3 ms·

Book tours are still a thing. minus the money. Although maybe the big authors like King, Martin, Gaiman, Rowling, Sanderson, get something out of it.

• ghaff 3y ago
  I'm not sure how common book tours are. I've done some book signings at events where I've nudged the event organizers into buying some books and giving me a table to sign them at some scheduled time. (Pro tip: It helps to have someone high up in the event hosting organization quoted in the book :-)) But my impression is that publishers are pretty selective at sending authors around the country on a book tour these days. Obviously big time (or even big time genre) authors can often book pretty nice speaking gigs if they like.
  • cstross 3y ago
    Publishers are very selective about sending authors on tours, because (except for the very biggest names) tours don't make money and cost quite a lot to organize -- they're loss-leaders designed to generate enthusiasm among booksellers (independent bookstores generate disproportionately more sales than you might expect given their usually-small size, and an enthusiastic local seller who feels a sense of amity towards an author can over a period of years produce thousands of additional sales). I got sent on a couple of book tours when my career was spiking, over a decade ago. Grueling, and no very visible short term impact on sales ... and that's with free ticketing (the events were to generate publicity, not revenue). Many authors are middle-aged introverts and don't really thrive under such conditions -- myself included.
    • ghaff 3y ago
      I'd probably actually like it personally but my books are just trade press computer stuff and I doubt I'll do something through a publisher again. Not because of any particularly bad experience but it basically happened because of who I was sitting next to at some event dinner and I'd just as soon not make any material money on my own terms :-) I think my favorite short/novella/novelette(?) of yours is A Colder War. But lots of great work!