Well...
I spent Friday driving up early to visit the olde stomping grounds of the University of Florida campus, coping with some traffic issues once I got to Archer Rd. - that never changes - and then spending time at the Library West building to get some online writing done.
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| At the College of Journalism (Weimer Hall) I don't think they're repainted the place since 1992... |
I mostly waited out until my hotel allowed for check-ins (3:00pm) at which point I checked in, tried to get refreshed, and found out I had forgot to pack my dopp kit (!) so I needed to rush out to the store for a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and a comb. /sigh I always forget something...
That evening was an authors' mixer party at the resort conference hall, so I attended to see where the place was - making sure I won't get lost on Saturday - and where the room will be.
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| Hey! They spelled my name right! There IS a god... |
Even then, it was a bit of an adventure getting there Saturday morning anyway - making sure I had packed everything from the hotel room - and dealing with the table setup.
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| There. More presentable. I got a desktop bookshelf so to not block the table. The taller bookrack I own is too wide for the space they provided. |
My short story collection Funny Locations was the main draw, but I also displayed the other anthologies - the Strangely Funny set - in order to provide some purchasing options for any curious readers. We were hoping for a good turnout.
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| Might as well show off one of the awards I have from RPLA! |
So the day was set, the books on display, the author prepped for audiences...
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| I wear a Batman shirt, often with a blue button shirt over it. Hey, some authors showed up as pirates and gypsies and Abe Lincoln... |
...and got no buyers.
Oh, I handed out bookmarks and rack cards promoting my works, but... nobody wanted to buy one of my books.
The guy to my right sold seven copies of his book (he did confess four of them were friends who drove up from Orlando). The guy to my left sold four. (the woman right next to me didn't do much engagement and she left halfway through due to not feeling well)
I thought I talked about this often to my friends and colleagues, asking directly or dropping hints to see if they or their friends in the area could stop by to the event. I know I didn't have the most eye-catching table display - and I couldn't use my standing banner as there wasn't room - but still I hoped at least one person would be in the mood for humorous works.
/sigh
It's times like that where I question if I should even do any of these authors events. I've maybe sold one copy of a book at each event most times, with only one visit to the Clermont comic-con a few years ago where I exceeded expectations with eight sales.
Marketing is a big step in being a self-published author, and I admit I am not good at it. At all.
What should I do? Seriously.
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