Tag Archive for: advice

W. C. Fields Was Right

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by Shari Randall

Last weekend, I attended my first writers’ festival – the Local
Authors Fair at the New London (CT) Public Library. To clarify, I attended for
the first time as an author. I met lots of great folks, fellow authors, and
dedicated librarians. And I learned the secret to sales at writers’ events:
Adorable dogs and cookies.
It’s been a month of firsts – my first novel, my first book
signing, my first blog interviews. In each, I’ve had fun, but I know I’ve made
rookie mistakes. For example, at the authors’ festival appearance I showed up
with books. Just books. No cookies. No candy. No dog.
Bottom line? I sold two books. The author with the adorable
dog? She had a constant line of buyers!
Don’t let this happen to you.
If you haven’t written an uplifting story of a dog that
beats the odds, or don’t have an adorable dog to accompany you to events, here
are some out of the box ideas for selling books at signings and fairs from my
favorite writers, the Sisters in Crime of the Chesapeake Chapter.
Sherry Harris swears by a basket of chocolates to “lure
people in. Even though that sounds creepy.”
Barb Goffman suggested that authors offer to take off an
article of clothing for every book sold.
Maya Corrigan warned that this might work best only during
the warmer months. Libby Klein disagreed, saying that this strategy might work
better if the author offered to put on an article of clothing for every book
sold.
Donna Andrews suggested that you have stuffed animals do the
talking. During one Barnes and Noble group book signing, where customers either avoided
making eye contact or asked the authors where to find the bathroom, Donna liberated some stuffed reptiles from the
children’s department and used them to entice, er sorry, entisssse, customers
to visit the authorssss. The result? The rest of the signing was a resounding
successssss.
Other advice? Grace Topping said don’t sit down – remaining
standing is more welcoming.
Alan Orloff said something about offering to wrestle an alligator, but
then, that’s Alan Orloff.

Do you have any advice for author events?

Shari Randall is the author of CURSES, BOILED AGAIN, the
first of the new Lobster Shack Mystery series from St. Martin’s Press. At her
next signing, she’ll be the one standing at the signing table with a basket of
chocolates, fully clothed, thank you very much.

Sponge Bob Writer Pants

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by Bethany Maines

I recently read an article that suggested writers try to
visualize their stories through sculpture working with cardboard, string, glue
and party hats. I’m sure the point of the advice was to visualize your story in
a new way. Whether it was through bubble charts or sculpture, the idea was to
shake up how writers were thinking about their work.  A worthy goal and sound advice. And on one hand, I think
that anything that gets a writer to more fully visualize their story is great.
On the other hand, it seemed like the kind of advice that would only be given
by someone who knows nothing about sculpture. I’m sure there are artists that
can create striking sculptures from a toilet paper roll, a sponge, and a party
hat, but I can practically guarantee that your average mystery writer is not
that artist.
Which, I suppose, is the best part about advice: we’re not
obligated to take any of it. And sometimes ignoring advice is fine.  My mother advised me not to paint my bedroom wall red.  I advised her not to put that weird
wallpaper in the bathroom. Neither us took the advice and we’re all happy with
the way things turned out. The bathroom still looks good and she painted over
the red wall the second I moved out. Sometimes ignoring advice is not fine. Oil
and waterbased paints do not mix. Putting an entire vacation on my credit card
and quitting my job was not a sound financial decision. 
But in fiction advice is placed on a higher plain. I don’t
know how many times I’ve read a book or seen a movie where the hero is offered
a sage bit of advice and then promptly ignores it. “The old peddler
specifically said not to do that! 
Are you an idiot? Take the advice!” I want to yell at the pages. In
fiction, not taking advice is like a giant billboard reading: Bad Things Are
About to Happen. In real life, the advice comes from friends, relatives,
“experts,” and articles, and, sadly, there aren’t as many giant sign-posts
about which advice is the best. Figuring out which advice is portentous and
which advice you can freely ignore is part of growing up.
What’s the best piece of advice
you’ve ever ignored?
Bethany Maines is the author of
the Carrie Mae Mystery series and Tales from the City of Destiny. You can also view the Carrie Mae youtube
video or catch up with her on Twitter.