Confessions of a First-Time Book Signer

By David Griffin Brown

I did my first book signing at Chapters Indigo in Mayfair Mall, Victoria. It was a good experience—humbling, useful, and full of small lessons.

The store manager recommended that I stand the whole time, which I did (despite having run 10 km that morning). I smiled, made eye contact, and chatted with anyone brave enough to approach me. I sold four books, though two went to friends. A man from Toronto said he’d look me up when he got home. So not the sales event of the century. The weather didn’t help—the day was warm and sunny, and this is after a long, cold start to our summer. Most people were at the beach.

A fellow author and Darling Axe client has been doing these signings all over the Island and Lower Mainland. She averages 10–20 book sales per event. She also shows up with a fancy six-foot banner, something I had tried to prepare but couldn’t get printed in time. I improvised with tabloid-size poster stands. It helped, but I saw the difference a big banner could make.

I left with plenty to think about.

Big Chains vs Indie Bookstores

Big-box stores like Indigo (Canada), Barnes & Noble (US), and Waterstones (UK) are tempting targets. They have foot traffic, name recognition, and space. But getting in means asking the right person, staying polite, and often, supplying your own stock if you’re indie. Indigo took 45% of each sale at my event—a fair deal for the exposure.

Indie bookstores offer something different. The setting is more intimate. There’s often an option to turn a signing into a talk or reading, which can make it feel more like an event than just a table. But the reality for most authors—especially if you’re not known locally and don’t have friends or family in the area—is that you might be sitting in an empty room. You have to make sure people will show up. Authors often do better at indies by treating the night as a gathering for the local reading community, not just as a sales pitch. But you may need to hustle to get people in the door.

Festivals and Book Fairs

Literary festivals and book fairs can be chaotic, fun, and unpredictable. You might have a table in a crowded hall or be invited onto a panel. Panel appearances bring more visibility. Tabling alone can be rough, especially for unknown authors, but veterans recommend standing, smiling, and having a hook ready.

Volunteering to staff a sales table is one way to ease the pressure. When you help run a table—rather than going solo—you can display your books alongside others, so you’re not carrying all the weight. Another effective approach: team up with other authors in your genre for a joint event. This can help boost attendance, since each writer brings their own crowd.

Are Book Signings Worth It?

In cold numbers? Sometimes no. Many authors sell fewer than five books at a signing—not enough to cover the cost of a fancy standup banner. But the value isn’t just in sales.
Signings can create local buzz, forge relationships with booksellers, and give you a chance to meet readers face-to-face. Those readers may leave reviews, recommend you to friends, or come back for your next release.

You also learn: How to pitch. How to connect. How to hold your ground on a long day. It’s good practice.

Best Practices

I had a look around on some author blogs and marketing websites to see what others had to say. How could I improve for my next signing. Here are some of the top tips:

• Stand up: You’re more approachable, more visible.
• Have a big banner: It gives you more legitimacy, and shy shoppers can assess your visual hook from across the room.
• Bring freebies: Bookmarks, candy, postcards, stickers. People love free stuff.
• Ask questions: Instead of just smiling and saying hi, try: What are you reading right now? Do you like crime fiction? Open a door.
• Build a mailing list: Offer a giveaway or signed book draw in exchange for emails.
• Be gracious: Thank the staff, thank the people who stop, even if they don’t buy.

What I’ll Do Differently Next Time

Despite only selling two books at my first signing, I’m eager to give it another shot. I smiled a lot, made eye contact, and had good conversations. But I see now where I can push further. Next time, I’ll say hello to everyone who walks past, not just the ones who seem interested. I’ll lead with small questions—what are you reading right now? or do you like science fiction? I’ll bring candy or a little giveaway, maybe a cool bookmark. I’ll run a book draw to gather email signups.

And yes, I’m going to get that big, bold banner.

Every signing is one step forward—practice for the next connection.

David Griffin Brown is an award-winning short fiction writer and co-author of Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytelling and Story Skeleton: The Classics. His debut novel, When the Sky Breaks, was released in 2025. He holds a BA in anthropology from UVic and an MFA in creative writing from UBC, and his writing has been published in literary magazines such as the Malahat Review and Grain. In 2022, he was the recipient of a New Artist grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. David founded Darling Axe Editing in 2018, and as part of his Book Broker interview series, he has compiled querying advice from over 100 literary agents. He lives in Victoria, Canada, on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.