https://pseudopod.org/

http://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/

https://podcastle.org/

https://firesidefiction.com/

http://www.fusionfragment.com/

http://strangehorizons.com/

https://www.sfpoetry.com/starline.html

First, there’s the struggle to book the gig. Bookstores and libraries often need three to four months’ advanced inquiry to plan. With few successful signings, many are reluctant to agree to an event by an unknown author. With everything that has been going on with store closures and the pandemic, stores have not been able to HAVE author events in person. But they WILL start booking author events sometime in the next year.

When that day comes, you may find yourself at a folding card table off the main aisle, with a hopeful stack of books and several Sharpie markers. Customers will hurry past the “event” trying not to make eye contact while you say hopefully, “Would you like a signed copy of my book?”

As the hours drag on a few friends may show up, children may wander into the author signing space tugging their uncomfortable parents with them, but it is not what you dreamed of when you put pen to paper.

Book tours can be so much more than this. Let’s look at three ways you can turn your future book signing into a profitable and exciting event.

DON’T DO SIGNINGS

Don’t hold a book signing. Hold an event instead. Every author has an area of expertise they can speak about. Novelists do research for their books, true crime authors take reams of notes, nonfiction authors spend years developing their expertise before they put it into a book. Use your research and knowledge to create a talk or a series of talks on a topic that will interest people. No matter what sort of book you’ve written, a lecture on a unique [AJ4] topic will draw far more people than a book signing. Children’s book authors can do a storytime reading[AJ5] . Novelists can talk about the traditions and culture of their book’s setting. Memoirists and experienced writers can offer guidance to other writers, editors, and students.

TEACH A CLASS OR WORKSHOP

Consider offering a series of free workshops at a store or library. If you’ve written a book about personal finance, you can easily put together a 45–60 minute workshop. Creating worksheets or exercises from your book is easy once you identify the topic and the focus. Ask yourself, What is one specific problem I can fix for a member of my community? The next question is: Do several members of my community share this problem? And finally, what can I teach them? Just like that, you’ve got a workshop started.

Contact stores and libraries and offer your workshop in conjunction with book sales. Some stores and most libraries will not allow you to require a book purchase, but a good workshop will inspire sales. If you insist on a book purchase for the workshop, consider renting a small conference room and hold the workshop there.

BREAK IT UP

Instead of a single two-hour event, hold six to eight mini events in the same time frame. Organize your event into short readings, several lectures, or small presentations. If your event isn’t a hands-on workshop, there is no reason to hold only one event during the long time frame. If your event starts at 1:00, have a store employee announce at 1:00 that you will be doing a short reading at the back of the store. Do your reading for five minutes and answer any questions from anyone who stopped by. Then ask if anyone would like a signed copy. At 1:20, have the store announce that you will be doing a presentation at the back of the store. Read or present for three to five minutes and again answer questions. End the session again, by greeting those who have come to listen and ask if anyone would like a signed copy. Repeat every 20 minutes until your time is done. Several announcements over the course of a few hours in the store will grab more listeners and many more potential customers.

What works for one author may not work for every author. There are many ways to turn a painful, boring book signing into a success. Find YOUR formula, and use it at every author event you book.

15 years ago I did a great deal of research on the best dog food to feed my dogs. They loved it.

Since then, my husband and I have adopted a number of rescue dogs. I was able to go right to my trusty old brand and started feeding them the food that I knew was the best choice.

Fast-forward to 2020. While both my dogs were doing fine, I started researching dog food again because I wondered if some of their stomach issues and lack of appetite could be improved upon.

I was flabbergasted to see that the brand I’ve known and trusted for years had changed formulas a few years before. It used to get five stars across-the-board, and it now barely registered at one and a half stars. It was noted in several places that this particular brand of dog food was responsible for upset stomachs and other problems.

Why did I not know about this? I am a “crazy dog lady.” I research everything! I focus on my dogs and their health obsessively. But I fell prey to a common mistake when I assumed that the information and research that I had done years before was still valid.

I was SURE I knew what I should be feeding my dogs. I was depending upon strong research, but it was OLD research. I had done the proper footwork but then I stopped paying attention.

I switched brands and my dogs are thriving and are enjoying their food in a way I’ve never seen before.

THE POINT:

The same sort of thing happens to authors all the time when they do their research about book sales and marketing. Here’s a list of things that authors might believe if they read articles written in the last year.

• You should ask everyone you know on social media and on your mailing list to write reviews of your book on Amazon.
• Doing events or selling books in bookstores is a total waste of time because people don’t buy books from bookstores anymore.
• Becoming a number one or a top bestseller on Amazon in your category is really important for social media use and for your marketing efforts online.
• You should be advertising your book online on Amazon and elsewhere as much as possible.
• Writing and launching a series is the best way to attract a traditional publisher.

But let’s take a look at some of the things that have changed or altered just in the last year.

• You’re no longer allowed to use screenshots or Amazon branding in your social media or on your website without express permission. (That includes a screenshot showing that you were number one Amazon bestseller)
• Advertising and spending marketing dollars on Amazon keyword promotion no longer works for a large number of genre fiction categories.
• You are no longer allowed to ask anyone you know to review your books without violating Amazon’s guidelines.
• More and more publishers are favoring authors with stand-alone books and other, unique character-driven novels in the queue over authors with series.

And what about what has been happening in our industry and marketplace since COVID?

• Chain stores across the US were starting to loosen their restrictions on local author events, but now are not doing any events to draw crowds.
• Independent bookstores. which were popping up everywhere and a great place to launch your career, are now holding fundraisers just to stay in business.
• Many independent stores are still working with closed doors and only offering web based and pick up service.

I know it is time consuming and difficult, but it’s not enough to Google and look for ideas. You have to stay up-to-date on what’s happening today and then stay up to date by keeping current each and every week. 

Please consider getting a subscription to Publishers Marketplace, Publishers Weekly, and follow your favorite industry leaders to keep up to date. Your career with thank you.

It is such an odd experience this year to “do” the Frankfurt Book Fair from my desk in NY. But I want to commend the Frankfurt Buchmesse organizers for doing such a terrific job getting all of the agents, publishers, and exhibitors together.

May I recommend that you check out the “Buchmesse” and see what is happening out side of our borders? The world IS moving forward and we are still sharing words. It is beautiful day whether in Frankfurt or Rochester.

https://www.buchmesse.de/en

Luckily, some pals of mine have given us a list of the best organizations to help you get started.

ACES: INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS’ ALLIANCE OF EDITORS 

https://aceseditors.org/

EFA: Editorial Freelancers Association

https://www.the-efa.org/

Writers Digest Copyediting Certification Course: 

https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/copyediting-certification-course