What do authors write in books at book signings?
I think I’ve only ever had two or three books signed by an author but now I’m an author and people want me to sign their books. What kinds of things do authors write at book signings? Are formulaic expressions like, “to XXXXX, thanks for reading my book” considered a cop out?
EDIT: This is better than I could have imagined. Thank you all.
Best inscription story I’ve been told:
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett are said to sign Good Omens with half of a joke. The one who gets the book first makes up some funny-sounding line, then sends it away with three dots at the end. The one who gets it second is supposed to, on the spot, make up a funny punchline to go with the joke.
That’s the sort of thing that can happen when two geniuses co-author, I guess.
Brandon Sanderson wrote, “May your Seon always be by your side” in my copy of Elantris . It was awesome.
I’ve got a story about that one. As many are mentioning in this thread, it can be daunting when you’re first signing. What do you write? It can get awkward trying to think of something.
I struggled with what to write for months, using generic “Thanks for reading” phrases or the like. And then, someone came along and asked me if I could write that phrase in the book. I stopped, looked at it after writing it, and thought “Wow. That’s perfect.”
From then on, when the mood has struck me, I use that phrase. I usually try to find a few things to write for each book that capture the soul of the novel, and convey good wishes to the reader. And many thanks to that anonymous reader who first suggested the phrase.
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