CONNECTING WITH YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD AUTHOR Presented by Aimee & G. S. Wright
WHAT IS AN INDIE AUTHOR?
IAD 2016
DIFFERENT TYPES OF AUTHORS • An “indie author” is a self published author. • A “hybrid author” is someone who self publishes some of their work and traditionally publishes other. • “Traditionally published authors” are published by larger publishing houses. • Small press publishing and vanity presses are somewhere in between. The authors are generally on their own with a lot of the work.
IAD 2017
WHAT IS INDIE AUTHOR DAY? • Indie Author Day was created by industry leaders with an interest in self publishing. They wanted a way to reach out to writers and libraries to market their tools and services. • IAD is hosted by libraries and bookstores throughout the United States and Canada. • Idaho had 3 participating libraries in 2017. – Boise Public Library, Boise, ID – Buhl Public Library, Buhl, ID – East Bonner County Library, Sandpoint, ID • Sign up at indieauthorday.com
WHY DO WE PARTICIPATE IN IAD?
IAD 2017
WHY DO WE PARTICIPATE? • IAD was announced and Buhl Public Library was invited to participate • BPL had already been doing author programs, so we had a list of contacts • Writers are patrons & patrons are readers • Garth & Aimee had been participating in author events across the state and had their own contacts, as well as an understanding of what authors need out of an event • Garth wants to sell books
IAD 2017
WHAT DO WRITERS NEED? • What are writer’s needs/motivations? – Making contact with other writers and the outside world – Swapping ideas and knowledge with other writers; what works for them? what doesn’t? why? – Making contact with potential buyers – Selling books
WHAT ARE WE DOING???
PLANNING AN IAD EVENT • The national IAD event site didn’t offer what I thought I needed, but I realized that gave me the freedom to do what suits us best and to provide what our writers actually need, not what is “prescribed” (or marketed) by industry. • My first decision was to expand to ALL writers, ALL ages, at ALL levels of their writing journey; not just indie, not just published.
PRESENTERS 2016 “Creating” presented by “Finishing” presented by Dave Erickson of Buhl Garth Wright of Buhl
BASIC PLANNING • Make a rough schedule – How much time is available? – What do you want to include? – Food? Menu? • Find your people – Writers for workshops – Presenters for workshops – Authors for book signing – Customers for book signing
PRESENTERS 2016 “Publishing” presented by Patricia Marcantonio “Marketing” presented by of Twin Falls Mechelle Fogelsong of Buhl
TWO EVENTS IN ONE BOOK SALE & WORKSHOP SIGNING • Presenters • Authors • Participants • Tables • Networking • Customers • Lunch! • Snacks!
Workshop Writers Writers Book Sale Customers
PUT OUT THE CALL
IAD 2017
WHO ARE WE INVITING? We NEED writers. The writers are our Writers audience. Writers are the workshop attendees, Book Sellers Attendees Presenters the workshop presenters, the book Customers sellers & often the book purchasers as well We also need customers for the book sale.
RECRUIT • Make a file listing every writer you know in the area • Add every writer who has been involved in the library’s past events • Search the stacks for local authors • EVERYONE knows a writer, ask EVERYONE to spread the word • Encourage writers to commit in advance. You need to know how many tables for the book signing & how much food to prep. • Don’t rule out people who are from out of the area. If they are interested they will make a way to attend.
PRESENTERS 2017 AFTEN BROOK SZYMANSKI CODI GARY
COMMUNICATE • I keep a list of past participants and people who have shown interest. Some use email, some use Facebook, some I have to call. I start with this list, letting them know what’s in the works and try to get feedback for what they’d like to see. • We have a Facebook group and use it plus email to keep people informed.
