Jai Jai Noire
http://www.mightysmallfilms.com
Berkeley, CA

It’s true that signed books can’t be returned and I agree that an author should always check with the host before signing more copies after the audience has gone home. But stores have different policies about this and some are happy to have a few months supply if they think they can eventually sell all of them. This is the general attitude, for example, at Mrs. Dalloway’s Books here in Berkeley, but only when they feel confident about a title’s long-term prognosis.

-Alan

As the event date drew closer, it looked like we were going to get at least 50 people to attend. Four people told us they planned to buy multiple copies. My publisher was worried there wouldn’t be enough books, based on the store’s original order. They suggested I talk with the bookstore and maybe bring some copies of my own.

I left voice mails and emails with the event coordinator at the store — and also dropped by the store and spoke with his assistant. I never heard back - so I decided to bring books of my own (just in case).

The event was even bigger than we thought! 70+ people came and the store sold out 5 minutes before the reading started. The events coordinator wasn’t present - instead a new employee (very cool gal) was assigned to help with our event. She made sure my books got entered into inventory - but it took a good 20 minutes to enter one box (20 books). We sold all of those, then I opened a second box - took another 20 minutes to enter those into inventory. Same thing happened with a third box. Over 60 books were sold in total, but several people left without books because of the admin process delays.

After the event, the store asked me to take back the few unsold books - they said it was too awkward to keep those in inventory. Ten days after the event, they still hadn’t restocked - even though we were sending people to the store to purchase copies (again, as a way to support the indie bookstore we love so much). To date, I still have never heard from the event coordinator for the store either.

It was a great event for me and the store - but I was struck by how unprepared for success the store appeared to be. We’ve stopped referring people there to buy the book, because of the inventory delays - much to our regret. Amazon always has the book in stock and people can get it quickly too.

By contrast, we’ve had excellent experience with non-bookstore events (such as pet stores) — for whatever reason, the selling process is quick, efficient and unhampered by inventory conflicts.

It’s been a very educational experience for me - I love the local indie bookstore, but also need to sell my book via outlets that can meet demand more efficiently.

To that (and your fine list) I would add one more: Use your event to pitch local radio stations, especially in the “B” and “C” cities. I got on two NPR affiliates in the Midwest because I was coming to their towns.

Funny story–not an author reading, but an unintentionl cure for a fear of public speaking. I was in Toastmasters for a while and was passable as a speaker. But I was always really nervous in front of the crowd, and no amount of practice got me over that. Eventually I left because I had gone as far as I could go. A few years later, I was doing the audio visual at a conference. The participants were in a U, and I was seated at the center of the U, flipping charts. The senior manager comes out to give awards, so I book off the floor–and promply fall down when my ankle turns. In front of 100 people. A collective gasp went up. I bounced back up and went to sit down–wasn’t hurt (I have a bad ankle and am subject to taking falls). After that, I haven’t had any trouble in front of crowds!

Heck–give chocolate at ANY kind of reading and you’re probably gold.

The important thing during the signing was to either engage potential buyers in conversation or to ‘look interesting.’ I accomplished that by writing with my handheld computer and folding keyboard. Its small size and my typing speed created curiosity.

Even authors who’ve done a lot of readings and public events get the jitters before appearing before an audience. It’s a normal survival mechanism, a “flight or fight” neurological instinct that gets the adrenaline going so you can rise to the occasion.

One way to be prepared for this is to take small steps at first, like recording a short passage from your book, then playing it back, first just for yourself, then for a friend or family member. Try it a few times until you’re satisfied that it’s good enough, that your voice is clear and understandable.

If you have a website or blog, try posting the audio, and see what kind of feedback you get.

You might also try rehearsing a comment to make at some local public forum like a PTA, neighborhood council meeting, or a reader’s club. The point is to start small and build step by step until you’re more comfortable reading from or talking about your work in public.

-Alan

I went to very fascinating reading about Robin Hyde. The promotional blurb said she was a feminist ahead of her time and was an inspirational figure. I was expecting to be interested in the subject matter but I had no idea who was doing the reading, or as it turned out, readings. Robin’s son read details from personal letters. People who knew Robin or knew her work intimately spoke of their memories and read work of theirs which had been prompted by Robin’s. Michele Leggott (former NZ poet laureate) gave two readings and was amazing. She is going blind and read from enlarged text - word by word - on an e-reader of sorts. Between Robin’s son reading the last letter he received from his mother, addressed “my dearest little Derek”, and Leggott’s fantastic readings I had tears in my eyes and was blown away.

Great post. Now, who wants to hear me read?

I’m a fan for life, haha.