Do you know what’s the hardest part of a book signing for me? It’s not going in there and having to try an initiate conversation with people I don’t know, although that’s hard. It’s not trying to convince them that buying my book is a good idea, although that’s even harder that talking to them. It’s not sitting there by myself, hoping someone will talk to me. It’s not hoping that the bookstore will be happy enough with the sales I make to ask me back again.
It’s being surrounded by lots and lots of books.
For some, this might be the definition of paradise, and if it was a library that’s fine, but I can’t afford to buy everything I see in a bookstore, much as I’d like to. Not that it stops me. In fact, of all the book signings I’ve done so far, there was only one where I left without buying a book. Usually they were for gifts (at least, that’s what I told myself!), but I still made a purchase.
I was looking in another store yesterday, browsing through all their beautiful titles while I waited to ask them if I could come in for a signing, and I saw so many things I wanted to buy. All these wonderful stories with gorgeous covers; the greatest temptation a book lover could have.
So book signings can be hard but they can be wonderful too, because they let me see that books are alive and well. Sure, ebooks may be popular now, but I think there will always be space in people’s hearts for the look and feel and smell of a real book.
I can relate to all of that – both how hard it is sitting at a table, initiating conversations with strangers and interesting them in your book – but also how hard it is to walk into a bookshop and not buy one (or several) books. I’d love to hear some tips about how you went about engaging people and catching their interest. 🙂 Oh, and well done for giving it a go.
When I first worked in a bookshop (on platform 10 at King’s Cross railway station, London – honest) I wanted to buy everytning, well nearly everytning. But one builds up resistance. One has to.