IAD 2016
THE SCHEDULE
Time Event 11:30 - 12:00 For writers: “Meet and Greet”, grab some food and settle 2016 in! SCHEDULE 12:00 - 1:00 “Digital Gathering” presentation on YouTube with I tried to keep everything experts in their fields. short & sweet. Everything 1:00-1:10 Break flowed well, but seemed a little too rushed. 1:10-1:40 Mini Workshop 1: Creation 1:40-2:10 Mini Workshop 2: Finishing We had lunch for the authors at the beginning of the day 2:10-2:20 Break because we were starting at 2:20 – 2:50 Mini Workshop 3: Publishing noon, and cookies for 2:50 – 3:20 Mini Workshop 4: Marketing everyone at the book sale. 3:20-3:30 Break 3:30 - 5:00 For EVERYONE: The public is invited to meet the authors, ask questions, and purchase books. Authors are encouraged to bring information and materials to share with the public, and, of course, books to sign and sell!
Time Event 10:00 Meet and greet, introductions 10:15 Aften Brook Szymanski will speak on getting your book written. 2017 10:30 10:45 SCHEDULE 11:00 Codi Gary 11:15 I expanded the amount of 11:30 time we had available, cut 11:45 Break back the presenters to two 12:00 Panel discussion and eliminated the IAD 12:15 12:30 videos. 12:45 Lunch & videos I increased the amount of 1:00 1:15 time for the book sale 1:30 Author talks Things did NOT go as 1:45 2:00 planned, but it was a fantastic 2:15 event. 2:30 Book sale and signing 2:45 I learned to roll with it and 3:00 see what the writers wanted 3:15 from the event. 3:30 3:45 4:00 4:15 4:30 4:45 5:00
CHECK IN TABLE A sign in sheet Pre printed name tags for those who signed up early, blank ones available for surprise attendees Nice looking name placards for book signing tables
FOOD! 2016 2017 • Hotdogs • Vegan chili • Chips • Baked potatoes • Potato salad • Butter, cheese, green onions, Fritos, etc. • Soda & bottled water • Coffee & bottled water • Cookies • Cookies
FOOD!
MARKETING INDIE AUTHOR DAY
IAD 2016
MARKETING • Book signings and sales bring authors but I can’t advertise a book sale until I have committed authors. • I start out a couple months in advance, advertising for writers. • As the event nears I start advertising for readers to come to the book signing. • Create a private Facebook group to keep the authors up to date as well as informative updates through e-mail.
IAD 2017
INTERNET • The IAD website has free graphics and sample text to use in promotion. If they don’t have what you want, just ask for it. They will create it for you! • Create the event on Facebook, add it to your website, and any other social media you use. • Make sure there are shareable links for your event. Share the heck out of it! Add it to town and area based Facebook groups. Encourage all involved to share it as well. • Highlight participating authors and their books.
IAD 2017
PERKS OF SOCIAL MEDIA • Easily shareable. • No paper waste! • I get contacted after the event by people who saw a post too late, but they want to be in the loop for future events. I encourage them to join our Facebook group. • Authors can use the group to privately share other events they are participating in, ask questions, or share ideas. • Facebook spreads wider than you expect. It brings in people from out of our local area.
IAD 2016
EVERYWHERE! • Put eye-catching flyers everywhere • KMVT, Times News, Buhl Herald, whatever is available in your area • Allow people to use their talents to help • Display participating author information, flyers and books in visible places throughout the library. • Talk to patrons about the authors, encourage them to check out the books.
IAD 2016
ENLIST YOUR ATTENDEES • Authors MUST promote these events. I stress to everyone I speak to that they need to spread the word to bring in not only more authors, but customers for the book sale. • Authors, who commit and spend time promoting the event, attract readers who will come to the signing. • Have your social media events and posts ready & easily sharable. Encourage writers to RSVP , share the event & tag their friends.
IAD 2016
WHAT I LEARNED
WHAT I LEARNED • Writers like to talk and share their knowledge. TELLING writers that they have 30 minutes to do a presentation does NOT mean that they will believe you. Be ready to cut them off. Leave some extra time, longer than you expect, between the speakers and the signing, because speakers go over and there will be extra questions. • Make sure the writers feel special, valuable & wanted. What do they need to be comfortable? Special dietary needs?
IAD 2017
Recommend
More recommend
