It's no secret that I enjoy meeting people and that I have several personal appearances lined up for this summer anf fall. I'm not shy so getting out and meeting new people is a real thrill for me but for some people it's a terrifying experience. I was chatting with a group of friends and co-authors when the subject of public speaking came up and it surprised me to learn that a lot of them hated doing readings and signings becuase it made them so nervous to be in front of a group of people. That shocked the hell out of me. I've always loved to write but I started out in this business as a voracious reader and i remember being on the opposite side of that signing table quite clearly, speechless as I'd hand over a book to one of my favorite authors to sign. I could barely speak my name( and my close friends know I don't shut up easily) For me it is an honor to find myself on the signing side, knowing people have come to see me or talk to me or buy a book or two. It can be a bit daunting but it's also a very special feeling that i wouldn't trade away for the world. Here's my question though. Do you think personal appearances can make or break an author? if someone is very shy can it ruin the experience for the readers? What about a bad reading. I know I have been to readings where the author sounded so bad I couldn't wait to leave the room and I know I didn't stop afterwards to buy a book or ask any questions. How do you know if your reading sounds good? Would your friends tell you truthfully if you sounded awful? I got a lot of pointers after my reading at GCLS and I wanted to thank everyone for their honesty and support. Apparently my country accent gets really deep when I get a bit nervous. Getting up in front of the crowd isn't what scared me but being scheduled to read alongside some of my favorite authors that I've been reading for ages, like Susan Meagher, definitely started a swarm of butterfiles in my belly. LOL
Beth
www.bethwylde.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde
b.wylde@yahoo.com
1 comment:
This is a great subject Beth. I don't think that I would fault an author for not being more public but probably would not like to hear and awful reading. I'm glad you got some pointers.
For me, and I know this sounds crazy, but I write a lot of words that I don't say. I have no problem writing them down on paper but reading them out loud? I don't know that I could do it. Guess I'd better start practicing or something!
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