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Book Signing for Fun and Profit
Whether you are a collector or a seller, an author's signature can greatly enhance both the personal and dollar value of a book. In this article I'll discuss various methods for getting your books signed and suggest strategies for attending book signings.
There are few things you can do to increase a book's value. Cleaning and minor repair can help but sometimes cause more damage. Research could show that the book has a rare variant dust jacket or was the basis for a popular film, but one of the most effective ways to increase a book's value is to get it signed.
To a collector, the experience of going to a signing and meeting an author can boost the personal value of a collection to a new level. To a seller, getting stock signed can increase its dollar value and generate quicker sales. As a seller who focuses on $50-plus sales, my target market is collectors willing to spend high dollar amounts on items that will provide significant personal value. Understanding the collector mentality is key, and to collectors, an author's signature is a major flashpoint.
In some instances, signatures other than the author's or books owned by someone of interest might command higher prices as well. I recently purchased a hardback first of "Galaxy Reader of Science Fiction" (Crown, 1952), inscribed and signed by the editor, Horace L. Gold, to anthologist and science fiction author Groff Conklin - two major figures in science fiction history. Both Gold's signature and the book's association with Conklin make this a unique and collectible item.
How to Find Book Signings
Getting your books signed starts with finding out where and when the author will be signing. Geography plays a role in this. If you live near a big city, you are closer to the venues where authors commonly appear. Science fiction and fantasy collectors who live on the West Coast are well positioned because a number of active writers live there. In turn, some of the premier science fiction and fantasy bookstores are on the West Coast and routinely host author signings. I live in the densely populated Washington D.C. area, and many good book-signing venues are nearby, including chain bookstores, excellent local and specialty bookstores, the Library of Congress and lots of museums.
Book signings, for course, will do you no good if you don't hear about them. Many bookstores maintain mailing lists for sending out event announcements, and a phone call may be all it takes to be placed on a list. Don't make the mistake of overlooking small chains or specialized genre stores. In the D.C. area, two of the best venues for author events are local stores: Olssons http://www.olssons.com and Politics and Prose http://www.politics-prose.com. Many bookstores are dedicated to a particular genre such as mystery or science fiction & fantasy and can be great places to look for author signings. For science fiction & fantasy bookstore links, try
http://www.locusmag.com/Links/Bookstores.html
Local newspapers, some of which may be accessible online, often list signings in an events column on Sunday in the Style or Entertainment sections. For the Washington, D.C., area, for example, I check
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/books
for upcoming signings. Look also at Web sites of local libraries, colleges and universities and museums, or call directly and speak to the publicity or events office.
All of these approaches work well but do have one drawback. If I find an author is appearing tomorrow, I don't have time to scout titles to bring. Worse yet, I may have a previous commitment that will prevent me from attending.
Another, potentially more profitable approach involves researching particular authors for advance notices of appearances. This method not only helps avoid scheduling conflicts but also gives you the opportunity to purchase or locate copies of the author's earlier works, which, if signed, might bring much higher prices. This works particularly well if you collect specific authors. As a seller, you should review your inventory for books that would increase in value if signed, then research future appearances by those authors. Check the author's official Web site as well as fan sites for information on appearances or tour schedules. Also, when an author releases a new book, watch for a book tour. Since most signing tours are arranged by publishers, try contacting the author's publisher directly for information.
If your favorite author is touring but won't be stopping near you, contact the bookstores on the tour schedule. There is a good chance that at least one store would be willing to take your order for a signed copy of the new book at list price plus shipping.
Here is a good starter list of links for researching book signings:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/8944
http://www.bookwire.com/bookwire/navigator.html
http://www.locusmag.com (science fiction and fantasy)
http://www.sflovers.org (science fiction and fantasy)
http://www.netread.com/calendar
http://www.stilljohn.com (New York City area)
http://www.collectspace.com/sightings (astronaut signatures)
http://www.signingshotline.com (sports signatures)
Some authors sell signed books through their official Web sites, and others may even be willing to sign books that are sent to them. Be respectful. Ask first, pre-pay return postage, and say thank you! There is a (perhaps apocryphal) story circulating in collecting circles about the many unannounced books sent to Arthur C. Clarke over the years, none of which were ever returned to their owners.
Because the dust jacket represents a significant part of the value of a collectible book and is easily damaged, remove it before mailing your books. You can also contact an author about getting signed bookplates. This is less desirable but better than nothing. Finally, any time you contact an author, consider using the old-fashioned snail mail approach. It takes longer, but you might just get a hand-written and signed letter from the author in return. In absence of an address, letters can be sent in care of the author's publisher.
Another venue for getting books signed is conventions. The mystery and science fiction & fantasy fields have very active convention circuits with events occurring almost weekly at locations around the world. Look online for local fan organizations and events. Book fairs are also productive venues for acquiring signatures. Calendars and additional information for these may be located on the Bookologist's Resource page.
What to Do at a Book Signing
Before going to a signing, call ahead. Some authors or bookstores limit the number of books that can be signed or restrict signings to only the current book. One chain bookstore I go to gives out numbered tickets. More typically, people just line up and wait. If you don't want to wait in line, arrive early, ask where the head of the line will be, and grab the nearest seat. If you find yourself waiting, remember that everyone there shares your interest in books and in the author. Take time to talk to your neighbors, and have fun.
When an author is touring for a new book, I consider it a courtesy to buy that book. On the other hand, Orson Scott Card told me he refuses to appear in stores that require a purchase. He once signed in a parking lot when the store refused to reverse its policy.
How many books should you bring? The short answer is, all of them. Decide in advance which books you most want to get signed and have them easily accessible. Go through the line more than once, or wait until the end and ask if the author would mind signing the lot. My experience is that most authors are extremely accommodating and are flattered by a fan with a box of books. I went to a science fiction convention featuring C.J. Cherryh, and because it was primarily a gaming convention, only ten people showed up to meet the author. Cherryh graciously agreed to sign the thirty-plus books I had with me, and I'd still be kicking myself if I'd only brought the top six from my collection. Use common sense and consideration. A signing with Dick Francis had nearly 200 people in line, and one man brought three bags of books. By the time Francis finished signing all these books, the store put a three-book limit on the rest of the line.
Though billed as readings, authors often just like to talk, whether it's about growing up, how they started writing, the art of writing, or any number of topics. Since most authors are extroverted, interesting and articulate, any topic is sure to be entertaining. Signings usually include a question and answer period, and it's fun to ask a question during this time. Again, use some judgment. At the same Dick Francis signing, someone asked a complicated question about a minor character in a book published twenty years previous. Mr. Francis quite literally had no idea what the man was talking about. Examples of the more interesting questions I've heard asked are:
- If a movie were made from your book, what actors would you cast?
- What book do you wish you'd written?
- Who is your favorite minor character in your own books and why?
- What is the worst job you've ever had?
Finally, bring a camera. I prefer to use a digital camera since I know right away if the picture came out. Photographs from signings are more than mementos of a fun event; they document the provenance of your signed books - that is, they authenticate the signature, which should be important to you as a collector or a seller. I also like to get copies of event flyers that display the author's name, date, and the location of the signing. This strengthens the provenance of the signed book. When possible, I include an event flyer with the signed books I sell. Stores sometimes give away promotional items for the event like pencils or bookmarks. Grab one for each book you plan to sell. A good provenance is something the collector gladly pays extra for, so a little extra effort in this department can make a big difference in the final sale value.
In Part II, I'll talk more about the values of signed books. I'll also look at different kinds of signing and explore how signatures other than the author's can increase the value of your books.
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