]

I'm not on commission or anything, yet ;) , but stressfreeprint are superquick, might be worth an email, see what they can do.

And Happy Friday to you too, sir :)

[Will]

I have a car door sticker from Vistaprint, too. That's quite fun.

[Jamie]

First off, I'm very envious that people are doing readings and signings. I find it all very impressive and proactive. I've only been to a couple of these events, both exciting at the time but on reflection on was lacking creativity.

I went to see Sophie Hannah at the launch of her novel Gripless. This was long before she was a crime writer. I was a student at MMU and she was a tutor so we all went. It took place in a reading room at a Waterstones in Manchester. She read two or three short passages from the book and then there were drinks and Sophie signed copies at the front.

It was exciting to me then because I had no idea what to expect. But looking back, if it hadn't been for the group from MMU there would have been about five people there and the whole thing lasted about half an hour.

Much more exciting was an Ian Rankin event two years ago in Lancaster. Ian was interviewed and then took questions from the audience and then afterwards stayed behind to sgn books and chat over a pint. He stayed in town and we ran into him in the pub afterwards. Very interesting and inspiring.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Will wrote: "I have a car door sticker from Vistaprint, too. That's quite fun."

Is that the one that was nicked?

[Will]

Gingerlily (or Cyberlily..) wrote: "Will wrote: "I have a car door sticker from Vistaprint, too. That's quite fun."

Is that the one that was nicked?"

Yes. Bought another one...

[Will]

Jamie, get as many of your mates to turn up as you can. It will give you confidence for your first event. But tell them not to stand chatting to you, but to get out amongst the customers...

The key is for you to have fun. I love doing these signings!

[Jason]

So, thought I'd followup on this.

Book signings went WONDERFUL in Ohio and I did one book signing which went much better than I thought (Read part of "Surviving the Messengers" stopping right when things got a little creepy.)

The recommendation on the bookmarks was a great idea! Thank you!

I wrote a little blog article which talks about what I learned for book signings. Thought it might come in handy in this thread: http://www.jasonpstadtlander.com/book...