The reason for that is that, usually, in a school I'm talking to a group of kids who have, as a matter of course, no money. But this summer's classes are at libraries and art centres, which means their parents are with them, sat quietly at the back of the room (something I'm getting quite good at being insistent upon). So, starting back at the Clevedon Lit Fest in June, I set up my display at the back of the room, whipped out the iZettle, and sold signed books. As you'll recall, I did rather well. So I took a couple of boxes of books with me on this three day trip to see how I'd fare.
Beverley Library, or rather Treasure House, hosted a couple of splendid sold-out classes who produced the above pair of smashing comics. More significantly, for my mercenary experiment, the parents were forthcoming when it came to buying signed copies of my books afterwards. £48 worth of books in fact, which is not bad at all.
Cockerton Library, near Darlington, was a return visit following a success last summer, and another pair of sellout classes. Interestingly there is no photocopier at this library, so the attendees had to settle for a copy of the front cover, and their caricatures. They seemed happy. As did I when, by the end of the two sessions, the parents had bought £123 worth of books. This left me very nearly out of stock.
£123 worth of books sold in a day (in two little ten minute bursts after my classes) compares most favourably to Macc Pow, where a whole day behind a table netted only £80; Braintree where one class gave me sales of £75; and Clevedon Lit Fest where a morning behind the table + sales after one class took £145. All this, remember, on top of the class itself, for which I get paid.
The Cresset in Peterborough saw two more sellout classes, but a but of a double-edged sword as far as book sales were concerned. In that, because of the unexpected success of the previous day, I had hardly any books left to sell. So, after the morning class, I sold £33 worth and then, tragically, ran out of stock. This meant the afternoon class had to settle for me telling them to scan my QR code and order the books from my website - which, we know from past experience, no-one ever does. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and this is demonstrated nowhere more clearly than in a situation like this. When the kids and parents have just sat through two hours of my classes, they are ready to buy my books, especially when I can sign them in front of them and hand them to them. But after the event, the whole notion goes cold.
On the strength of these three days, I have just booked an extra bag to go in the hold for my week of classes in Northern Ireland, in order that I might try selling books at those classes. What are the chances this was a flash in the pan and I'm about to waste good money?
The celebrities these 6 groups chose to appear in my demonstration strip were Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Mr Beast, Declan Donnelly, David Walliams and Rick Astley.
My Books and where to get them:
Findlay Macbeth - Amazon - Etsy
Prince Of Denmark Street - Amazon - Etsy
Midsummer Nights Dream Team - Amazon - Etsy
Prince Of Denmark Street - Amazon - Etsy
Midsummer Nights Dream Team - Amazon - Etsy
Shakespeare Omnibus Collection (all 3 books) - Amazon
Richard The Third - Pre-order on Amazon
Captain Clevedon - Amazon
NB: Etsy editions are signed and posted by me, and generally cheaper
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