Words by Webb

On Saturday I attended a book signing. Of course, calling it a book signing is a bit generous since no books were signed. Yes, it was one of those events. I spoke to three customers(I think there were only three customers). I sold zero books. It was supposed to be a two hour event but I skipped out 45 minutes early.

I can’t blame the book store owner only. She’s young, she’s new to the business, she needed someone(me!) to prod her along.

So here are my mistakes–hopefully you can learn from them. I know I did.

1. Multiple Authors — Because there were three other authors featured that day I thought I could benefit from people coming in for their books and liking mine also. Like me, they didn’t draw any customers in or, I suspect, do any advertising.

2. Advertising — I didn’t do any other than a mention on my Facebook page a couple of weeks before the event. I should have been mentioning it in the days leading up to the event as well as sending a release to my local paper.

3. Advertising Part II — I didn’t ask the bookstore owner what she was doing to advertise the event. I didn’t suggest that she send a release to her local papers, mention it on the store’s Facebook or hang a sign in the window.

The only thing I did do right was offer to hold a trivia contest(my book is about trivia)and offer my book as a prize, thinking the possibility of winning a free book might draw in people who would ultimately pay for the book. Perhaps it would have worked if anyone had known about the contest.

On the upside I did meet one woman who told me about another woman that led to two small writing jobs. The silver lining I suppose.

So what’s the moral of this story?

Getting the venue to agree to host an event isn’t the end of your job. You’ve got to get your butt(literally and virtually)out there making sure people in your network know about the event and the bookstore owner is telling people in their network.

Get out your bullhorn! You don’t want a sequel of Book Signing: The Disaster.

This Saturday was a first for me. I spoke about one of my many writing related jobs: organizing blog tours. I was really nervous[this comes out as grumpiness—ask my family]. But I made my notes, gathered my props, and did my dry run. Yes, I do practice my new talks out loud to make sure I don’t go over my time period. Once the men trimming trees for the electric company were able to enjoy the dry run for “How to Break Into Magazine Publishing” through my open living room window.

I’m glad I had the talk when I did because this Saturday I’m going to the Write Stuff Writer’s Conference in Allentown, PA complete with pitch sessions. I’ll be pitching my novel and maybe this boost of confidence I got from my Blog Tour Talk will make it easier for me to talk to an agent. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Most of us aren’t crazy about talking in public. Didn’t I once read that more people are afraid of public speaking than are afraid of dying? There was a time(long, long ago)when authors didn’t have to talk. They just wrote. Not so anymore. If you want to be successful you’ll have to talk. Whether it be convincing an agent to take you on, chatting at a book signing or conducting a workshop at a writer’s conference. So it’s time to start practicing now! Surely you have something you could talk about at your local writer’s group?

I wish I could give you some surefire tips. I don’t do the audience in the underwear tip. Here are my meager tips. Hope they work:

1. Water – Once I got on a roll because the audience asked A LOT of questions. My throat got dry and then I started coughing. Now I always bring a bottle of water.

2. Props – For me it’s usually books or magazines that have to do with the subject I’m talking about. But handouts also work well. What do they do? First, they give people something to look at if they arrive early. Second, they give you something to do with your hands during the talk so you don’t have that voice in the back of your head yelling, “What should I do with my hands?” Hey, the voice thinks about weird things during talks, what can I say? Lastly, the props can help keep you from wandering off on a tangent.

3. Smiles – I’m one of those people prone to staring at the floor instead of at people’s faces. But make yourself look at people and smile while you talk.

4. Questions – Sometimes it gets lonely up there on the podium. So try to get the audience to interact by asking questions and at the end say, “Does anyone have any questions?” You have to ask because sometimes they aren’t sure you’re “done” so they don’t say anything. Of course then the voice in your head(he is a troublemaker) says, “AH! No one’s talking. You have to talk.” So you talk. And the audience thinks you aren’t done so they don’t ask any questions. And trust me, people always have questions.

