My First Book Signing

how I prepped, what I brought & what I'd do differently

Last week I was invited to speak and sign books at a local library for their “Christmas in July” Tea. This was my first public book reading and will be a night I always remember. Here’s how I prepped, what I brought with me, and what I’ll do differently for next time.

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Prep

1. The initial brain dump - One piece of paper, a pen, and all of my initial thoughts about the event written down in one gigantic, messy, imperfect list. I didn’t stop until I wrung out every last feeling, logistic, “to do”, and supply that I could think of. And then I added one extra item, “stuff I haven’t thought of yet.”

2. A Waiting Period - I let the list simmer for a day or two and gave myself a reprieve from thinking about details. If I caught myself overthinking or stressing I told myself, “it’s on the list” and moved on.

3. Organizing & Strategizing - I organized draft two of “the list” into categories: supplies, talk, logistics, vibes and then used those categories to strategize on how to execute by doing a little bit each day for a few weeks leading up to the event.

   1. Supplies - I needed books, pens, and a way for people to pay me.

   2. Talk - I was going to speak for 10-15 minutes and wanted a cohesive discussion that was interesting to people who had already read the book and also sparked curiosity if folks hadn’t read it yet.

   3. Logistics - I’d be attending with my husband and sister, and needed to figure out what time to leave, what I was going to wear, and who was in charge of things like photos, videos, carrying in all of the things, and what to do if I had a panic attack and spontaneously combusted in the middle of speaking.

   4. Vibes - I’m an Enneagram 4, so how I feel and how people feel after interacting with me is a high priority. For this event I wanted to feel professional, relaxed, and able to soak in the moment. For the folks who put on the reading and the attendees I wanted their interactions with me to feel fun, relevant, and like they left with something new to ponder or be excited about.

4. Managing Expectations - There is a lot of chatter around writing and author events, both are vulnerable and can lead to a lot of big feelings—positive and negative. When I’m in this position, I find it helpful to acknowledge all of the feelings—excitement, nerves, fear, thrill, among a whole host of others usually felt all at once—and then I remind myself of what success means to me.
   
   Being invited to do a reading and book signing was already a huge success for me. So literally if no one else showed up, I showed up prepared and doing what I love and ultimately that’s all I can control. I went into the day knowing that just the right people would be there and whoever it was I’d bring myself to them whole-heartedly.
   
   We ended up having about 20 people and it was absolutely perfect.

What I Brought With Me

1. Supplies - I brought copies of my book (enough for each person to buy one plus a copy to donate to the library), signing pens, business cards, bookmarks to highlight a Christmas in July page on my website, a credit card machine, small bills for change if people paid in cash, my Venmo details, and a group activity.

2. Notecards & a Marked Up Copy of My Book - I roughly memorized my discussion and brought notecards with highlights in case I forgot where I was. I added sticky notes and highlights to my book so it was obvious where to read. My discussion highlighted the following:

   1. Thanking everyone for coming, the library and event coordinator, my sister and husband.

   2. A few brief comments about me and my background.

   3. A high-level statement about what the book is about—a cozy small-town romance about what happens when a holiday fling with the “wrong guy” shows what you’re missing with the right one.

   4. A broader discussion about what the book is really about—how to know if the life you’re choosing each day is the right one, starting over, and falling in love with not only a person, but a place, its people, and yourself.

   5. An activity

3. The Activity - This reading was a dream come true and I wanted to give something back to the organizers and attendees. Annual Christmas letters feature prominently in the book, so I printed copies of a Christmas letter template with a quote from the book. I also brought pens and envelopes and invited folks to write themselves a letter that I’ll mail to them in early December. I thought it would be fun for everyone to get mail from themselves at the holidays and it was a hit.

What I’ll Do Differently Next Time

The only thing I’ll do differently next time is to have someone help me ring people up for their book purchase and write down the name of who to dedicate the book to.

It was so fun chatting with everyone for a few moments and I’d like to have that opportunity without having to multi-task. Getting spellings right, ringing people up for their purchase, and writing a message felt a little rushed and I’d rather have a chance to connect.

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All in it was an incredible night and I continue to be so grateful that Southern Hospitalitea is making its way into the world and planting seeds of love, connection, and following your heart.

Side Note: Like the French, I’m going to be vacationing for the month of August. Yay! (Unlike the French, I will not be on the Mediterranean. Boo!) Leeminality will return on Monday, September 8th.

Side Side Note: There will be a post for paid subscribers up on Monday, September 1st about the financial side of my first campaign.