Don’t get me wrong – publishers still do a lot, especially for established authors. But most new authors will get little help (or marketing budget) from their publisher. You can learn a LOT about promotion from the Web, and there are a lot of sites that can help you.

What they cannot help with, however, is the gumption it takes to meet the public, to sit behind a table or stand behind a podium and greet the folks coming to see you. Or walking by you.

Or ignoring you.

That one is hard – not as hard as the folks who challenge what you say in a speech or a class, or the ones who want to know why YOU’VE been published and they haven’t. But it’s still not easy to smile and nod as they walk on to another author’s books.

Yet there are other pluses to such group signings.

At the RWA Literacy signing in San Francisco, I was one of more than 400 authors signing. Still, I managed to sell 4 or 5 books (that’s about 1 per hour), and met two great folks, Jess Riley and Narelle Atkins (who may find herself being asked to play tour guide if I ever make it to Australia!).

Also in July, I participated in a round-table discussion about professional organizations at the Franklin, Tennessee, Barnes & Noble. Rae Ann Parker, who was part of the conversation, did a great job describing that evening.

September was quiet, but then I was off to New Jersey for the NJRW’s Put Your Heart in a Book conference. Another large group signing there resulted in only a few books sold, but I got to meet Maya Rodale, which was a huge pleasure. I’ve been reading her The Heir and the Spare, a delicious regency. My session on secondary characters was also taped (my first!) and I’ll be ordering a copy for me – and to use in promotion.

In November, I had the group signing with the Music City Romance Writers at Sherlock’s Books in Lebanon, TN, where I got to meet Jennifer Ray of the Wild on Books review site, and had a great chat with Annie Solomon. Jennifer also did a great job of covering the signing, which included 11 authors, headlined by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Even more fun can be seen at Jody Wallace’s report on the signing, which included lunch and a lot of pampering. Sherlock’s LOVES local authors and hosts signings almost every weekend.

Next comes December, and in addition to having five proposals out (plus one contest entry), I’m going to be at two signings – another one with the MCRW December 6 (in Jackson) and one at the Barnes & Noble in Hendersonville, TN with the Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, most of whom are members of the American Christian Fiction Writers. (Check the MTCW site for a flyer on the event.)

Notice how many groups and bookstores are in this post? How many links? That’s a hint. If you’re a new author, get involved. Word of mouth moves faster, and promotional opportunities come more often and with less effort, when you’re networking. Groups are vital – and so are bookstores.

It doesn’t take a lot of time, and it’s well worth the outcome. One book per hour is only the beginning