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SIX TIPS TO MAKE YOUR BOOK SIGNING SUCCESSFUL by Michelle Medlock Adams

11/24/2020

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Excerpted from Writing and Selling Children’s Books in the Christian Market: From Board Books to YA by Michelle Medlock Adams and Cyle Young (New Hope Publishers, Available Now!)

You’re at your book-signing, Sharpie in hand, ready to sign one of the dozens of copies displayed on your table, and no one shows up. Even though you’re positioned in front of Starbucks, people find a path around you to avoid having to make eye contact with you in their quest for java. Ever been there? It can be the longest afternoon of your life; trust me, I speak from experience.
But it doesn’t have to be if you follow these six strategies for a successful book signing.
  1. Make it an event! Though authors get pretty excited about book signings, most people do not. So, make it an exciting event—not just a signing. For example, when I was planning a book signing event for my book, “Get Your Spirit On! Devotions for Cheerleaders” I went all out. I ordered “Swag bag” items that cheerleaders ages 8 to 12 would love such as: cheer bows, slap bracelets, a notebook and pencil with the name of my book on them, and a cheerleading tote bag that matched my book’s cover and had “Get Your Spirit On!” printed on it. I advertised on all social media outlets  that the first 25 people to purchase a book would receive the adorable swag bag, and that’s not all.
Knowing that high school cheerleaders are royalty to younger cheerleaders, I asked two local Varsity cheerleaders to come in uniform and help hand out swag bags and be available for photos. I added in a few cake pops tied up with spirit ribbons, and my boring book signing became a festive event! I also contacted all of the elementary and middle school cheer coaches in the area and let them know about the event. As a result, I had a great turnout and sold many books.  And, we all did a few cheers. It was a perfect day.
  1. Get the word out ahead of time! Make an attractive meme on Canva or Word Swag or whatever creative app you like best, promoting your upcoming book signing several weeks ahead of the event. (You might even do a countdown!)  Post on all of your social media sites. But don’t stop there! Use what we call “Borrowed Platform” and ask some of your friends with larger followings to share your meme. Make sure your meme has all of the pertinent information about your event—time, date, location, etc. You’ll also want to be sure you use a “sizer” when creating your memes so that your cute creations will fit perfectly on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Unfortunately, it’s not a “one size fits all” social media world. Each platform has its own sizing preferences.
  2. Write a press release and send it out! Once you’ve written a press release about your upcoming event, contact the Community Relations Coordinator (CRC) at the bookstore where you’re having the event, and see if he/she has a media list (contact names and numbers of local media) that you could use when sending out your release.
If the CRC doesn’t have a media list compiled, make sure you ask which TV and radio stations you should contact, as well as which area newspapers and magazines might be interested. Working closely with the store’s CRC is always a good idea. I’ve found if I let the CRC know I’m doing all I can to promote the event, that CRC will become excited and promote the event with even more fervor.
  1. Be friendly and proactive! Too many authors simply sit at their book table and smile as potential book buyers pass by, but that’s not the best way to run your event. Ask the CRC if you could read your book back in the children’s area several times throughout your allotted time. If that request gets approved, then ask the CRC to announce your upcoming readings in the children’s area a few minutes before each one, adding that the author is on hand to personalize and sign copies. Parents love that!
  2. Lure book buyers to your table! So, how do you lure potential book buyers to your table? Have an attractive setup—a pretty tablecloth that matches your book, easels to display your books, free bookmarks (Vistaprint is a very affordable way to make bookmarks of your book’s cover), candy or cookies, your business cards or fliers, a freebie of some sort like a coloring sheet to complement your book, etc.
When my book, “C is for Christmas” (Little Lamb Books) debuted, my publisher sent me bookmarks and stickers to hand out to the children—both were a huge hit!  As children walked past my table, I’d offer them a free bookmark and sticker. Who doesn’t love a freebie? That almost always lured the children and their parents over to my table, and usually, it resulted in a book sale. I also offered candy canes which went right along with my book. You might also want to add a signup sheet on your table, asking for the parents’ emails in case they’d like to be notified of your future books and events. (That’s a great way to build your Email list.)
  1. Have a Giveaway! I always put together a gift basket with fun stuff that relates to the book I’m signing. (You don’t want to give away a copy of the book because you want people to buy your book.) For example, when I signed “Dinosaur Devotions” at an area bookstore, I created the cutest gift basket filled with Dinosaur egg candy, dinosaur socks, a dinosaur pencil, dinosaur fun fact cards, a stuffed dino and a dinosaur picture frame. I tied it all up in ivory tulle and a gorgeous green bow. It was eye-catching on my book table, and it caused people to stop by my table to enter the drawing. Again, once I was able to get them to my book table, I almost always made a sale.
Remember, your enthusiasm about your book is contagious!


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Let Curiosity Guide You by Nancy Churnin

11/17/2020

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The 1848 engraving of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert royal decorating a tree, a tradition started at Windsor Castle by Queen Victoria's grandmother, Queen Charlotte HULTON ARCHIVEGETTY IMAGES
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When you write a picture book biography, usually you start by studying a person’s life and looking for a theme that that captures the person’s essence. But not always. Sometimes, I start with an object or something that fascinates me – and search for the person that brought it to be.
 
