Book Tours 101: How to Survive a Book Reading
With the publication of Provincetown Stories, I was fortunate to have dozens of public events, from podcasts and interviews to bookstore, literary festival, and library readings. Author events are fundamental to selling a book. The only thing worse than having too many, in one ten-day stretch, I had four, is having none at all. A reading can lead to a newspaper article, and it can certainly help sell books.
So how does an author prepare? Every writer has their own approach. Here’s mine.
First, worry about everything that could go wrong. Weeks before an event, I begin running through the possibilities. Some are legitimate: Will the bookstore have ordered copies of my book? Will they arrive in time? Others belong in the wild-anxiety folder: What if there’s a global thermonuclear war? What if I forget to show up? I’m told worrying is a constant on a book tour.
Next, choose your material. About a week before a reading, I start imagining who might be in the audience. I select passages accordingly. Some crowds might enjoy a story about an elderly couple; others might prefer something more salacious. And then there are audiences looking for a reading with plenty of spice. I don’t want to disappoint anyone.
Once I’ve chosen my selections, I practice reading them aloud. Even though I know just about every word by heart, preparation beats leaving things to chance. I read each passage at least half a dozen times, paying attention to pacing and opportunities to engage the audience.
For example, I compare Commercial Street in Provincetown to a drunk ex-girlfriend at your wedding. At that point, I stop and ask someone in the audience, “Did this happen at your wedding? Were you the one playing the drunk ex-girlfriend?” This usually brings down the house.
Arrive early and prepare to fret. I aim to get to the venue at least half an hour before the event. That gives me time to get a feel for the room, check the lighting (some places are notoriously dim), and pace around worrying that no one will show up.
I like a mix of friends and strangers in the audience. Friends who take the time to come are one of the joys of a book event. Strangers, meanwhile, offer the chance to expand my readership beyond my immediate circle. Ideally, they’ll become customers, too.
Then comes the signing. After the reading, there’s usually time to sign books. That’s when my anxieties shift to my terrible penmanship. I feel I should practice my handwriting, but I haven’t worked on it since elementary school. Worse is the fear of getting someone’s name wrong, especially when it’s someone whose name I really should know. My solution? Ask for the spelling. “Do you spell Jeff with one f or two?”
Finally, say thank you. After the event, I send the host a thank-you card. My mother taught me to be polite, and I’d like to be invited back. There’s always another book to promote and, naturally, another book event to worry about.
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