Advice to a Self-Published Friend

So I have this friend (no, really....) Anyway, she e-mailed m on Facebook the other day asking for some advice. She's got a self-published poetry book and she wanted to know how to get people to buy it. What can she do?

Hmmmm.

I probably shouldn't have, but I ended up telling her the truth: I'm sorry. Not much.

Poetry is a tough sell even when it's published by a New York publishing house to rave reviews in the New Yorker. Heck, fiction books are a tough sells.... and publishers aren't always even sure themselves what sells a book (or an author, as it were.)

She'd asked about ideas for getting into those big box stores for signings, and I told her (again, I probably shouldn't have,) that signings don't actually sell tons of books. A good signing for me? About a dozen books. Big box stores aren't always even receptive to getting that cold call from someone like me, who is local and big press published -- unless I can guarantee them an audience. When I used to try to get into box stores, I'd always do a little research first, ie. "I see you have a science fiction book club and...." It's hard, discouraging work. And, even if you do land a signing gig at the big box stores it's still pretty likely you'll be sitting with crickets.

Plus, most big box stores won't even look twice at a self-published author.

The exception is the smaller, independently owned bookstores. I've had a lot better luck at places like Uncle Hugos, Dreamhaven or True Colors. But in each of those cases, I have a personal relationship with the owners and, particularly with Don at Uncles, I do my damnest to make sure everyone I've ever known gets an invitation to the signing. I can usually sell twenty or thirty books at Uncles, but I also no longer do more than one or two signings per debut... so people know they have to come to one of these if they want to get a personally signed book.

But, I'm not sure any of those would really entertain the idea of a self-published author signing. Small press, yes. Self? I don't know.

I suggested a "house party/signing." Something she could host herself and invite friends. But, she admited... she's already tapped all her friends, and most of them aren't biting either.

Hmmmmm.

This is the problem, I told her. It's a tough business even when you have all the advantages of a big publisher at your back. It kind of sucks when you've got the handicap of self-publishing to overcome.

All I could really say was: Good luck!