Comments on: How To Sign An Ebook

By: Zoe Winters

Zoe Winters — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:15:57 +0000

Yeah you lost me on this one. I think the root issue of ALL of the “problems with ebooks” can be summed up in a certain segment of consumer’s fear that what they love will be taken away from them. I don’t think it’s anymore complex than that.

Though we have MP3 for music now and before that we had CD, there are STILL people who buy and collect Vinyl.

So there will ALWAYS be print physical books. And I agree with the people who said the stuff about how a signed ebook is virtually meaningless because it’s a virtual product. The physical book signed from favorite authors is important. It’s personal, like a handwritten letter means so much more than email.

The value of a handwritten letter is even higher now that email is so popular, and my guess is that paradoxically as ebooks become more popular, signed physical copies of books will take on that quality as well, of being even more special.

I expect we’ll see print books for the niche they will be meant for, going back to the high quality print editions that are collectible, where bookmaking will go back to being an art form and I’m excited to see that happen.

By: Kassia Krozser

Kassia Krozser — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:41:00 +0000

I adore the idea of badges/pins for signing attendees (it speaks to my competitive nature). One other idea, and I admit I stole this from last year’s blogger signing at BEA, is the “trading card” approach. I’m not big on signed editions of books either. I do like unique and fun toys that don’t collect a lot of dust. Integrating a game aspect or other fun fillip might be a cool alternative to signing a “book”.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:09:50 +0000

This is a great post with some great comments. I agree with Pablo in that publishers will create books physical books *worthy* of signing,. One question I have though pertains to the comment on ereaders that have touchscreens with stylus. If you have one of these said ereaders, can you get the ebook signed if it is only, as Amazon would like to say, a *license?*

By: Teresa Jusino

Teresa Jusino — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:05:22 +0000

To me, a signed book is more than a collectible. It IS about that one-on-one face time. I never buy signed copies that are pre-signed in stores, because it’s not only about the signature. I’m not looking to sell the book on eBay. And your suggestions of a recording of the reading or an additional, exclusive story are cool – but besides the point as far as what a signing is, at least to me.

Having the chance to interact with your favorite writer one-on-one, even if only for a few brief moments, is an irreplaceable experience, and usually authors don’t seem to be willing to do that unless there’s signing involved, because that encourages people to purchase books. Now, unless booksellers want to sell e-books, then have an event where only people who have bought the ebook from this specific outlet in this specific time window could come and have one-on-one face time with the author, where people will just stand on line and get 2 mins each to have a chat with the author, I don’t think signings will or should go away.

By: Cassie

Cassie — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:03:57 +0000

I’m another one of those who doesn’t particularly care about signed books, and I’m not likely to buy a copy in a bookstore if it just happens to be signed. If I love an author enough to make a special trip out to an event, then the signature isn’t about collect-ability, it’s about having proof (for myself) that I’ve met someone I really admire.

That said, my solution would be to have interchangeable battery panels on an eReader. There’s an interesting design on the back of my Kindle; I’d rather replace that with a blank design that I could have an author sign and personalize. Then I could switch the panels out depending on my mood and what I’m reading on the Kindle, and the rest of the panels would be fairly easy to store safely.

By: tanushri

tanushri — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:37:39 +0000

Just thought I’d throw in another aspect of signing. I have a standard policy of pretty much always gifting people books on birthdays, anniversaries, etc. I love receiving books as gifts myself too. But what I feel makes the gift that much more special is the personalized inscription. That I think is an important part of the book owning experience and I’m fairly certain digital books can only enhance that experience further. Imagine being able to not just inscribe a book but draw a jpeg, upload a photo, maybe even embed a video to it! I think that’s a good example of digital complementing and enhancing a thus far traditional, analog experience rather than just trying to replace it or undermining its importance.

By: Megan

Megan — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:30:34 +0000

Just to back up Stephanie’s comment, I do think the idea of the signed book is devalued in publishing circles (both because we know so many authors personally and mostly live in NYC where celeb-sightings are not normally attended by awkwardly thrust pen and paper), so we shouldn’t really base conclusions about the future of signed books on our personal lack of excitement. I think that for many people who may never get to meet or speak to an author, the signature itself makes it special. Interesting to see if that holds with a e-signature, which in itself won’t necessarily be in limited quanitity.

As many new ways as we have to make signed ebooks unique, technology also makes them a little too reproduceable to be truly special.

Will publishers put a cap on how many e-signatures can be sent or attached per title? Will certain authors choose only to give their e-signature to those they meet in person? Will people start asking for thumbprints or retinal scans at signings to save alongside their book files? A new custom title page inset with a photo of the fan with the author?

By: Tom Thompson

Tom Thompson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:22:59 +0000

Great comments from fellow “I don’t care about signed books but…” people. I would only add that virtual goods and prizes have surprising relevance (as surprising to me as the signed book) in online communities/games. So there’s no reason you shouldn’t get an unlocked foursquare / gowalla / yelp goodie for showing up at an actual reading. Or, for that matter, attending virtually. So, for example, sometime in the near future I might log on to a live feed from a WORD event (cause Brooklyn’s kinda far from the UWS on a winter night), unlock my virtual goodie, and get a special offer on the relevant book bought from WORD, kissed by the author, & wrapped by Bookavore.

By: babette

babette — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:05:28 +0000

It’s an interesting question. I’ve always looked at a book signing as a suitable venue to get to say something to the author, and for me the actual autograph is irrelevant.

I think it would be more interesting if instead of signing it was more of a meet and greet. And when it was a high profile author or celebrity author I’m sure no one would miss the autograph hounds…

By: Kate Rados

Kate Rados — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:35:48 +0000

I need to hear about Shalimar the Clown.

Also? I’m not a big collector of signed books, either. Just donated my one and only, which was Whoopi Goldberg’s autobiography (don’t ask) (ok, I’ll trade you for the Shalimar story).