Signing Trends: A Ground-Level Report from a Publicist's Viewpoint

A lot of writers who contact me want to know what booksellers are looking for these days when it comes to hosting author signings. Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer, since not all bookstores are alike and, thus, sellers have differing views on what kinds of books they allow authors to promote. I am seeing some general trends, though, when I call stores to pitch signings. Here are some items to consider when preparing to contact stores regarding your books:

Paperback Price Points are Lower
I’m seeing a lot of pushback from stores on pricing, especially for paperbacks. A number of stores don’t allow signings for paperbacks, but those that do are concerned about price. Most of my clients have priced their books reasonably, but those with a paperback priced at $16.95 or higher face a tough time booking signings. The economy is a major reason for this trend, and it affects everyone. For example, the B. Dalton bookseller in the downtown Los Angeles Mall says that she’s not selling any paperback priced over $15.99. Another bookseller in Encino, which is more upscale, tells me the same thing – even though their stores cater to two extremely different demographics. Because of our current economic conditions, price is becoming a sticking point, and authors, especially those who self -publish and/or have some say in their book’s marketing decisions, should take care not to price themselves out of the market.

Distribution is All
If your book is not in the Barnes & Noble or Borders ordering systems, many of those outlets will not allow you to sign. Likewise, if your book is not listed with wholesale distributors like Ingram Books and Baker & Taylor, many booksellers will turn down requests to sign. I can’t harp on this point enough – make sure your book is ready to go distribution-wise before you start your marketing campaign, or you may not find many booksellers willing to work with you on a signing.

To POD or Not to POD?
A lot of the booksellers I call these days won’t allow authors with print-on-demand (POD) books to sign at their stores. This situation is frustrating to writers and publicists alike, especially when publishers and literary pundits insist that POD is the wave of the future. Many bookstore managers, sadly, have a bias against self-published books and a number of them automatically assume that a book listed as POD is self-published, even though the majority of traditional small presses these days are deliberately choosing to deliver books via POD.

One solution for POD authors is to ask your publisher to do an offset run of 500-1000 books. You or your publicist can then inform bookstore managers concerned about ordering lead times that there are plenty of copies of your book available for purchase. Some bookstore managers find this arrangement acceptable, but others still avoid POD books. Because of this trend, I recommend that authors who can’t decide between traditional and self-publishing try to sell their books via the traditional publishing route first. If an agent can’t sell the book, then self-publishing is always a good fall-back option.

Be Prepared to Sell
A lot of destination bookstores – those in malls and other outlets that depend on location to bring in traffic – will host authors even if they don’t have seating space for readings and signings. These stores usually offer writers a table inside the store, or just outside in a mall walkway, where they can sell directly to store patrons. The booksellers at these destination locations prefer to host authors who are good at personal selling and willing to supply marketing materials for their signings. As always, I recommend that authors think outside the box and try to find other venues besides bookstores for signing opportunities. Some of the more creative destination locales include airport bookstores, book expos, street fairs, and professional organization meetings.

Take Home Your Leftovers
Many store owners don’t have the shelf space to house leftovers from book signings and are asking authors to either buy back books that don’t sell, or arrange a return policy with their distributors. Most of my clients’ publishers are good about taking returns, but authors should know that not having a return policy can be a deal-breaker when pitching signings.