Writers...writers everywhere
Good morning friend,
Last week I was at Indigo Signal Hill for another book signing. My table placement was only slightly better than my last visit to this store. This time, however, I decided to be a bit more aggressive. If someone was within six feet of me and even glanced my way, I waved them over.
“Come on over and let me tell you about my book!”
At one point that afternoon, I gathered book shoppers to my table like it was story time. I gave them my pitch and some bought books. I spied a couple of young ladies doing the looking-but-not-looking thing and made them laugh when I said it was safe to come over. I gave them my pitch and they both bought books. I corralled a woman who seemed hesitant, but she took my book, reluctantly. I knew she was just being polite and was going to dump that book somewhere else in the store. I saw her slink out empty handed. I managed to sell seven books that day. Not great, but respectable.
Midway through the day, a man approached the table and asked me if this was my book.
“It is,” I answered, “can I tell you about it?”
He nodded. “Sure, but I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about writing and publishing.”
I skipped my pitch and invited him to ask away. He has written a book, he told me, and was wondering what the next steps should be. I asked some questions about what kind of book it was (cookbook), what he’s done so far (many edits, photography), and whether he wants to self-publish or go the traditional route.
“See, that’s the thing,” he said, “I don’t know what to do.”
I talked to him for about ten minutes, outlining the options, the steps to take for each, what he can expect, what the barriers might be, and where the opportunities lie.
After he thanked me and took my card (with an open invitation to reach out to me with any additional questions, which he did), it occurred to me that over the years, I have developed a pitch for this conversation, just as I have for selling my books.
I’ve met so many writers who are in the thick of it, with manuscripts completed, or on their way, or who are obsessed with writing their stories. At every book signing or market, I encounter more of my kind.
Last Tuesday at the Stephen Avenue market in downtown Calgary, I met a woman who has written a book about her immigrant experience and had no idea how to proceed. I asked her the same questions I asked the cookbook writer. We had a conversation, she took my card, and I gave her a place to start on the next part of her journey. Later that afternoon, a gentleman stopped when he saw our Local Authors banner. He, too, is a local author, he told us. He’d written a travel book, self-published 10 years ago, when the self-publishing world was vastly more complicated and much less accessible.
Since I published my first book in 2017, self-publishing has become easier to navigate—once you know where to start. It’s exactly this accessibility that has opened the doors for so many writers to pursue their dream of seeing their book in print.
Writers are everywhere. I can promise you thre is one in your circle (excluding me). Ask around, and you'll discover a writer in your midst. Prove me wrong.
I love meeting fellow writers in the wild, swapping stories, and helping them figure out next steps. It reminds me that I am not alone on this journey after all.
XO Dana
P.S. I was thrilled to watch this video from a reader I met at a book signing last month. I save videos like these to watch when sales are tanking and I’m not feeling so accomplished. Thank you, Tyler, for the mind-blowing comparison to Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
What I’m watching
I’m not exactly the quickest to jump on board when everyone starts watching something. I didn’t start watching Breaking Bad until the show was long over. I started Game of Thrones when season 3 came out. Same with Bridgerton. I think I’m like this because of Heroes, a series that ran on NBC from 2006-2010. Season 4 ended on a cliffhanger and then was cancelled, and I guess I haven’t fully recovered from that. Once burned, twice shy.
I was reluctant to invest my time in Shrinking (Apple TV+), even though I had seen a lot of chatter about it online. Once I heard season 2 was going to be released, I eased into watching. I didn’t love episode one, but by the end of episode 2, I was hooked. I barrelled through and am now onto season 2. It’s giving me all the Ted Lasso vibes—great writing, fantastic ensemble cast, engaging storylines—and I just feel good after watching an episode or two. Highly recommend.
I agree there are writers everywhere. That’s why I decided to teach memoir workshops. So great that you can guide authors on publishing paths.