That is the curious case of The Queen and the First Christmas Tree, Queen Charlotte’s Gift to England (illustrated by Luisa Uribe, published by Albert Whitman & Company).
 
I never set out to write about the wife of King George III, the British king during the American Revolution, who has become infinitely more famous after his featured role in Hamilton. Honestly, I didn’t even know King George was married, much less that he and his wife had 15 children together.  But I was curious about the origin of the Christmas tree. How and when did that become a tradition?
 
Research led me to the story of this kind queen who dragged an entire tree into Windsor Castle and decorated it with lit candles, fruits, nuts and colored papers to delight a party of 100 children on Christmas in 1800, creating what would be an annual tradition that continues to this day.
 
Why did she do this? Working backwards from that event, I learned how she had grown up in Germany as a princess who cared about plants and children rather than fancy balls and jewels. When she married King George, the fancy ladies of the court made fun of her accent and her humble clothes that were not as fancy as theirs. She let her mother-in-law take charge of entertaining royal guests.
 
Instead, Queen Charlotte cared for children at court, patronized a hospital for mothers giving birth, expanded Kew Gardens, encouraged the arts – including young Mozart who named a composition for her, took a stand against slavery by boycotting sugar that grown by slaves on plantations, and became the first royal, along with her husband, to make charitable giving part of royal duties.
 
The only reason Queen Charlotte was not more famous for the Christmas tree is that it was not until there was a picture of her granddaughter, Queen Victoria, carrying on her grandmother’s tradition of the tree in a British and later American magazine, that her idea became more widely known. After that and ever since, Christmas trees have been lighting up the world.
 
They say books don’t grow on trees. But this one actually did.
 
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Can Nonfiction Be Funny? by Linda Skeers

11/10/2020

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​Many people are surprised to learn that I love writing nonfiction. A frequent comment is, “But you aren’t a serious person!”
 
Yes, writing nonfiction is serious business… but it can also be funny! Here are five tips (and mentor texts) to keep in mind if you want to add a touch of humor to your nonfiction.

​Choose a fun narrator.
Instead of just presenting information in the typical manner, let your subject take over and share their own story!
One Proud Penny – Randy Siegel
PENNY proudly explains how it’s made and offers lots of fun details about money – in his own voice.
 
Gross is good.
Dig deep for the most fascinating, gross, unusual, weird and amazing facts. Your readers will thank you for it!
Ick! Yuck! Eew! Our Gross American History – Lois Miner Huey
This book contains lots of fun historical facts and doesn’t shy away from the gross stuff!
 
Add a fun sidebar.
Even if your subject is fairly serious, if you do find a fun fact or light-hearted example, put it in a side bar. This can be a breath of fresh air or some comic relief.
Hot Diggity Dog:  The History of the Hot Dog – Adrienne Sylver
Its sidebars are full of extra facts and anecdotes relating to the humble hot dog. Really stretch and think outside the box to come up with tidbits that will surprise and delight readers.
 
New angle or twist.
Look for a unique way to present your information. Turn your topic upside down and inside out and shake it all about! Love geography? Want to introduce readers to the Arctic? Instead of presenting facts and figures, make the reader feel as if they are there.
You Wouldn’t Want to Be…A Polar Explorer – Jen Green
This series focuses on the nasty and negative aspects of jobs, lifestyles, and places throughout history. Written in second person, it helps the reader get up close and personal with the subject.
 
Language, puns, inside jokes.
Use words and phrases that match your topic. And remember that kids LOVE puns and fun word-play!
I Fly: The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are – Bridget Heos
Get it? BUZZ? Cracks me up every time!
 
No matter how serious you are, or how serious your subject is, a touch of humor can coax a smile, and maybe a giggle out of your reader. Go forth and be funny!

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Don’t Hate the Messenger

11/3/2020

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By Susan Kralovansky

One tough but necessary part of the writing process is receiving feedback. Unless you are a genius or an idiot, as my high school English teacher used to say, you can’t do your writing in a vacuum. It takes a village to produce print- worthy work, and your critique group is there to help.

You hope your manuscript will be universally loved. You want to hear, “This is perfect! Absolutely perfect!” but that’s not reality. Nearly every critique partner, editor, or agent will have an opinion on your work. Don’t get angry over the feedback given. Accept those nuggets you believe are valid and use those as a plan for revisions.

On the other hand, it’s not always easy to give feedback. The critiquer’s job is to be both helpful and honest. If you see a problem, say so, but be specific on why you find it awkward.
I
A great technique for constructive criticism is called the "sandwich method", in which you sandwich the criticism between two positive comments. Instead of saying "You did a lousy job writing this biography," using the sandwich method, you say "You did a great job on the introduction. The section on her childhood seemed to drag. With a bit more work, I'm sure you can tighten up that segment."
​
Remember: Critiquing makes you a better writer. And, being open to criticism also makes you a better writer. 

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