You’ve reached another milestone in your writing career: You’ve completed a large project and it’s being published. If you thought the heavy work was over, you’re wrong. Seriously wrong. Neither your creative nor your editorial chores are complete. You’ve simply turned the corner from building a product to marketing it in tandem with your publisher…that is if you’re not entering the world of independent publishing, in which case you’ll be responsible for doing everything yourself.
Regardless of how your work is being published, you will need to make promotional appearances in order to effectively market it. That process should include opportunities for your readers to hear your words, as well as to ask you impromptu questions about yourself and your work. Even if you do not have a strong voice or dynamic style of presentation, the public will want to get to know the mind and personality that has generated the material in which they are interested.
Venues for Author Appearances
In preparation for meeting the public, you can refine your oral reading by practicing with a voice recording device in front of a mirror. You can also hone your reading skills at a local writers’ group, where you should begin working on timing selected readings. At this point you’re nearly ready for prime time. If you’re not accustomed to reading aloud, you may find that a small book club meeting in private homes is ideal for warming up for larger audiences.
Once you’re ready for general audiences, you’ll find there are many venues at which you might share your writing. Some are directly related to publishing, such as book fairs and literary and artistic festivals. Depending on your reputation as a writer, your local radio or television station may have programming featuring local writers. This is especially true of public broadcasting in radio and television.
Since your goal is to sell books in every form you are published—hard- or softcover print, Ebooks, audio books, or online websites and blog sites—libraries and bookstores [local and national chains] are ideal for promoting current work and for attracting potential long-term followers. Again, your personal reputation and the involvement of your publisher may determine the ease with which such appearances can be booked.
Issues in Public Performance
Let me again state that you have one opportunity to make a good first impression. Remember that each time you appear in public you are making a statement about yourself and your work. Many artists and writers feel there is no need to be concerned about their appearance or their behavior. I may be stirring the waters when I suggest that if you want your work to be taken seriously, I believe you should demonstrate your own respect for that work, for the public who awaits you, and for yourself.
Where you present your work should direct your preparation. Will you be speaking in a large or small room? Will you be standing or seated? How much of your body will be visible to the audience? Will you have a microphone? Will you be introducing yourself? Will someone be monitoring the time you have been allotted for speaking? Are you the featured speaker at the event, or one of a group of presenters? And how will you handle stage fright? I encourage you to remember that stage fright is not a phenomena experienced solely by actors—and they will tell you it can be a life-long challenge.
* The quality of your voice. Once you know the size of the room and whether you will be utilizing a microphone, consider how well your vocal quality matches the venue. Remember that unless you are providing your own Audio Visual equipment, there’s no way you can be assured that the equipment provided will work as desired. Therefore, think about whether you have the vocal strength to project your voice throughout the designated space if you end up without a sound system.
Although no one wants to give a reading on a day when they are not feeling well, you may not be able to cancel an appearance. If you are unable to read your material, you may need to take a friend or colleague to actually present your work, but it would still be good for you to show up (as long as you’re not contagious). When in doubt about your condition, check with your healthcare provider. If you just have a tickle in your throat, you can always try drinking warm tea or munching your favorite fruit to produce a clearer sounding voice.
* Your appearance. What you wear may be dictated by where you will be speaking. If you are standing on a raised platform, consider how your legs and shoes will look from the audience. Women may want to wear a longer skirt length than they normally do, or even a pantsuit to ensure they aren’t sending the wrong message. And don’t forget that makeup is not limited to use by women. Men, especially those who are bald, are just as susceptible to having a glowing face that detracts whether they are on a stage or on video. Also, the eyes are key to projecting the performer’s personality. A touch of eye liner below the lower eye lashes will give your listeners the feeling that they’re closer to you.
As to style, the casualness of denim, hoodies and unshaven portions of one’s anatomy may seem representative of the artistic world, but ask yourself whether they best represent the work you are introducing. If you’re beyond the first two decades of life, consider more sophisticated choices in attire and overall self-presentation. Personally, I usually top any skirt or dress I wear to public events with a vivid Asian style silk jacket. Not only is this in keeping with my normal wardrobe, but since the Natalie Seachrist mysteries I’ve been writing feature references to Asian culture, this wardrobe choice sets the stage for the stories that will be revealed in the series.
Introducing Yourself
You should have several bios by the time you’re launching a book. [You will find a summary for writing one on my website at imaginingswordpower.com/bios-to-empower-you.html.] You should have brief versions in one or two paragraphs in both first and second person voices. If you’re lucky, there’ll be an MC or other person to introduce you, and hopefully they’ll read your bio without inappropriate ad-libs. However, regardless of your advance planning, there will be times when you must introduce yourself. And while it is important to have a well-written bio, it is always useful to be able to speak off-the-cuff without any notes.
Your Performance
That’s right. I said Your Performance. That’s what an author’s appearance is. It’s a performance in the sense that you must present yourself so that you are memorable and believable as the author of the work you have produced. And just as there are many styles of writing, there are many ways in which you can present your work. In my opinion, the top rung of professionalism holds those rare authors who memorize portions of their work and perform it like a play…that is, sans script.
One of the most likely venues in which you’ll see this type of performance is Cowboy Poetry. One of my favorite entertainers in this genre is Bill Black, whose warm vocal tones are accented with more than a hint of North Carolina. From the moment he steps onto a stage with his cowboy shirt, hat and bolo tie, the audience is wooed by both the stories he relates and his personage as their author.
At the next level are presenters who place their text within some kind of folder. This is where I fall in terms of performance. I try to avoid treating my audiences to the rustling and flopping of loose pages that can separate easily and cause the reader confusion.
One Performance Among Many
You may actually be the person arranging for a group of authors to read at an event. At a recent gathering of authors, I noticed that despite a general instruction to read for “about five minutes,” there was great variety in the lengths of the readings. Even when a presenter has timed their work in advance, the pressure of public performance can cause variations in the actual length of their reading. Therefore I suggest setting a measurable standard, such as three to four pages of material, double spaced. That way, while some authors will read faster or slower, the overall time of the readings should even out.
Does the event Warrant a Media Release?
Event organizers will normally generate Media releases. That’s wonderful, especially if they follow the details of a bio you submit to them. Nevertheless, there’s nothing wrong with sending out your own announcements, if you are the key speaker or a featured participant. Recipients of your message should include people who may attend. And if the event is open to the general public, your distribution of promotional information via mail, email and social media may add to the number of attendees.
Also think about sending out your own media releases. You should include general information about the occasion, your role in it, and other newsworthy persons who are involved, so that your effort does not appear wholly self-serving. In fact, the sponsors should welcome your boosting the likelihood of media coverage. For information on this topic, see earlier blogs, as well as sample releases on my website at imaginingswordpower.com/media-release-samples.html.
The bottom line of any public appearance is that no matter how well you think you have prepared for an event, something can happen to derail how you have envisioned it unfolding. Once it is over, hold your own private event autopsy, if the event organizers do not have one. And don’t forget to send out a post-event media release. Again, make a point of mentioning any noteworthy persons or historical context that will distinguish the activity as being of general interest in your community. Finally, you could upload a sample of the reading you gave at the event on your website or social media.
Wishing you the best in your writing endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, wordsmith and design consultant
For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower© and branding, visit:
Https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com
