Bestselling authors console writer after just two people turn up for her book-signing event

Her tweet surprisingly prompted bestselling authors to step forward to console Banning. Commenting on her post, Canadian literary giant Margaret Atwood, the author of The Handmaid’s Tale, wrote, “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. :)”

Only 2 people came to my author signing yesterday, so I was pretty bummed about it. Especially as 37 people responded “going” to the event. Kind of upset, honestly, and a little embarrassed.

— Chelsea Banning Author (@chelseabwrites) December 4, 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

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

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

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

Zero people came to my first reading (for The Girl in the Road, at Malaprops in Asheville). I ended up drinking a glass of wine with the events coordinator and trying not to cry. It’s a rite of passage many of us have been through 😅❤️

— Monica Byrne (@monicabyrne13) December 5, 2022

1st reading, 1st book, a bookstore in Milwaukee. Maybe 15 people show up. I do my reading, answer some Qs. Then, the very nice bookstore clerk says, “Peter’s book is available for purchase at the register.” Guy sitting at the front yells, “Well, how much does it cost?”

— Peter Sagal (@petersagal) December 5, 2022

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

Also, was once signing books and a woman came up with a john Grisham novel. When i pointed out it wasn’t written by me she asked if i was signing books or not! So i signed it with love from me and John Grisham….

— Sheila O’Flanagan 📚📚📚 (@sheilaoflanagan) 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

Neil Gaiman, who is credited with authoring dozens of bestsellers, also made Banning feel less alone. “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,” he said.

Min Jin Lee, whose award-winning novel Pachinko has an Apple TV+ adaption, wrote, “I did a book reading where only my husband’s cousin showed up. One person. I’ll never forget that reading.” Other authors like Sheila O’Flanagan, Stephen King, Peter Sagal and Monica Byrne also consoled and encouraged Banning by sharing instances of low attendance at their own book-signing events.

Interestingly, after Banning’s tweet went viral, her book Of Crowns and Legends climbed to the top spot in Amazon’s Arthurian Fantasy section.