There’s no better salve for a writer’s psyche than a boatload of positive feedback.
There’s no better salve for a writer’s psyche than a boatload of positive feedback. wp.me/p26xCM-6Fa
— The Indie Exchange (@IndieExchange) May 15, 2013
Notice I didn’t say it was the best thing to develop craft, attain perspective, or develop our abilities. Those things come from constructive criticism. They even come from scathing, wounding critiques that can mobilize our efforts to prove the bastards wrong (after we get done sulking.) But every now and then, it’s nice to just feel the love.
There’s no better place for that then a carefully planned and executed author’s event. Whether it be a signing, a panel discussion, a radio interview, or addressing an interested group of readers, these events can refill the gas tank better than anything else. And you’re going to need that fuel for the next long-haul journey you take with just you, yourself and your laptop into your story-world.
I just recently spoke with 350+ elementary school students about my books, Jack Templar Monster Hunter and Jack Templar and the Monster Hunter Academy. Despite a few potential glitches that could have ruined everything, it ended up going about as good as it could go. The kids loved it, the administration is talking me up to other schools, the technology all worked, I sold many, many books both before, during and after, and I got to feel great about it.
I just recently spoke with 350+ elementary school students about my books, Jack Templar Monster Hunter… wp.me/p26xCM-6Fa
— The Indie Exchange (@IndieExchange) May 15, 2013
Here are some lessons learned:
1) Have a countdown plan. Start at least one month out with your list of things to do. This can be hanging event posters at the site (coffeehouse, bookstore, school). Sending out order forms. Including the announcement on your social media. Having a list for three weeks out, two weeks, one week, three days…you get the idea. Technology check is key the day before (a faulty projector nearly took my cool Powerpoint out of the equation at the school. We found a new one at the last second.)
2) Be brazen with your advertising. The school offered to make and send a flyer home to pre-order the book. I quickly offered to make the flyer instead and made an awesome announcement with cover images, author photo and a call to action. An upcoming bookstore signing of mine has a 2X3 ft poster in the window instead of the 8.5X11 flyer they were planning on having because I pushed a little.
3) Have a call to action. Meeting you is cool, but give readers something else. In my case it was a discount on the book and a personal written message to each kid. My hand was cramped when I was done (and I had to do them prior to the event) but it was worth it.
4) Know your audience and deliver the goods. I read sections of the book but I also had an awesome Powerpoint that described how the kids could make their own stories. We used popular books and movies like Harry Potter and Star Wars to talk about what makes strong heroes and killer villains. If you’re not sure of the group, do a quick poll when you start to see what interests them. Is it the story? Hearing about the life of a writer? The publishing world?
5) Have swag. I brought rubber bracelets with Jack Templar Monster Hunter on them for all the kids and they loved them. Now I see kids out in the community wearing them…which is awesome. They cost 15 cents apiece and were worth every penny from a marketing standpoint.
Most importantly, have fun with it. Try to remember back to when meeting a real, live, breathing author was a thrill. You may not realize it, but you likely have that impact on people, especially when you have all the trappings of a podium, a stack of books to sign and bookstore staff hovering around you. Don’t deflect and pretend it’s no big deal. It is. You’re an author. Soak up the love…because you’ll be back in that dark room alone with your laptop soon enough.
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