The benefit of making a book available in paperback (instead of e-book only) is the ability to ‘hand sell’ copies i.e. sell direct to the reader.  Since the publication of Bedsit Three I’ve been taking my first steps in this direction. As well as selling to friends, family and acquaintances, I’ve done two small-scale book-signings linked with local charity events and last week I practised my ‘author speech’ for an audience of 6 writers (who all bought a book).

It’s hardly the big time but I can now celebrate emptying my first box of 50 paperbacks and starting on the second. There are a couple of events lined up for March – and it feels good not to depend on Amazon for all my sales!

I’ve learned a few things along the way too:

• Get a foot in the door at charity events by offering to make a donation for each sale
• Don’t be surprised if people proudly proclaim, “I never read books”
• People will buy books for odd reasons – I made one sale to a lady who wanted it because we share a surname and another to a lady whose daughter’s married name is Sally Jenkins
• Decide beforehand what dedication you will write in the books – will it just be ‘Best wishes’ or something else?
• Take a pen that writes smoothly
• Take a float of change
• Don’t be disheartened if you only sell a few books. Keep that smile on your face and be pleasant – every event is a networking activity too and you never know where it might lead.

It’s important to make the most of all sales channels but in my opinion selling by hand is far more pleasant than dreaming up clever things to put on social media.

What does anyone else think?