How to Hand-Sell Books for Enjoyable and Revenue – SFWA

by Steven D. Brewer

Professional authors are within the enterprise of writing. Before my first work was accepted for publication, I had the naive preconception that an creator wrote one thing, then it was revealed, after which they wrote the subsequent factor. I used to be stunned to find how a lot else an creator must do: pitch manuscripts, write question and submission letters, reply to editors’ feedback, write bios and summaries, have interaction in e book promotion, and even hand-sell books.

There are quite a few alternatives for authors to promote books on to an viewers. Perhaps a very powerful are nationwide and worldwide conventions, resembling Worldcon. Regional conventions are additionally value attending. Additionally, there are sometimes an unlimited variety of native occasions that may welcome authors promoting their books.

To begin promoting, you must assemble some primary provides. A tablecloth or desk runner may help give an expert look. It’s value getting a point-of-sale app on your telephone and an envelope with small payments to make change. Business playing cards, bookmarks, stickers, or different giveaways are helpful to assist individuals bear in mind you. But when you’re arrange, you continue to want to really attempt to promote.

Selling doesn’t come naturally, and lots of authors select to go away promoting to others. But as with anything, promoting is only a talent that one can study and develop with follow. Learning find out how to discover a hook, make a pitch, and shut the sale may help you promote books like a professional.

Finding a Hook

An efficient hook—a approach to have interaction with individuals passing by the desk—is a key to success. I’ve seen authors actually hiding behind stacks of books or indicators to keep away from interacting with passersby. I discover that just about each sale I make is because of reaching out to get individuals to present my books a re-examination and let me make a pitch.

For the 2022 Worldcon in Chicago, I designed badge ribbons for my e book Revin’s Heart that mentioned, “Airship Pirate.” As individuals handed by my desk, I requested, “Would you like to be an airship pirate?” and pointed on the ribbon. Unsurprisingly, almost everybody at Worldcon desires to be an airship pirate. While they had been taking the ribbon, I had an opportunity to elucidate what the ribbon was for and make a pitch for my e book.

At native, non-genre occasions, the place not everybody desires to be an airship pirate, a extra common hook is extra more likely to be efficient. I’ve had good success merely asking, “May I tell you about my books?” Most persons are occupied with listening to about books instantly from the creator. Very common opening questions, resembling”What do you wish to learn?” can work properly for some individuals. Nearly something you are able to do to interrupt the ice gives you the possibility to make a pitch and shut a sale.

Making a Pitch

Making a concise, polished pitch, delivered as a efficiency, is maybe a very powerful a part of promoting books. Your pitch ought to be rehearsed and keep away from verbal tics resembling “um” and “uh.” Ideally, the efficiency will draw the listener in, and you’ll regulate your cadence to match their reactions, dashing up or slowing down as wanted. The pitch itself may be divided into two parts: an announcement that expresses the style and a short teaser of the story.

Coming up with a catchy approach to convey the style is finest. My work, which frequently blurs style boundaries, offers me with a chance to say one thing sudden or offbeat, thereby attracting curiosity. I describe Revin’s Heart as “a steampunky, fantasy adventure” and Better Angels: Tour de Force as “fluffy, military space opera.” These assist set readers’ expectations about what follows and may pique curiosity, leaving room for creativeness.

Another approach to specific style is by evaluating it to different works. Author Elaine Isaak says of her e book, A Wreck of Dragons, “It’s like Pacific Rim meets How to Train Your Dragon.” Bam! It provides individuals a simple approach to visualize what the e book is about.

The teaser is much less a synopsis or abstract of the story and extra a chance to briefly contact on traits which may attraction to the reader, leaving the remaining as much as their creativeness. For Revin’s Heart, I merely say, “It has pirates and airships and a trans protagonist.” Author LA Jacob, who launched me to hand-selling books, developed a really efficient teaser for her sequence: 

Grimaulkin is a younger, homosexual mage who summoned DEMONS and was despatched to jail for it. Now he’s out and is making an attempt to make a greater life for himself, however nobody will belief him BECAUSE HE SUMMONED DEMONS.

The teaser invitations the reader to visualise the place the story might go. Their personal creativeness can promote the story much more successfully than something you possibly can say.

Closing the Deal

So you’ve made your pitch, and somebody is your e book… How do you shut the deal and make the sale? My expertise is that there’s nothing extra you may actually do. People both promote the e book to themselves or they don’t. But don’t be discouraged if individuals don’t instantly buy your e book.

If your pitch has executed its job, they’ll nonetheless be eager about your e book lengthy after they’ve walked away from the desk. Many individuals stroll via and take a look at all the books earlier than they make any decisions, so they might but come again to purchase yours. And many individuals don’t purchase paper books however choose to go house to buy ebooks on-line. Cards, bookmarks, stickers, or different giveaways can guarantee individuals take one thing with them that may assist them bear in mind and discover your books later. Make certain to incorporate a URL or QR code to allow them to simply discover your catalog.

Benefits of Hand-Selling

Although I say “for fun and profit” in my title,  most new authors are unlikely to make a lot cash promoting books at a conference or market. With any luck, you’ll make again the desk price. But contemplating the price of journey, lodging, and bills throughout the conference—to not point out the hours spent loading in, promoting books, and loading out—you’ll most likely come out within the crimson.

So why do it? It’s a chance to get your e book in entrance of essentially the most passionate readers in your style. They’re those who, in the event that they admire your work, are probably to speak up your e book or go away a assessment. Dealer’s rooms are additionally stuffed with different authors and bookselling professionals, which provides distinctive alternatives to community at size. Moreover, almost everybody on the occasion will cycle via the supplier room in some unspecified time in the future, providing you with an opportunity to fulfill an unlimited variety of individuals—and present them your work.  Finally, as I mentioned, it’s enjoyable! Showing off your work, seeing the marvel in individuals’s eyes when your pitch lands, and having them buy a signed copy are all extraordinarily rewarding. And when somebody comes up in search of your work or asking for you by identify… Well… It makes all of it worthwhile.

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Steven D. Brewer (he/him) is SFWA Secretary and, as a college member, each teaches scientific writing and serves as Presiding Officer of the Faculty Senate at UMass Amherst. He is the creator of Better Angels: Tour de Force, Revin’s Heart, and the forthcoming A Familiar Problem, revealed by Water Dragon Publishing. Brewer identifies various obsessions that underlie his writing: deep pursuits in pure historical past, life science, and environmentalism; an abiding ardour for languages; a fascination with Japanese tradition; and a mania for data know-how and the Internet. Brewer lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, along with his prolonged household.