Last week I was on the other side of the table. I was the interviewee, not the interviewer. All thanks to giving a talk about Blog Tours at the Black Diamond Writers Network this Saturday. You can read the results here. I am definitely not an expert on being interviewed. In fact I can count on one hand the times I’ve been interviewed. But as a blog tour organizer for WOW-Women on Writing I spend plenty of time as the go-between for authors and those who interview them. And have heard plenty of comments from both sides of the table. So here are a few tips I’ve garnered from the people who would know

1. Don’t Make Things Up — Some would call this lying but most of the times it’s “OMG I’m so nervous and if I don’t answer I’ll look like an idiot so I’ll just say anything” Syndrome. Practice saying this, “What an interesting question. Can I think about that one and get back to you?” Often at the end of an interview, when you’re feeling calmer the answer comes to you. If it’s a specific fact(numbers and dates often evade our memories) simply tell them you have to check. It’s great to throw this on someone else. “I have to check with my agent/publisher/records.”

2. Interviews Are Not Conversations — If the interviewer is good you feel comfortable, you want to share, you want to chat. But never lose sight of the fact that, although it feels like just the two of you talking, it isn’t. It’s you, the interviewer, and everyone who ever reads the article. In a recent interview for my writer group’s first writers conference we somehow blurted out that only six people had signed up. Six! If you read about a writers conference that only had six people attending would you want to go? Thankfully, the journalist left that little tidbit out of the article. So keep asking yourself: is this a good thing for the world to know?(More people did sign up after the article!)

3. No Shoehorning — Sometimes you have something you really want to say. But they don’t ask the question. So in desperation at the end of the interview you just throw the information in some answer even thought the question has nothing to do with the information you’re shoehorning in. Some journalists will pull out that disjointed info and create a new question to match it. Others just leave it and you sound a bit wandering. Try saying, “I wish you had asked me…” And then give them that info you’re dying to share.

4. Don’t Answer Every Question — It begins to feel like school. If they ask the question you have to at least give it a shot. You don’t. In email interviews just leave the question blank. For live interviews learn to deflect questions when you don’t have anything worthwhile to say or it’ll distract from your purpose for the interview(selling a book, publicizing a class, etc.). Just Say No.

5. Be Prompt — We’re all busy. But the faster you get back to an interviewer with a yes or a no to an interview the less likely they are to replace you with another subject. And you don’t want to miss out on all that free publicity, do you?

Somewhere deep in my computer’s brain there is a novel. It’s been there for two years. Finished. But not. Because there are so many other projects in my computer’s brain[read: projects with actual deadlines and guaranteed payments]the novel gets overlooked. So it’s still in need of that final polish(or two).

But I think I’ve finally solved the problem. I printed it out. Yup, the WHOLE thing. Of course in “I need my glasses” 8 pt print. And it has become my constant companion. To the bedroom to fold clothes, to the kitchen to eat lunch, to sit on the floor next to the computer while I work. I never have a chance to forget it since it’s always staring me in the face. The guilt has done wonders for me! Whenever I have a few spare moments I pick it up(after all it’s RIGHT THERE)and edit a few more paragraphs. I could actually be done by my dad’s birthday. And no, I won’t tell you when that is!

Who knew a stack of paper could make you feel guilty and propel you to action? Guilt is a wonderful thing!

I’m full of writing energy! I have a new idea for a writing workshop. Several new ideas for articles. I’m dying to get to work on my novel tonight. There’s a new book on writing beckoning me from the pile of TBR by my bed. And I just feel more excited!

Curious about my secret? Yoga? Organization? A great new writing book? A Marine-turned-writing-mentor? No to all those(although I am learning yoga with my daughters’ new Wii program—apparently I’m very centered. Who knew?).

