The majority of book fans are collectors, and nothing distinguishes a book like having the author’s signature on it. Even if you never leave your home, there are more options than ever to get autographed books for your shelves thanks to the internet and the power and awesomeness of independent shops! Continue reading to discover the many kinds of signed books, receive a ton of suggestions on where to get books signed by your favorite writers, and possibly gain some inspiration for ways to help authors and raise the value of your book collection.
How do signed books work?
Let’s first discuss the various methods for signing books. There are a number of distinct ways that writers sign books, despite the fact that you may believe a signed book is a signed book.
Getting a book signed by the author in person
The simplest, most direct technique of book signing is for the author to physically open the book and sign the title page (with the copyright page printed on the back). The author may just sign their name, or they may write an inscription, depending on the occasion and goal. Even while books with dated signatures often have higher long-term values, not all authors choose to do so.
Tip sheets
Tip sheets, also known as tip-in sheets, are signed in bulk during the printing process of a book. This procedure involves signing several copies of the book. Thousands of sheets of loose paper are often sent to the author for signing and returning to the printer. The autographed page is then bound into the completed book by the printer. The signed page is often the endpaper or the first page that follows the endpaper due to the binding procedure. Since then, several writers have signed special editions or first print runs of their novels in the same way. The first time this was done on a large scale was when John Green signed every copy in the first print run of his 2012 book The Fault in Our Stars.
Bookplates
Offering bookplates is by far the simplest and most affordable option for writers to provide autographed copies of their works! Bookplates are tiny stickers that readers may attach inside their copies of books after writers sign and occasionally customize them. They can be handed out or sent by mail.
How to find signed books?
Locate selective bookstores
Because independent bookshops value building connections with writers and customers, they are the most popular place to acquire autographed books. No matter where you reside, you may benefit since a lot of independent retailers ship (although not all do so globally, so it never hurts to inquire).
Look out for events
Attending an author event in a bookshop is the ideal method to get customized and autographed copies of your favorite books. The majority of writers will autograph as many books as you buy from the shop and a small number that you bring from home. In order to make the autographed book even more unique, you may request customization.
Can’t make it to the event in person or reside too far from the independent hosting it? Many booksellers would be delighted to sell you a personalized presale. Simply make an advance payment for the book, and while you’re there, ask to have the author sign and personalize it. After that, the bookshop may either hold it for pickup or send it to you.
Get in touch with independent retailers who offer them
Even if you can’t visit their physical locations, you can still see what they have to offer since many independent retailers not only carry signed items in their shops but also have a signed area on their websites. Many of these books come from local writers who often drop by and donate autographed stock, as well as from authors who sign books while they are in town on tour. You never know what treasures you could unearth if you browse the websites of larger independent booksellers in metropolitan regions that often offer events for autographed books.
Don’t be shocked if the signature appears on a bookplate rather than on a page of the book since writers sometimes send bookplates to independent retailers to sneak into their stock. You may typically ask the bookstore for clarification if it matters to you whether the book is autographed on the page or on a bookplate.
First edition signed clubs
Consider subscribing to an independent publisher’s signed first edition subscription program if you like collecting autographed books in general. There are other bookstores that offer their own variations of these clubs, like Literati Bookstore, Parnassus Books, and The Strand.
Go through author websites
Many writers collaborate with a nearby independent bookstore to regularly give autographed copies of their works. If so, they often provide a link to the local independent publisher’s website along with information on how to get a signed copy. While many just provide signatures, others may also provide customization. Be advised that your purchase may not ship immediately away if you desire customization. It will take some time for the author to enter the shop and sign. Some people could need a few days or weeks, while others might only customize books during certain periods of the year.
Plan ahead
When a new book is coming out, many authors will offer presale campaigns, and providing opportunities to get autographed copies is often a crucial component of any preorder campaign. Sometimes the book may be purchased directly from an independent publisher, and other times the signature appears on a signed bookplate.
If a writer you like has a new book coming out soon, find out more about it by checking their website and social media approximately a month before publication. Just keep in mind that certain authors may have restrictions on their presale promotions because they often finance these promotions themselves!
Final words
Now you know how to get a book signed by the author. Numerous authors give out free autographed bookplates all year long or as part of presale promotions. This is a fantastic alternative, particularly for readers outside of the United States since mailing a flat bookplate is far less expensive than mailing a whole book. You may obtain a bookplate by buying the book from a certain independent shop in your nation that receives stacks of bookplates from some foreign writers.
