Strategies for managing writer events' schedules, displays, sales, and interfacing with the public,
by Jeanne Burrows Johnson
ANALYZE YOUR INITIAL ITINERARY
With the dates from your preliminary schedule in
mind, examine the map and consider whether there
is anything else you should add to your trip.
Examining your contact database(s), you see the
name of a library near your friend’s home. In your
notes, you see that you had a good rapport with the
library manager when you called to thank her for
ordering both hardcopy and Kindle editions of your
last published book. In reconnecting with her, you
can mention that you will be speaking at the
bookstore in the library’s neighborhood. You can
then inquire if there is a book club or other activity
that fits with your genre, or another aspect of your
work as an author that may be of interest to her
patrons.
After a brief but warm conversation, you have added
another event to your trip! You will be speaking at a
monthly meeting of the local chapter of the
American Library Association (ALA) division, United
for Libraries (previously called Friends of the Library),
which includes many of the city’s high school English
teachers. Your topic will be your move from a career
in teaching history to writing books about the
families who moved along the Oregon Trail from
Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City.
BE MINDFUL OF AIR AND GROUND TRANSPORT
While you have spent a day in contemplation and
phone calls, you now have the information you need
to complete your travel plans. The airline with which
you have had a long-term relationship announces
that you have sufficient travel miles to boost your
reservation to business class, with a slight fee to
ensure you can change the reservation if necessary.
As to fees for carrying materials for your speaking
engagements, you will have to determine what you
will require for both of those occasions, and whether
you will ship them ahead of your departure from
home.
Since the authors’ event is being held at a major
hotel near the city’s airport, you can use their shuttle
for arrival and departure. When making your hotel
reservation from two days prior to the event to two
days after it, you have learned that there are two restaurants, a bar and a commercial office with
computers and printers to produce any materials you
have not carried with you. Keep in mind, however,
that there is no way of knowing the amount and type
of paper and audio/visual supplies they may be able
to provide.
A couple of the author's organization members living
in that city are friends, so if an opportunity for
shopping, meals, or other enjoyable occasions arises,
you should be able to ride with them. For the second
leg of your trip, you will be staying with your friend,
and she has offered to provide transportation to and
from that city’s airport, as well as to the bookstore
and library where you will be speaking.
WHAT SHOULD YOU SHIP AHEAD OF YOUR
TRAVEL?
Arriving at the hotel of the authors’ event two days
early will allow you to connect with its leaders and
other attendees who should be apprised of your
latest publication and your speaking engagements.
Even if calls and emails yield no response to your
pre-event communications, you might want to carry
some of your speaking materials with you in case the
event’s leadership calls on you for spur-of-the
moment assistance. Perhaps as a greeter, to sit on a
discussion panel, or even to give an unexpected talk
from the podium!
If nothing else, you will be able to share copies with
old and new acquaintances who may provide
feedback that will enhance those speaking
engagements. Additionally, depending on your
relationships with the event planners, you may want
to send them copies of these materials in advance.
Even if they do not respond initially, if you have
masters of such files with you, you can easily respond
to any call for you to participate in an unexpected
way.
After further communication, your friend in the
second city has agreed to have a box or two shipped
to her, a week or two in advance of your arrival. And,
if the major event’s organizers should communicate
with you in advance to ask for your assistance,
consider contacting the hotel about sending
anything you may need in advance.
DETERMINE WHAT YOU WILL WEAR AND CARRY
EACH DAY
When was the last time you examined your closets
and drawers? Are your bags and luggage in good
condition, with fresheners or sachets stored in them?
Is their construction sufficiently substantial to survive
the modes of travel you will be using? Are their locks,
closures, and compartments safe and appropriate for
what they will contain? Do you need to replace any
clothing, accessories, toiletries, prescriptions or
supplements? Does anything need repair? A few days
before departing, air out your bags and lay out
everything that needs to be packed in them.
Regarding clothing, think about the types of events
you will attend. Personally, I tend to wear black
dresses, which are easily augmented with colorful
Asian or Island jackets or shawls. Beyond that, I wear
a few pieces of decorative jewelry, ornaments to
keep my hair in place, and a large black and gold
name badge with my personal logo. Having difficulty
walking? I rely on wheelchairs and rollators. With stiff
hands, I find that slip-on shoes with Velcro closures
are ideal for me.
