Book Signing Magic with Chanel Miller
Creating Unforgettable Author-Reader Moments
[Chanel Miller. Photo by Mariah Tiffany, courtesy the artist]
This past week, I attended an author talk with Chanel Miller, author of The New York Times bestseller Know My Name, at the University of San Diego – hosted by KPBS's One Book, One San Diego program. Like millions of others, I read Chanel's victim impact statement she read aloud to the jury in her case against the Stanford student who sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious. As most of us were, I was profoundly moved not just by her incredible, deeply vulnerable letter but by how she painted a picture that allowed us to better understand a woman's experience in a sexual assault case. The victim blaming, the shaming, the trauma relived over and over. Seeing and listening to her in person was incredible. I put her book up in the top two I've ever read, and I've read quite a lot.
I took my 16-year-old daughter with me to the talk. Though she hadn't read the book, she read Chanel's letter and immediately responded, "So what I'm getting from this is that his sentence was less than the court trial process." She summed up the problem precisely.
It was a transformative and powerful evening—an author's dream book signing with a line down the hallways, a packed theatre, and an emotional crowd who had all read the book. Chanel was brilliantly poised, open, and accessible—everything you'd want an author to be.
Here are my takeaways and what made this author talk such a great event:
They opened with Chanel’s video, a short trailer of the her drawings in an animated summary of her story. It was a quick intro that really drew in the audience.
Chanel was in conversation with the Assistant Dean of Communications– a graceful and insightful woman who was well-prepared with her questions and some from the One Book audience. She guided the flow of the conversation effortlessly – exactly what you want a moderator to do.
After about 30 minutes, they took audience questions, which, given the topic, were emotional. Chanel did an fantastic job of making everyone feel safe and cared for. She spent time talking directly to each person yet turning to the audience as a whole and making her answers relevant to everyone.
They held the book signing at the end of the talk outside the theatre and in the courtyard. Helpers prepared everyone's books, turned to the title page, handing out pens and post-it notes for personalization so Chanel could spend a minute talking to each person. It was all very smooth.
There was plenty of interest and timely conversation for a book that came out seven years earlier. Authors often worry that their book is "old" and that no one will want to talk about it anymore. One can look up the thousands of books that are perennial sellers to know this is not true – and Chanel Miller's book is a perfect example.
Chanel addressed topics, such as:
Her process as a writer, at the time she wrote it, and now. She wrote the book from ages 24 to 27; looking back, she realizes how young and angry she was when she started; when she turned in the manuscript, it was over 200,000 words! Her brilliant editor, she says, helped her cut it down to 90,000 and change the tone. Chanel advises writers to write as they talk to a friend - no explanation, jump right into what happened.
She addressed how her therapist helped her through the writing process, explaining that she had to be careful not to get stuck in the past. She had a signal for herself of when it was time to put away the memories for the day by closing her office door – she could only write in her office and nowhere else; that way, the difficulty of writing those thoughts did not follow her everywhere.
She expressed how lucky she was to have a father who was a retired therapist and parents who allowed her all the time and space she needed to process, to be in pain, to find her way back to life.
She mentioned how it warmed her heart to see very young people in the audience. A high school teacher shared that Chanel's book was being read by the entire student body. One of her students, a young woman, stood up and asked a question. Chanel was moved that the youth are getting these messages earlier because that's how we’ll change the future.
Lastly, she spoke about how, finally, she could write something new after ten years - a children's book. She addressed her guilt about "moving on" from this time in her life and all the people who have written to her or met her and told her how much her book had helped them and changed their lives. She always dreamt of being a children's book writer until her assailant stole ten physical years of her life. Finally, she feels like she's ready to get back to her dreams. This was a chilling story to hear her tell.
One of my first jobs in book publishing was coordinating massive book signings for celebrity authors, where hundreds would wait in line for a signature (Hillary Clinton, Tom Clancy, Emeril Lagasse, and Barry Sanders were just a few). Although not every author will draw such a crowd—and I don't recommend everyone do an in-person event—there's something special about the direct connection and audience feedback that comes from live events with readers. In my experience, authors feel it's a milestone in their publishing journey.
If you haven't read Know My Name, I obviously highly recommend it - it’s life changing. Chanel is a shining example of an author who kept showing up daily, sharing her message with those who needed to hear it. What happened to her wasn't her choice, but how she responded was. Reclaiming her voice and bravely sharing her story helped change lives (and laws), which will continue for years.
Chanel Miller and the KPBS team created an inspiring night many authors dream of. It was a reminder that the emotional connection authors make with readers through their books can be transformative and lasting. It's not about selling books; it's about sharing your story with others. It's a service, not a product; a journey, not a destination.
Cheers,
Carina
P.S. Interested in working together? Please feel free to contact me.