Hand selling your independent novels: meeting readers and making sales

For independent authors, meeting readers face-to-face is often the best way to sell books—especially before you gain widespread recognition. While online marketing is essential, there’s no substitute for personal interactions. Readers are more likely to buy a book when they meet the author, hear about the story firsthand, and form a connection. Here’s how to maximize your success with hand selling your books at events.

To get started with hand selling, look for local events where you can set up a table and interact with potential readers. Consider:

• Independent bookstores: Many indie bookstores are open to hosting book signings, particularly for local authors. Reach out to them and propose an event.
• Vendor markets: Local craft fairs, farmers’ markets, and artisan markets often welcome authors, and they typically have little to no competition from other book sellers.
• Book festivals: While these can be competitive for sales, they’re excellent for networking with other authors and meeting industry professionals.
• Genre conventions: If your book fits within a niche genre, consider selling at conventions related to that genre. For example, fantasy novels do well at comic conventions, and horror books can thrive at horror-themed expos.

Maximizing sales at vendor markets

From personal experience, I have found vendor markets to be one of the most successful places to sell books. At these events, I’ve often been the only bookseller or one of just a few authors, which makes my table stand out. Unlike book festivals, where readers have many authors to choose from, vendor markets allow you to capture the interest of attendees who may not have planned to buy a book but are intrigued by your presence.

A great way to increase sales is to sell additional items related to your books. Consider:

• Bookmarks, stickers, or art prints featuring your book’s theme.
• Small merchandise like tote bags or mugs with quotes from your work.
• Bundling books together at a slight discount.

Selling at conventions and book festivals

Book festivals can be tougher for direct sales because of the competition, but they’re valuable for networking. Depending on the festival’s size, you might meet other authors, industry professionals, and even agents. Use these opportunities to build relationships that could benefit your writing career long-term.

Conventions related to your book’s genre can also be great sales opportunities. If you participate in one, try to sign up for a presentation or author panel. Speaking at an event allows readers to connect with you before they even visit your table, making them more likely to buy your book afterward.

Hand selling is one of the best ways to introduce readers to your books, especially in the early stages of your career. By finding the right events, creating an engaging display, and interacting with potential readers, you can grow your audience and increase book sales. Whether at vendor markets, bookstores, or conventions, making that personal connection with readers is a powerful tool for success.

Want to learn more about the steps of the novel writing process? Start at the beginning of this series HERE.

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Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.