Author Events Made Easy

As I am always interested in learning new tips from those "in the know," I was intrigued when I saw the listing for an Author Events panel composed of Virgina Stanley (Director of Library Services with HarperCollins Publishing), Marcia Purcess (Vice President and Director of Library Relations for Random House Publishing) and Chappel Langemack (Library Cluster Manager, King County Library System in Seattle). During the presentation, the panel told the audience that booking an author is easy, it just takes advance planning and flexibility to be successful. However, they warned that sending authors to events can be costly since transportation, accommodations and other expenses can add up. If you have funds to cover these costs, you've got a greater chance of securing the author of your choice. If you don't have the funds, you might want to consider inviting a local author or an author who will be touring in your area.

One thing I plan to make good use of is a handout listing the Association of American Publishers Libraries Committee members. These are the people who book authors for library events. Another helpful idea offered by the panel members was to create programs focused on creative writing, short story writing, first-time novelists and local authors, as they are often well-attended by patrons who are aspiring writers. All in all, I found this event to be filled with practical advice on how to host an author event.