Last month my local bookstore, Old Firehouse Books, won a book-selling contest where the prize was Neil Gaiman! He’d fly in to do the only independent bookshop signing in the United States. Here was my chance to witness a rock star author in action.

I volunteered and was assigned the job of “pen pusher.” I pushed and replenished Sharpies for eleven hours while Gaiman signed about 6,000 books!  From a ring-side view, here’s what I observed.

If you do one signing versus a tour, people will drive for hours from bordering states because it’s THE ONLY CHANCE TO GET A NEIL GAIMAN AUTOGRAPH.

If you write books in various genres, more people will show up. Gaiman writes picture books, comic books, short stories, novels, YA, so fans of all ages came.  

If you have millions of social media followers, some will show up.

If you write a book that becomes a movie, movie buffs will show up. Gaiman signed Stardust covers.

If you are in a Simpson’s episode, TV viewers will show up.

If your movie or book has been merchandised, kids will bring merch. Gaiman signed a couple of Coraline dolls.

If you win major awards, and are an advocate for libraries, adoring librarians will show up - and scream like crazed teenage girls.

If your books are used in English classes, English teachers and students will show up.

If you write beautifully, writers and literary admirers will show up.

If you have written a story that has saved people’s lives, lifelong fans will follow you anywhere.

So now you have 2,000 standing in line. Here’s what I learned from Neil Gaiman, his publicist, and the store staff on how to handle a huge signing.

Any writing tool that requires pressure to imprint your signature will cause arm and wrist pain, especially if you’re signing for 11 hours. A writing tool that glides across paper such as a Sharpie or fountain pen will cause less pain.

Have fresh Sharpies ready to switch out in case one dries out, and a pen pusher to hand you the Sharpie to cut down on time spent executing your signature.

Have handlers who will open books to the autographing page to save time.

Have runners fetch tea and food. Take stand-up breaks to renew your alertness.

Have trouble-shooters monitor the line and be a liaison to the firemen who will invariable show up.

Have a photographer take pictures of you with each fan and post them on a site such as flickr so that the fans can download them and viral your event for tons of free post publicity.

Only sign your newest book plus one. Gaiman graciously allowed 3 books from home.  People ignored that rule, so he wound up signing piles of books per person slowing the line down.

Have empathy for your fans. The first person in line had arrived at 5 a.m. and the signing didn’t start until 4:00 p.m. The last person stayed until 3 a.m. Gaiman insisted that pregnant ladies, kids, and special needs folks were brought to the front so they wouldn’t have to wait in the cold or after bedtime. The store also provided hot chocolate.

Be gracious. Gaiman signed until the last person. No one was turned away. And he was polite and kind to every fan.

Pre-sign books. When the last person goes through your line, you’re ready to go home, not sign more stacks of books.

Lastly, have a bucket of ice water ready. After the signing, Gaiman dunked his swollen hand and achy elbow into the bucket.