Will Kindle only editions make author signings obsolete?

kebuzf · 10-02-2010, 04:21 AM

You know, over time, as more and more author's 'of note' continue to write a novel strictly FOR Kindle (as well as other e-readers) they might still wish to go from store to store and greet the fans. David (First Blood) Morrell for example, recently announced that he would write a Kindle only- book.

But traditionally, the fans would go to the store where the author is, stand in line with the recent copy of the book and ask a brief question or make a short comment, shake the hand........and then, get the book signed.

Now if there is no actual paper copy of the book to sign....what (else) would be the point? (Unless the unique tradition of an author signing a Kindle in permenant magic marker would be created-and then the reader could protect the signature by covering the Kindle in a cover.)

I wonder if anyone else has considered this?
IS that the whole point of a booksigning? Having a signed copy?

I mean, sure there is the picture taking and actually seeing the guy or gal IN PERSON.

But the whole point for both parties is to have that signed copy . Right? But if future editions (and I think this list of Kindle only editions will grow over time) will exist ONLY inside the Kindle....all there would be to do would be greet the writer and maybe get a picture. Unless I'm right and readers wouldn't mind an author signing the Kindle itself.....gee, I wonder if ebay is going to lose money on this?

Sweetpea · 10-02-2010, 11:52 AM

I had one book signed (beside the one that you get signed here). I stood in line, with my reader and a white piece of paper. I later added that signature signature and added it in my book.

astra · 10-03-2010, 08:35 AM

What can I say?
By accident I have one signed book in my possession. Last Argument Of Kings [The First Law #3] by Joe Abercrombie. I used to buy h/b editions only but missed this one on Amazon, so I bought it half a year later on ebay and it had Joe's signature.
I have never been a fan of book signatures, or any other celebrity signatures fan culture in the first place. What is a point?

L.J. Sellers · 10-03-2010, 09:41 AM

I think book signings will become very rare events. In fact, as an author, I believe I did my last one yesterday. I drove over 300 miles, spent $40 on gas, and was gone from home for 8 hours. I sold 20 print books while I was in the store, at a profit of about $20 to me, which I won't see for 9 months. And that's assuming my publisher is still in business and bothers to pay me.

Months ago, I did a book signing here locally at Borders. They were unable to order my books, so they bought copies from me. I'm still waiting for the $350 Borders owe me. They could also declare bankruptcy at any time and I may never see that money either.

I love meeting readers and will continue to attend conferences and other such gatherings, but in keeping with my new vow to focus on e-books, I'm done with book signings. I simply can't afford them.
L.J.

rcuadro · 10-03-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I had one book signed (beside the one that you get signed here). I stood in line, with my reader and a white piece of paper. I later added that signature signature and added it in my book.

I am going to be having them sign the back of my Kindle

Kumabjorn · 10-03-2010, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

I think book signings will become very rare events. In fact, as an author, I believe I did my last one yesterday. I drove over 300 miles, spent $40 on gas, and was gone from home for 8 hours. I sold 20 print books while I was in the store, at a profit of about $20 to me, which I won't see for 9 months. And that's assuming my publisher is still in business and bothers to pay me.

Months ago, I did a book signing here locally at Borders. They were unable to order my books, so they bought copies from me. I'm still waiting for the $350 Borders owe me. They could also declare bankruptcy at any time and I may never see that money either.

I love meeting readers and will continue to attend conferences and other such gatherings, but in keeping with my new vow to focus on e-books, I'm done with book signings. I simply can't afford them.
L.J.

How about a "personal e-mail" when someone buys a book from you directly?

L.J. Sellers · 10-03-2010, 10:26 AM

Kumabjorn, I'm happy to do that. I respond to every reader who contacts me directly. So far, I haven't sold books from my website, but now that I'm done with signings, I intend to set that up so readers can buy signed books from me.
L.J.

Falcao · 10-03-2010, 12:24 PM

What about an ereader that recognizes handwriting? Ebooks then can have a white page reserved to store a signature. Moreover, this white page is read-only, unless activated by the author by means of a password, fingerprint recognition, etc., and get signed.

Too contrived? Just dreamin'

mr ploppy · 10-03-2010, 03:02 PM

I'm sure they could find something else to sign instead. Advertising postcards, gurning photos, posters, etc. Or a special edition ebook on a SD card/CD with a nice printed cover. I won a signed T-shirt in a competition a few months ago. Not sure what to do with it, but it's there in a drawer in case it's ever worth anything.

jaxx6166 · 10-03-2010, 03:44 PM

A while back, one of our MR authors actually did an e-signing.
If you bought the ebook via paypal from the author, he individually signed and numbered a page and uploaded it to the kindle/epub/whatever edition for you. It was a brilliant idea.

graycyn · 10-03-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcuadro

I am going to be having them sign the back of my Kindle

Not that there are any book signings in my small town, but if I ever did have the opportunity, I'd have them sign the back of my Nook! And if that got full, I could always take it off and save it and pop on a new back cover.

jaxx6166 · 10-03-2010, 04:31 PM

I actually got my Alice cover for the nook signed by a few authors when I saw them.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 10-04-2010, 01:08 PM

Considering how increasingly ubiquitous digital cameras and camera-phones are, maybe the signature will be replaced by the personal photo, already a popular offering on tours, at amusement parks, etc. The digital file could be downloaded to your reader or other device and displayed at will.

