Once upon a time you went to your book signing and hopefully people showed up. There might have been something in the paper but then again maybe not. Mostly you just hoped that the mythical buzz would produce people who wanted to hear you talk about and read from your book. Many times it was just you and the employees and the lady who wanted to know where the restrooms were. Who is that funny man sitting in the bookstore?
But now the readers are online. The books are online. The book signing itself is in danger of going the way of the hardcover. Something that was relevant before but didn't work that way even then. The fact is a good day on social media can touch more people than a book signing. But you want to do a few of them. At least to launch the book and announce your book to the local press. So that is what I did. A local signing.
But I spent the month going up to it letting people know on facebook and tweeting every day. I then went to the signing and followed up with tweets and texts to let people know I was there. And people showed up. A good crowd and the signing was a success. But a successful book signing is now more a testament now to the power of the internet than peoples desire to go to a bookstore.
I think I do have a good book but I am competing against the very busy lives people live. Catching them online is just different than seeing them in a bookstore. It requires effort on their part and for that I am appreciative. I will do signings as long as there are books and people who want to come see an author in the flesh. Who knows how long it will last, but for now it still a lot of fun and beats sitting in front of a computer.
www.williamhazelgrove.com
The Pitcher
But now the readers are online. The books are online. The book signing itself is in danger of going the way of the hardcover. Something that was relevant before but didn't work that way even then. The fact is a good day on social media can touch more people than a book signing. But you want to do a few of them. At least to launch the book and announce your book to the local press. So that is what I did. A local signing.
But I spent the month going up to it letting people know on facebook and tweeting every day. I then went to the signing and followed up with tweets and texts to let people know I was there. And people showed up. A good crowd and the signing was a success. But a successful book signing is now more a testament now to the power of the internet than peoples desire to go to a bookstore.
I think I do have a good book but I am competing against the very busy lives people live. Catching them online is just different than seeing them in a bookstore. It requires effort on their part and for that I am appreciative. I will do signings as long as there are books and people who want to come see an author in the flesh. Who knows how long it will last, but for now it still a lot of fun and beats sitting in front of a computer.
www.williamhazelgrove.com
The Pitcher