Saturday was my monthly writing group. Writing is a solitary business and many times I prefer that. The silence. The mulling over words in my head. The working in my pajamas. But, even though I belong to several supportive virtual writers group, I eventually long for the company of other writers. Writers aren’t like other people. Let’s compare:

If you give them a page with two sentences on it, alike except for three words…

Nonwriters: Will wrinkle their brows and say, “They’re different?”

Writers: Will smile and say, “The second one is so much better.”

If you tell a funny story as you drink coffee…

Nonwriters: Will squirt coffee through their nose in appreciation.

Writers: Will squirt coffee through their nose in appreciation. Then, they will give you a list of markets and encourage you to submit it.

When you tell the group about your monthly progress…

Nonwriters: Will frown and say, “So you didn’t publish anything?”

Writers: Will jump up and down and scream, “You got a personalized rejection from The New Yorker?”

There’s no denying that we’re a different bird. And, that we need each other to survive. Until I started attending a writer’s group I never knew how much I needed one. They speak your language. They cheer your successes and console your failures.

But mostly because they are always there waiting for the next thing. What have you written since last month? What have you submitted? Did you work on that book proposal like you promised at the last meeting? Even if they never ask those questions the fact that they HAVE done something spurs you on to the next accomplishment. Listening to the monthly reader with one half of your brain you have a conversation with yourself with the other half. “Why haven’t you polished your opening? You could write something like this! She has four kids and a full-time job. What are you waiting for?”

Some writers feel that a writers group can’t offer them anything because the members are all newbies or don’t write in their genre. There are classes and other resources for networking and learning. A live writing group offers you something different—a friendly push.

What’s the most important thing your writers group has done for you?

Just yesterday I was asked that perennial writer’s question once again, “Where do you get your ideas?” Since I write magazine articles I constantly need to come up with new ideas to query to magazine editors. Where do they come from? You may find it hard to believe but many come from my local newspaper. Yes, that hometown newspaper that is 40% local sports news, 20% classifieds, 10% local organization news, 5% Letters to the Editor, 5% local schools and churches news, leaving 20% for inter/national news.

Don’t worry if you come from a small town. In fact, the smaller the better. That means the chances of a national magazine having heard about the story you “uncover” in your local paper are practically nonexistent. Although many of my hometown newspaper stories are sold to regional or niche magazines, I’ve sold several to national markets and one to an international market. You haven’t made it as a writer until you’ve seen your words in the Scandanavian Press!

So where do you look to find these stories?

Articles — Well, duh? Just remember to retrace the original writer’s steps. Do your own interviews, research, photographs–no lifting quotes or facts from the original article. I read about a local non-profit foundation that allows 3rd graders to vote on where their charitable contribution goes each year. Boom! Story.

Sometimes it isn’t the whole story. Sometimes it’s just a tiny piece. An article on an Open House at a local beauty school mentioned they were participating in a program called Cut It Out to teach stylists how to educate their clients about domestic abuse programs. Boom! Story.

Advertorials/Special Sections — My paper occassionally runs special inserts to celebrate the anniversaries of towns, specific local businesses or non-profits, high school graduates. At first glance these inserts look, well…boring. Read them from cover to cover. Often you’ll uncover an interesting fact that can become an article. In an insert about a local trucking company I found two columns about their plans to develop an town art center in empty space in their new office building. Boom! Story.

Photographs — Does your paper run photographs of the local Rotary giving money to charity, high school musicians performing in state orchestras, the welcome wagon meeting new businesspeople? Study the captions–could be a story there. I found a photo of a group of high school students building a Viking ship for their senior project. Boom! Story.

Items — My newspaper has plenty of columns filled with tiny items: neighbors in the news, local military personnel, college news, even the local calendar of events. Look for unique people or events with stories that could find a home in magazines you write for. I found a notice about a local library hosting a puppeteer. Boom! Story.

So don’t overlook your local paper. In fact, read it from cover to cover. It’s a daily source of ideas that too often go unnoticed. It’s up to you to uncover them and turn ideas into articles.

What’s the best article idea you’ve found in your local newspaper?