Book Signings Are Worthless





All writers dream of drawing big crowds and seeing their books fly off the shelves, but we always have to be mindful not to put the cart before the horse. I’ve been involved in enough failed events, that I’ve got a pretty good idea about what doesn’t work. Most of the writers I know approach the marketing aspect of the business kicking and screaming. In some ways they have a point because a lot of the strategies you hear about aren’t tailored for our industry. You haven’t won a gold medal. You haven’t won a championship. You aren’t the beneficiary of constant media attention. If all you’ve done is publish a book, nobody is likely to know anything about you. Some writers do become such celebrities that they can reasonably schedule a book signing. However, if it’s your first book and your name and likeness has never appeared in the news, I don’t see how the idea of organizing a book signing could ever be seen as a reasonable suggestion.

I still remember when Brett Favre came to my college town to sign autographs. This was after his first MVP season. His table was set up at the sporting goods store in the local mall. The radio blasted the news incessantly, “Brett Favre is coming! Brett Favre is coming! Brett Favre is coming!” They did such an effective job of advertising that even I, always indifferent to current events, heard about it. It’s important to note how popular Brett Favre was in the state of Wisconsin at that time. He was quite literally a folk hero. When it comes to professional football teams, the Packers are unique. They’re the only community owned major league franchise. It’s a weird little quirk which means the NFL’s smallest market will never have to worry about losing its team. They might as well be the Appleton Packers or the Sheboygan Packers. Small Wisconsin towns feel a certain kinship.