The author could even (choke!) charge for photos taken by their own professional, and further augmented with photoshopped titles or some such...

bobavey · 10-04-2010, 01:38 PM

It's a changing world, isn't it? I guess I'm old fashioned, but I can't help feeling a deep loss for the disappearance of actual books.

10-02-2010, 04:21 AM	#1
kebuzf Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 530102 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio Device: Kindle	Will Kindle only editions make author signings obsolete? You know, over time, as more and more author's 'of note' continue to write a novel strictly FOR Kindle (as well as other e-readers) they might still wish to go from store to store and greet the fans. David (First Blood) Morrell for example, recently announced that he would write a Kindle only- book. But traditionally, the fans would go to the store where the author is, stand in line with the recent copy of the book and ask a brief question or make a short comment, shake the hand........and then, get the book signed. Now if there is no actual paper copy of the book to sign....what (else) would be the point? (Unless the unique tradition of an author signing a Kindle in permenant magic marker would be created-and then the reader could protect the signature by covering the Kindle in a cover.) I wonder if anyone else has considered this? IS that the whole point of a booksigning? Having a signed copy? I mean, sure there is the picture taking and actually seeing the guy or gal IN PERSON. But the whole point for both parties is to have that signed copy . Right? But if future editions (and I think this list of Kindle only editions will grow over time) will exist ONLY inside the Kindle....all there would be to do would be greet the writer and maybe get a picture. Unless I'm right and readers wouldn't mind an author signing the Kindle itself.....gee, I wonder if ebay is going to lose money on this?

10-03-2010, 03:44 PM	#10
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	A while back, one of our MR authors actually did an e-signing. If you bought the ebook via paypal from the author, he individually signed and numbered a page and uploaded it to the kindle/epub/whatever edition for you. It was a brilliant idea. Last edited by jaxx6166; 10-03-2010 at 03:53 PM.

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10-02-2010, 11:52 AM	#2
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I had one book signed (beside the one that you get signed here). I stood in line, with my reader and a white piece of paper. I later added that signature signature and added it in my book.

10-03-2010, 08:35 AM	#3
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	What can I say? By accident I have one signed book in my possession. Last Argument Of Kings [The First Law #3] by Joe Abercrombie. I used to buy h/b editions only but missed this one on Amazon, so I bought it half a year later on ebay and it had Joe's signature. I have never been a fan of book signatures, or any other celebrity signatures fan culture in the first place. What is a point?

10-03-2010, 09:41 AM	#4
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	I think book signings will become very rare events. In fact, as an author, I believe I did my last one yesterday. I drove over 300 miles, spent $40 on gas, and was gone from home for 8 hours. I sold 20 print books while I was in the store, at a profit of about $20 to me, which I won't see for 9 months. And that's assuming my publisher is still in business and bothers to pay me. Months ago, I did a book signing here locally at Borders. They were unable to order my books, so they bought copies from me. I'm still waiting for the $350 Borders owe me. They could also declare bankruptcy at any time and I may never see that money either. I love meeting readers and will continue to attend conferences and other such gatherings, but in keeping with my new vow to focus on e-books, I'm done with book signings. I simply can't afford them. L.J.

10-03-2010, 10:26 AM	#7
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	Kumabjorn, I'm happy to do that. I respond to every reader who contacts me directly. So far, I haven't sold books from my website, but now that I'm done with signings, I intend to set that up so readers can buy signed books from me. L.J.

10-03-2010, 12:24 PM	#8
Falcao Banned Posts: 1,344 Karma: 1028477047 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Nueva Andalucía Device: Sony PRS 650	What about an ereader that recognizes handwriting? Ebooks then can have a white page reserved to store a signature. Moreover, this white page is read-only, unless activated by the author by means of a password, fingerprint recognition, etc., and get signed. Too contrived? Just dreamin'

10-03-2010, 03:02 PM	#9
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I'm sure they could find something else to sign instead. Advertising postcards, gurning photos, posters, etc. Or a special edition ebook on a SD card/CD with a nice printed cover. I won a signed T-shirt in a competition a few months ago. Not sure what to do with it, but it's there in a drawer in case it's ever worth anything.

10-03-2010, 04:31 PM	#12
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	I actually got my Alice cover for the nook signed by a few authors when I saw them.

10-04-2010, 01:08 PM	#13
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Considering how increasingly ubiquitous digital cameras and camera-phones are, maybe the signature will be replaced by the personal photo, already a popular offering on tours, at amusement parks, etc. The digital file could be downloaded to your reader or other device and displayed at will. The author could even (choke!) charge for photos taken by their own professional, and further augmented with photoshopped titles or some such...

10-04-2010, 01:38 PM	#14
bobavey Bob Avey Posts: 117 Karma: 501082 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Device: none	It's a changing world, isn't it? I guess I'm old fashioned, but I can't help feeling a deep loss for the disappearance of actual books.

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