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Jon Sprunk

Observations at Book Signings

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by
Jon Sprunk
, October 26th, 2010 at 11:37 AM (500 Views)
I love people watching. Give me a comfortable seat on the edge of a big crowd, and I can watch them for hours, which is pretty much what a book signing feels like for those of us who aren’t named Paris Hilton, Sarah Palin, or Stevie King.

(Interesting side note: Only two of those listed authors are actually able to pick out a noun and a verb in a sentence. But I digress . . .)

However, whether you sell a thousand copies or three, a book signing is an excellent opportunity for us reclusive-writer types to observe the book-buying (and, presumably, book-reading) public up close.

For example, most people in a book store, when greeted by a friendly hello, will respond in kind as they stroll past your table. A special few will stop and ask you what your book is about. Yet, it’s the alarmingly-high percentage of folks who blithely pass by, not even looking in your direction, that makes me raise an eyebrow. Where are they going in such a hurry? Nine times out of ten it’s the coffee bar, which just goes to prove you can’t compete with caffeine.

But when someone does stop, the pressure is on. Your hands sweat, your voice quavers, and sometimes you even forget what your book is about. (When this happens, I usually say, “It’s like Harry Potter combined with Twilight and The Stand. Only cooler.”)

I have to give a shout out to all the ladies in the house. Women are much more likely to stop and chat, and they buy a copy two or three times more often than the guys. Slackers! What happened to manly men who read novels while chopping firewood and saving babies from burning buildings? Meh, I guess those days are gone. Now, it seems like many men only read the Sports section of the newspaper and an occasional biography (ghost) written by some washed-up athlete.

Still even with the fly-bys and the blank stares, I have to say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of each book event I’ve done. There’s something thrilling in introducing yourself, and your work, to new people. So here’s to everyone I’ve met out on the road. Thank you. You make a lonely profession all the more worth it.

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Comments

  1. SkyFitsJeff's Avatar
    Those are really interesting observations. I like your answer, "It's like Harry Potter comibined...."
  2. Jon Sprunk's Avatar
    Remember the old adage: When in doubt, lie...
  3. tmso's Avatar
    You know, I smile at authors as I pass by their booth but I never stop (I'm female, in my 40s, read a lot). Why? Cause it just seems odd to me to get a sales pitch from the author. Of course they are gonna say this is the next best thing (or in my case, that it is a piece of drivel that should be mopped up and flushed down the toilet as soon as possible) - it's their baby! I'd just rather hear from my friends whether it is good enough to buy and/or make that assessment from reading the first bit of the book as I browse. That's just me...
  4. tmso's Avatar
    So, I'm sure Stevie King can pick out a noun and a verb, but it's a toss up with the other two.
  5. Jon Sprunk's Avatar
    Yeah, it's tough finding that balance between being a timid wallflower and a carnival barker. Hopefully, I'm getting better at it.
  6. expatrie's Avatar
    Good point. It's also a great time to see how they browse and make some notes on that--I would hope specific to your genre, if they locate you near those books.

    Are they buying on the cover alone, spine out or facing, do they stroll in, grab the book, and leave (hunt), do they wander around (forage).

    Are they opening the book? If not, they're probably either not picky or after a specific author's latest book. If they open, how much time do they read, do they read the first page or something else, check the blurbs? Do they pick up some books and drop them almost instantly, as if burned (I do this with "so and so is a special vampire, he has the ability to...." books.)

    Is it a hard cover? Soft cover? Mass market / trade? Do they dredge the clearance bin like me, or not?

    Do they go from section to section or hit only one?

    I might strike up a conversation in general and wait for the customer to ask about the book you're obviously trying to sell. I find an author's personality goes a ways toward selling me a book, and if they come off preening rather than 'just folks,' it's a turn off. But how to manage that and still act like you're pleased with your effort?

    --Brian