Remember that it can be dangerous to display items
that appear valuable. Designer bags and precious
jewelry can easily catch the eyes and hands of
thieves. I have designed much of my own jewelry as
a means of introducing myself and opening
conversation. Fortunately, a casual glance does not
announce what their quality may be. For both men
and women, I suggest carrying bags with multiple
compartments, so that you can easily take ties,
scarves, and belts—preferably lightweight—with
colors and patterns that will harmonize with, and
expand, the appearance of your wardrobe.
Make sure that you carry the most important things
in your purse, portfolio, briefcase, or other carry-on
bag, in case your checked luggage does not arrive
where and when it is needed. This includes valuables,
medications and supplements, underwear, makeup,
and electronic files of important documents, plus
extra chargers for your phone and any other
electronic device(s).
Depending on the time of year and locations you will
visit, weather changes may require more items than
you expect. That happened when I last visited my hometown of Portland, Oregon. The first few days in
early September brought lovely weather, and I had
packed perfectly (except for supplements I found
lacking). Unfortunately, on the second day of
addressing students at my old high school, the
weather changed; it was cold, windy, and rainy … for
which I was not prepared.
EVENT DISPLAYS
In the scenario I have described, you have a friend
who is a patron of the venues at which you will speak.
Even if this is so, or you are personally familiar with
them, look them up on the Internet to verify location,
layout, and facilities. If you have any questions, call
and speak to the manager in advance of your trip.
The last time I had to prepare a display at a store, I
called, and the person in charge of arrangements was
not familiar with the plans for the scheduled event.
Fortunately, I had both my husband and a girlfriend
to help handle unexpected challenges. In the end, I
was provided with a long table that afforded plenty
of space for my acrylic display of books, a sign-in
sheet for visitors who wanted to stay in touch, plus
bookmarks, business cards, and a few secretarial
supplies.
Since your public speaking is not in your hometown,
it will be awkward to provide your own table or
chairs. If possible, have lightweight display materials
(even folding) that will allow you to present your
books simply, with easy access for both attendees
and you. And don’t forget to have bookmarks or
business cards for them to later contact you, as well
as sign-in sheets for people to leave their contact
information if they would like to know about your
publications and future events.
POTENTIAL SALES
If book sales are part of an event, make sure that you
understand the method(s) by which this will be
achieved. Do you facilitate the sales yourself? This
will mean you have to explore the financial and local
tax situation in advance. This may also alter how and
when you ship the materials you will be selling, and in
this scenario, whether you will leave copies of those
materials at the bookstore and/or library upon
departure. If your friend agrees to handle the return of books and other materials to you, be polite and
have all boxes, labels, and any other necessary
materials prepared for her, or anyone else charged
with helping you.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
When planning for public appearances, you will need
to research the aspects of each location at which you
speak, for they will certainly offer different
opportunities and challenges. Will someone
introduce you? If so, have a short paragraph
prepared for them on sturdy cardstock. Will this
person or someone else assist you during any
question-and-answer time after you speak? How
large is the space in which you will speak? How many
attendees are expected? Will you speak from a
stage? I cannot climb stairs, so I might have to sit at
the front of a stage. Is there a podium? If you are too
short to speak from that position, will you have a
small stool on which to stand? No, that would not
help me. If you are too short or too tall, can you be
seated at a table? Yes, that is of benefit to me. Is
there a sound system with which you should become
acquainted in advance of speaking? Personally, I
have been speaking from a stage since I was a child,
and I do not usually have a problem in projecting my
voice. Please note that some speakers choose to
carry a small portable sound system, which can be
plugged into a facility’s system.
How long will you have to speak? (Don’t forget a
clock or watch and remember to practice your
timing in advance). Will there be time for attendees
to ask you questions in the room in which you speak?
Can you make yourself available to attendees after
you speak, in another room where you might have
an opportunity to sign books and/or sell them?
Closing thoughts: Don’t forget to personally thank
the individuals and organization(s) that have
arranged for your speaking engagement, as well as
for their assistance while you are there.
