Author Topic: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines  (Read 4345 times)

Shrain

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Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« on: November 14, 2005, 12:08:55 PM »
Okay, so I've been doing the assigned reading for my book pub overview class. My prof sent us a bunch of PDF articles, one of which was written by an old student of his as a directed study project. ("Book Marketing & Promotion: Reinventing the Wheel Every Time
How Publishers Market Adult Trade Fiction
by Shannon Edwards)
It's been MUCH more interesting, actually, than a lot of the other marketing stuff he's "blessed" us with. (Sheesh, I'm bad with numbers!) Then I ran into this lovely set of guidelines for authors who are making an appearance at a bookstore. They gave me a chuckle, particularly #2, 7, and 10. So, I thought I might as well share the mirth. Enjoy.

Bookstore Signing/Appearance (Author Rules)
1. Make eye contact with all visitors
2. Be happy if no one shows, show enthusiasm for it
3. If booksellers like you, they will sell your books in the future
4. When reading from your work, pick an entertaining passage and practice
beforehand
5. Small groups – sit and chat about writing!
6. Be honest about being nervous!
7. Don’t drink alcohol
8. Invite sales reps or other publisher reps for a drink or snack afterwards
9. Send thank you notes to those who coordinated signing
10. If the bookstore offers you a free book, don’t pick the most expensive book in the store!
Lord Ruler and Lady Protractor were off on vacation, thus the angles running amok.
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"The movie of my life must be really low-budget."
--Harry Dresden in DEAD BEAT

stacer

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2005, 02:47:16 PM »
Quote

7. Don't drink alcohol


There's a particular author from Cascadiacon who might take issue with that.
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Shrain

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2005, 04:07:58 PM »
Oh? Do tell! Now I'm curious.
Originally, I wanted to go to Cascadiacon. But I just wasn't able to make it up there because I was right in the middle of moving cross-country (uck, I don't want to do that again for a while!).
Lord Ruler and Lady Protractor were off on vacation, thus the angles running amok.
--Spriggan

"The movie of my life must be really low-budget."
--Harry Dresden in DEAD BEAT

MsFish

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2005, 06:37:48 PM »
Quote


There's a particular author from Cascadiacon who might take issue with that.

Lol.  We have the pictures to prove it.
Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.  Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams go, life is a barren field frozen with snow.  -Langston Hughes

MsFish

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2005, 07:03:07 PM »
Here it is.

Gotta love that expression from EUOL.
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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2005, 07:27:26 PM »
That's my "If he's like this on THIS panel, what's he going to be like on the alien sex panel he's doing next?" look.
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Shrain

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2005, 08:35:58 PM »
Quote
That's my "If he's like this on THIS panel, what's he going to be like on the alien sex panel he's doing next?" look.


WOW, that is seriously hilarious--both your expression, EUOL (hi again by the way). and the soused author beside you. haha. Man, I'm sorry I missed that con...
« Last Edit: November 14, 2005, 08:39:17 PM by shrain78 »
Lord Ruler and Lady Protractor were off on vacation, thus the angles running amok.
--Spriggan

"The movie of my life must be really low-budget."
--Harry Dresden in DEAD BEAT

MsFish

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2005, 10:34:16 PM »
You should have heard him lisp.  

I'm *still* bummed about missing the alien sex panel.
Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.  Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams go, life is a barren field frozen with snow.  -Langston Hughes

cyan10101

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2005, 01:51:06 AM »
that looks like a fun trip!  i am so jealous.
everything was going fine, until i critically failed my intelligence check!

stacer

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2005, 03:19:37 AM »
Yeah, cons are great if you have a good group of friends to hang with the whole time (while of course allowing time for splitting up and meeting new people). I'm looking forward to Anaheim next year. And by the way, Brenna, if you read this--if you're in Seattle by that time next year, you guys are driving down with me. :) (Unless I'm flown for work, of course.)
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EUOL

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2005, 04:58:04 AM »
Everyone go to Worldcon next year!  

And, uh, register early so you can nominate your favorite two new authors for the Campbell award.
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The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2005, 09:20:20 AM »
I'm still working on budget for that. I'm happy to take contributions for it, though.

Shrain

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2005, 02:32:04 PM »
Heck, I'll even take collections for no particular cause whatsoever. But, as for Worldcon and Campbell nominations, I think we all know who should be filling the coffers....
<EUOL: I take CCs, Paypal, personal checks, and money orders.  :D>
I'm definitely planning on going, though, despite the hefty $175 reg fee. I should be visiting UT again in August anyway, and I have a friend in Ontario, CA whom I could stay with--the forensics panelist I met at CONduit--so that'll help with the costs. I'm sure he'll want to register for Worldcon, too. It'll be awesome to know so many people there. Who all is coming besides Stacer, EUOL, e, EricJames, and Fell?
Oh, Fell lives in CA somewhere, right? So I imagine a bunch of you guys might crash at his place. "Hurray!" for friends who live in con cities!  :D
« Last Edit: November 15, 2005, 02:35:29 PM by shrain78 »
Lord Ruler and Lady Protractor were off on vacation, thus the angles running amok.
--Spriggan

"The movie of my life must be really low-budget."
--Harry Dresden in DEAD BEAT

stacer

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2005, 02:58:41 PM »
No, not Fell. Ookla.
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Shrain

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Re: Gotta Love These "Author Signing" Guidelines
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2005, 03:06:16 PM »
Oops. Ookla, I mean...
Lord Ruler and Lady Protractor were off on vacation, thus the angles running amok.
--Spriggan

"The movie of my life must be really low-budget."
--Harry Dresden in DEAD BEAT