Tomorrow
night will be my first time to stand before a group and talk about my first
fiction book, Angel Sometimes. And
I'm a little bit nervous. Which is odd since I have a Master's in Public
Speaking. I've spoken before at conferences and meetings, but this is the first
time to talk about my own book and about Angel herself. It's a new-to-me
experience.
How about
you? As the author, are you ever a bit nervous about standing up and talking
about your book? As a reader, has it ever occurred to you that the author may
be nervous?
As the
author, how do you plan what you'll talk about? For this talk, the moderator
has already sent five questions/expectations that she has:
1. What is
your elevator speech for your book?
2. What did
you use in your personal background to bring your characters to life?
3. What
inspired you to write this book?
4. What was the
most challenging thing about getting your book published?
5. What else
is in store for your readers?
After that,
then it'll be open for me and the second author to throw out what we want to
add. Once we're through talking, I'd like to open it up
to questions from the audience.
What else
would you want to hear from the author of a book you're thinking of buying?
When I do a presentation, I type out a cheat sheet of what I want to say and bring that with me. I might deviate from what's on the sheet, but at least I have something to refer to if my mind goes blank. Also, I make sure to have some water handy. A microphone is also nice, since it's easier than shouting to be heard.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com
I always have a PowerPoint presentation planned. I find that folks like to see what I'm talking about as well as hear. I get there early to make sure everything works technically. I have a clock on my display so I can watch the time. I've found that anything over 40 minutes is usually too long. Congratulations, Ginger, and have fun tomorrow. I've seen you speak in public before, and you appeared cool and collected.
ReplyDeleteI agree - a microphone is a real plus ... you can relax and speak in a normal tone and still be heard. Reading an excerpt (about ten minutes' worth) is also a way to engage potential readers in the story. It doesn't have to be the actual beginning, (but never the ending!) It can be something that poses a question, or raises a thought, or hints at an emotion that will draw listeners in. And a short and sweet bulleted cheat sheet may be essential - just enough to give you confidence. Plan more bullets than you'll think you have time for ... then you won't be at a loss for words. And follow your audience's drift - if they ask a good question, spend time answering it rather than feeling pressured to get back to the list. Relax, and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteTerry: http://terrysthoughtsandthreads.blogspot.com
This is probably too late for a suggestion for your talk, Helen, but I do like to know what an author does besides writing. Hobbies, things of particular interest, maybe a little about their family, where they live and why they chose that place to live.
ReplyDeleteI know you will do great, and as Terry said, relax and enjoy. That is the most important part.