King, Atwood and Gaiman shared their experiences of failed presentations

Teenage book writer Chelsea Banning tweeted that only two people came to her presentation. This led to a discussion of book presentations, joined by Neil Gaiman, Stephen King and Margaret Atwood.

Terry Pratchett and I did a signing in Manhattan for Good Omens that nobody came to at all. So you are two up on us.

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) December 5, 2022

Once sat out front of mall bookshop for a signing. No one stopped, until the very end, when an old guy paused, looked at me, looked at the books, looked at me, approached and asked, “Do they sell flags here?”

— Linwood Barclay (@linwood_barclay) December 5, 2022

At my first SALEM’S LOT signing, I had one customer. A fat kid who said, “Hey bud, do you know where there’s some Nazi books?”

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 5, 2022

Join the club. I did a signing to which Nobody came, except a guy who wanted to buy some Scotch tape and thought I was the help. 🙂

— Margaret E. Atwood (@MargaretAtwood) December 5, 2022

I worked on my first book for 4 years. Six people came to the first reading. One person was someone I knew who foresaw the worst and brought 4 family members. The sixth person came in out of the rain. When you don’t know whether to laugh or cry, laugh. And congrats on your book.

— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) December 5, 2022

I have sat lonely at a signing table many times only to have someone approach…and ask me where the bathroom is.

— Jodi Picoult (@jodipicoult) December 5, 2022

We’ve all been there. I once did a talk at a library and five people turned up, including a mum who planted her two infant school children in front of me and then strategically ‘withdrew’ to get some peace for a while.

— Auntie Malorie is away. (@malorieblackman) December 5, 2022

For my first book my publisher flew me out to the US — from England — for events. First one, in Boston, the only two people there were my chaperone and a man looking for shelter from the weather. Last one, in LA: almost identical except no one in LA needs shelter from the weather

— Paul Fischer (@tencents77) December 5, 2022

We’ve all been there Chelsea. Truth is, unless you’re a “celebrity” author you’re lucky to get more than a few people at a signing. Usually I just sign some stock at the store and leave! Bit at least they’ll advertise the signed books. Good luck 😊

— Sheila O’Flanagan 📚📚📚 (@sheilaoflanagan) December 5, 2022

Writer Pavlo Korobchuk noted on his page that he also had a similar story: “In 2007, Horobchuk, Kotsarev and I had a presentation in Lviv at the Franko University. Two people came to see us. And there were three of us…”

У 2007 у нас з Горобчуком і Коцаревим була презентація у Львові в університеті Франка. До нас прийшли 2 людини. А нас було троє…

— koroboro (@koroboro) December 7, 2022

Recall that writers from all over the world, including Alison Killing, Neil Gaiman, Bernardine Evaristo called for donations for Ukrainian refugees.