How To Have a Successful—And Enjoyable—Book Event!
You got this!
Some authors absolutely live for in-person events, whereas other authors feel like doing in-person events is an unfortunate necessity. Whether you fall in the former category, the latter, or somewhere in between, we’re here to tell you that doing author events, though they can be a little intimidating initially, can be so much fun and a great way to connect with your community (and beyond)!
Recently, several of our amazing authors attended a local book event in Chesterfield, Virginia, and they all did a fantastic job! This event made us think about what we’ve learned helping authors with book events and the suggestions our authors have shared with us, so we wanted to share!
I also recently attended an event called The Grimoire Exhibition (hosted by Grimoire Studios) in Fredricksburg, Virginia, which was a fantastic market and fair with a Halloween-esque vibe that hosted artists, authors, and other creators!
You will likely feel a little overwhelmed and uncertain before your first in-person book event you do, whether that’s a book signing at your local bookstore or a book launch party at a park. That’s okay and totally normal! Doing some preparation beforehand can help eliminate (or at least lessen) those nerves.
Make a list of what you need and want to bring with you ahead of time.
There are a variety of things you’ll want to bring with you to each event, and depending on the event’s location, requirements, and structure, that list can vary pretty wildly. However, there are multiple things that you should probably consider bringing to almost any event you’re participating in, including
Copies of your book—bring more than you think you’ll need!
Another person to help you manage your table(s) (we’ll touch on this more below)
Several pens (Sharpies are especially great for this) to sign books
Chairs and tables if the event space doesn’t provide these for you (make sure to check ahead of time)
A small display stand or shelf to place your book on to ensure people passing by can see your book(s)
Business cards or bookmarks with your contact information and social media handles (so people can contact you after the event and/or tag you at or after the event)
A tablecloth to cover your table(s)—note that you can customize these to have your cover art on them if you’d like
Posters, cutouts, banners, or signs if permitted and desired to help your book stand out (plus some tape and scissors just in case something tears or needs to be adjusted at the last second)
Extra cash to break bills if customers might be purchasing your book in cash*
A sign with legible QR codes that link to your Venmo, PayPal, or another credible digital payment platform if you use these platforms and are offering this as a payment option
A card reader if customers are paying by credit card
A way to track your sales—if you’re not taking cash payments, most payment platforms will keep track of your sales (but make sure you verify this prior to the event!); if you’re accepting cash payments, have a list where you can note the number of books sold
A signup sheet or a sign with a QR code that links to your newsletter if you have one; if you have an email list, this is a good opportunity to collect names and emails for your list!
A cash box to safely secure your money if you’re accepting cash
Any fun “extras” such as goodie bags, pens, postcards, stickers, coloring printouts from your book, or bookmarks
Any merchandise that people can purchase if you’ve created any (apparel, accessories, etc.)
Extra decorative items like flowers or items related to your book; create a theme for your table that conveys the mood of your book(s)!
A water bottle and a snack for yourself if needed
A smile (I know, this sounds cheesy, but seriously, people are drawn to people who are having a good time, so try to relax and have fun!)
*Often, the wifi at event spaces can be spotty. For this reason, we often recommend authors either allow people to pay in cash or have a card reader since using apps requires a semi-decent wifi signal.
You can see an example of what a table might look like in this video!
In another video below, I share some items I’ve brought to events before myself! Now that I’ve attended multiple events, I know what I like to bring, and hopefully seeing some of these things will spark some ideas for you, too!