The Reading Was a Huge Success (or so people tell me), but Nobody Bought Books!
We had champagne, iced in old metal milk buckets, tall wildflowers, cherries and truffles. Jane Satterfield and I read our poems in the living room of the Virginia Center. I performed my poems by heart, and tried to engage the audience. The response was very strong and positive. People were surprised by the performance aspect of my work. But no one bought books! My fault for not saying, "We have books for sale after the reading." I took it for granted that people would know we had books, and would buy. Or is it the economy? Still, I've learned my lesson. Next time I'll remind people that books are for sale, and that signed books are great gifts. Cheers, Marilyn
Keywords:
"Eternity is in love with the productions of time."”
—William Blake
About Marilyn
Marilyn Kallet was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and grew up in New York. She is the author of 16 books, including The Love That Moves Me (poetry); Packing Light: New and Selected Poems, Black Widow Press; Circe, After Hours, poetry from BkMk Press; The...
Connections
Causes Marilyn Kallet Supports
Southern Poverty Law Center, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, ACLU, Amnesty International, Save Darfur.
you never know . . .
. . . when a reader gained at a reading will order a book after the fact. I've often gotten caught at a reading without (enough) cash, thinking I could purchase a book by credit card (or, frankly, not having planned to spend money on a book that I decided mid-reading I simply had to have). If the books were on display, if your name and or your book title were given in writing or repeated enough for them to stick with people, the sales may very well come later.
Congrats on a successful event! I wish I could memorize my poems with enough confidence to take the mic without books and papers...
Thanks for your heartening reply!
Evie, I take your words to heart. You're right, you're hopeful, and I appreciate your thoughts.
You can of course memorize your work. It just takes time. I practice in the car, on long trips--Cheers kiddo, rock on! Marilyn
Perhaps we need to redefine
Perhaps we need to redefine success. :)
eric
You're right, you're right.
It's hard though, not to feel a little rejected if no one buys a book.Your words in mind, I'll let it go and try to learn from the experience.Cheers, all best, Marilyn
My experience
I've done book signings for the last two months for my Art of War book, and I can tell you that success is simply showing up. If they don't buy it now, they'll kick themselves later for not getting it and come back to pick it up.
Only twice did I sell all my books. My worst showing was selling just four books. So it depends on the PR and the people who happen to notice your book. There are readers who get so excited that they can't wait to grab it out of your hands! There are some who talk you to death (like the religious fanatics) without ever wanting to buy your book. Of course if you're a celebrity (like Jimmy Carter), you just show up and the lines form (I know because I was first in line for one of his book signings).
book buying
This is a subject that deserves a lot of ink here at RR.
Having self-published a motorycle book, and had a book published by a leading academic house, I can say that there are a lot of complex factors at work. There are differences of mentality among reading groups. Among bikers, I have sold books to people who are eager and literally can not wait to press the cash into your hand. I often sell multiple copies of my motorcycle book at 50 dollars a copy to guys who want one to read, one to save, and one to loan out, and one for a riding buddy. The poetry world is different. Buying a book is always part of a status game, only this dynamic is really amped up in poetry, or academic publishing. I don't pretend to have it all figured out but its worth talking openly about and if we are talking about a reading at a colony or program, I think everybody should take 100 dollars ear marked for buying books as a given.
I love your idea of setting aside the cash for books.
Lovely idea!
Maybe I should write poems for bikers?
I'm so happy to meet you here on Red Room--and you are neighbor in Louisville! Thanks, mk
You're Right About the PR
I actually hired a PR person to help with my next book, PACKING LIGHT. We'll see if that helps! I'll let you know. Poetry is poetry and will never be a money-maker. We know that! Unless you'reGarrison Keillor maybe? MK
Nobody bought the books
I was there and Marilyne's reading was enthralling. I sat there and thought about a one woman show, about how engaging this was with no special effects, nothing but a woman and her voice and her words and it gripped the heart like nothing else. Can we be hungry for rawness, just this, just a woman standing up and speaking her soul in just such a way that makes us feel our human connectedness? I think I left in somewhat of a daze and drunkened more by the poetry than the champagne. I didn't know about the books.
I'll Save Your Words
I'm so glad you were there! And I'm heartened by your response.Will keep your words close at hand.
Thanks and love, Marilyn
books for sale
I didn't know! As I momentarily released my self from my own passion, from the feeding and nurturing and planning and the routine business of making it all come together in some type of recognizable harmony ... it never occurred to me that there would be works for sale! Do you have The Movable Nest?
I'll Save Your Words
Of course you would be absorbed, having worked so hard to make the evening come together. Yours is the invisible poetry behind the scenes, in the garden, in the kitchen. You feed our bodies and souls. You set up all those antique ice buckets for champagne! You're an artist every day, with our food.
I'm deeply thankful, and now, for this--your gracious comment and question about the book. I do have a copy of THE MOVABLE NEST set aside for you. Thanks for asking! Warmly, Marilyn
nobody bought books
A belated thanks, Marilyn, for sharing your good energy & art!
I'm heartened by the presence of sites like Red Room. Who hasn't given readings & been saddened to see the audience leave without books in hand? I've been delightfully surprised to discover, though, that people often follow-up on-line and find their way to books after all!
Cheers, Jane
Red Room Rocks, and So Does Jane S
Thanks, dear poet, newfound friend and source of great work.
It's true that readers do find us. Patience! And Red Room helps create a more intelligent and caring web of authors and readers.
Rock on, Marilyn