Okay, so today I wanted to share a bit about my little adventure with “sample book signing messages.” You know, I’ve always been that person who ends up with a blank mind when it comes to writing something personal in a book. I mean, how many times can you write “Best wishes” before it gets old, right?
So, I decided to tackle this head-on. I started by, well, practicing my own signature. Sounds simple, but I wanted it to look somewhat decent, not like a doctor’s prescription note. I scribbled my name a bunch of times on a piece of paper until I found a style that I liked. It felt a bit silly at first, but hey, it worked!
Next up, I figured I needed some inspiration for the messages themselves. I remembered seeing this tip online about making it as easy as “Enjoy the book!” or “Happy reading!” But I wanted something a bit more, you know, me. So I thought, why not use a quote from the book? I went through my favorite parts and picked out a few lines that really stuck with me. I even found this author, DJ MacHale, who writes “Hobey-ho” in his books. How cool is that? It’s like an inside joke for his fans.
Then, I started combining things. I would write the person’s name, a short quote, and then my fancy new signature. For example, if I was signing a book for my friend Sarah, and the book had a great line like, “The stars whispered secrets to the night,” I’d write:
- “Sarah,
- ‘The stars whispered secrets to the night’ – Hope you enjoy this journey!
- [My Signature]”
I practiced a few variations, some simple, some a bit more elaborate, depending on who I imagined I was signing the book for. It was actually kind of fun, like a mini writing exercise.
The real test came when I went to a book signing event (yeah, I do that sometimes). I had my little cheat sheet of quotes and my practiced signature ready. And guess what? It went great! People seemed to really appreciate the personalized messages. One person even told me it was the best inscription they’d ever received. Made my day, I tell you.
So, that’s my little story about figuring out book signing messages. It’s not rocket science, but it definitely made me feel more confident and, dare I say, a bit more like a “real” author. Hope this little adventure of mine helps someone out there who’s also struggled with the dreaded blank page in a book!
