Author Beware!
Posted By Deborah Schneider on January 14, 2010
Deborah Scheider, Library Goddess and Author
by Deborah Schneider
1st Turning Point Staff Columnist
Copyright © 2010 Deborah Schneider
I recently was invited to speak to a local writing group called, Seattle Freelancers. I was delighted to be invited, and even more so when I discovered I would be speaking with the staff from a local bookstore about author events.
Because I speak a lot, I dug out my notes about promotion, library programs, what we do at King County Library System, who we are, etc. And I updated it a bit.
After a lovely dinner, a very nice glass of wine, and meeting some nice people, it was time to speak. I glanced down at my notes and did the usual promo for the library system, and then I started talking about all the things authors do that really bug me.
Probably not a great way to win over a room full of authors, but honestly - for some reason all the things just started to tumble out on their own. So, for better or for worse, here are some things to avoid doing when pitching a library program.
- Don’t call me if you don’t even know what you’re pitching. Do you have any idea what you want to do? Where are you going to do it? Often authors tell me they’d like to speak at any SEATTLE Public library. How nice, and then I tell them to call the Seattle Public Library because I work for The King County Library System. We have 45 libraries outside of the city of Seattle. Even a few with Seattle mailing addresses, but we are not the same system.
- Look at our website, kcls.org, and find our list of Author Events, (Meet the Author). Who do we have speaking, where are they going to be? What does the description say?
- Tell me the important things about your book, like the Title. While I’m talking to you I can search our catalog and see if we have your book. If not, I will have to convince Collection Management Services that we should buy the book. We do not offer programs with authors we won’t feature in the catalog. We do have e-books, and some erotica, and even some self-published books. But we don’t buy every book that is printed, because we need to respond to the needs of the patrons we serve. So we buy the books they want to read.
- Have a nice website. It doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, if you have any of these things, I probably won’t stay to learn more about your book: a splash page so I have to click several times to actually get into your website, music, or a black page with white type. I know, you write sexy vampire stories and you want to express that mood. But, when you were in first grade and learning to read, (I now show my age, because I learned with Dick, Jane, Sally, Puff and Spot), the book in which you learned to read had a white background with black type. After so many years of reading, I can’t learn to read anything else.
- Learn about the business and don’t expect me to teach you about author events. In Seattle we have a luxury of riches when it comes to authors. Not only our own fabulous collection in the area, but incredibly talented authors come here on tour. We have venues like The Elliot Bay Book Company, Third Place Books, University Bookstore, Town Hall, and Seattle Arts and Lectures. Not to mention two excellent library systems in the area. Go to author events, most of them are free, and see what happens.
And if you think that I’m just a cranky Library Goddess who doesn’t recognize nor want to support real talent, here’s the shocker. The book store event coordinator grabbed my notes, agreed with everything I said, and then added a few pet peeves of her own.
But, that’s information for another article.
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Thanks for the information, Deborah. I haven’t yet spoken at a library event, but I’ve attended a number, quite a few of which were arranged by you. You do a great job for the King County Library System, and for local authors!
Great information, Deborah! I’m printing this one out as a reminder for “someday.”
Chassily
“5.Learn about the business and don’t expect me to teach you about author events.”
Great advice. Now I want to learn more about author events at the library and brainstorm different ways of interacting with readers.
Thanks for the superb tips, Deborah.
Ann Charles
Great post. In some ways libraries are like bookstores. Only you have to bring the books back.
Thanks for telling authors about libraries.
Amber Polo
A great article filled with valuable inside information. As an advocate for Friends of the Library and public library systems, this article informs. Thank you.
Thanks for the great article. The author events that I have been to in my area (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) have all been varied, so there does not seem to be a central theme that I can follow. I was able to do a talk at my local branch on safety for women in and around our cars, but I approached the library myself with the proposal and we created it outside of any author programs. I was pleased to be invited back for another talk - this time within one of their groups.
The tips you have given will help all of the authors in our Writers and Editors Network here in Toronto. Timing is perfect as our meeting is on Saturday.
Best wishes to all of the authors in this group.
Susan Winlaw
I love it! Oh, yes, perfect–woderful blog. As a librarian in my day job, I agree 100% with you! I especially love the “What do you mean you can’t talk to the other libraries to get me into their system.” I am but one librarian in one library.
I could add that if you don’t do your own promo about the event, I’m not responsible if only 3 people show up and none buy your book. And please, please bring change–if your book is $14.95 bring ones, fives, and nickles. And a pen. Yes, I’ve had authors arrive with posters, books, bookmarks, but no pens with which to sign.
Always a good idea to do your homework. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks for the tips,(grin), I’ll positively keep them in mind when I get the courage to go to the library. They all make simple sense.
People forget to give you the name of the book?
That’s weird.
Thanks for all the great tips. I also like the idea of your blog tour give away.
I’m thrilled to have so many comments, and folks - you do know that puts you into the St. Valentine’s Day contest! The winner will get a free copy of “Promise Me”, chocolate and a Starbucks coffee card!
People really do forget to give me the name of the book. All the time. I think they are just nervous. But you should have a script in front of you if or practice. I once spend 20 minutes with a nice young man, trying to figure what his book was about. I was patient, but I don’t have that kind of time.
I’m glad I could help some folks out, and I’ll be doing a follow-up article about what I learned from the events coordinator from the book store.
HI Deb, what great information. We have at terrific library in our town so I will see what I can do (or sic my PR-major daughter on them LOL) to promo Mattying Mattie when time comes. Again, many thanks.
Hugs,
~Tanya
http://www.tanyahanson.com
Good insight. I must run to my website and and and . . . . . Public speaking is not my best side. The few times I did, I froze, even with notes, and I can’t remember what I even talked about. I think the blank looks on the faces of my audience told the tale.
PL - I didn’t have room to mention my favorite tool for “shy” writers — PowerPoint. Almost every library I know has an LCD projector, (they stopped making overhead projectors years ago, we couldn’t get parts and so moved on to new technology). You can create a PowerPoint about almost any aspect of your book and the writing process. Add some photos, use some of the cool tools (that are so easy) to make it interesting.
This makes it easy to talk to a group because the presentation acts as your guide. Don’t know how to use PowerPoint — we teach FREE classes so check again, with your LIBRARY.
Helping people get information is what we do!
The library system in the United States is fabulous, and is one of the great foundations for literacy, education, and freedom. I grew up in a small village in the Canadian Rockies, with no library. (And yes, with Dick and Jane and Spot.) When I had children and started to take them regularly to the library it was like discovering gold. And now I learn that libraries offer free PowerPoint classes! I haven’t been digging deep enough, to find the wonders that libraries hold. Deborah, thanks for all you do and teach. The above article will go in my “someday” file.
Wonderful Information Deborah. I can relate to Dick and Jane, Puff and Spot. I am thrilled to find this blog, as well as your website. Thank you.