Plan and Run a Successful Online Book Event
Plan and Run a Successful Online Book Event
By Julie Tollefson
We all miss in-person book events, but online substitutes done right can not only fill our need for community but also provide a path for authors to reach new readers in the comfort of their own homes. Jessica Laine, in partnership with Devin Abraham of Once Upon a Crime bookstore in Minneapolis, founded and hosts a series of successful online events that do all of the above, while simultaneously shining a light on authors who aren’t typically represented during book events, especially crime writers of color, LGBTQIA+, and other diverse voices. Shelley Kubitz Mahannah, who writes as Michelle Kubitz, has joined their virtual team. Here, Shelley offers five tips for preparing for and running an entertaining, informative, and fun event.
1) Partner up — Reach out to local booksellers to see whether they’re interested in co-sponsoring an online book event. Not only do they have the knowledge and connections to help you succeed, they come with a built-in audience of loyal customers.
“Everywhere in the Midwest — everywhere — there are these wonderful indie bookstores who are true champions of authors and also true champions of readers. They exist to get books in the hands of people who will enjoy them,” Shelley says. “We’ve featured everything from cozies to thrillers. It’s broadening my horizons not only as a reader but also as a writer.”
2) Do your homework — Shelley has known a couple of the authors featured in the Once Upon a Crime events personally, but for most, she’s hit the books to compile entertaining and informational bios, gather interesting anecdotes, and prepare a list of questions personalized for each author.
“You call it prep. I call it 'Hello? I get to do this volunteer gig?'” she says.
Her first step is to read the author’s books.
“We try to pick authors who specifically have a book coming out prior to or right after the event. I try to read the new releases of all the people we are featuring,” Shelley says.
Often, Jessica and Shelley get advance reader copies of the author’s new release through Devin at Once Upon a Crime or from the author or their publicist. Sometimes, organizers purchase the books or request review copies through places like NetGalley.
Their next step is to stalk…er, research the author online. An author’s social media accounts are a fabulous source of inspiration for unique-to-them questions. When Shelley saw someone had sent Rachel Howzell Hall a cake made entirely of different kinds of cheese, for example, she knew cheese had to figure in her interview.
Book bloggers and forums where reviewers are committed to reviewing new releases are also terrific sources of information. Read interviews with the author and reviews of their work to get a good idea of who the author is and what they hoped to achieve in their new release. Shelley recommends bloggers such as Kristopher Zgorski’s BOLO Books or Dru Ann Love’s dru’s book musings.
3) Set your guests at ease — For Once Upon a Crime events, organizers give authors all the information they need to feel comfortable and confident. Each author receives a schedule, outlining what time to expect they’ll be on-air and how it will feel on their end.
Appearances generally involve an introduction, a couple of minutes for the author to read a selection from their work, and a brief question-and-answer session. Jessica and Shelley prep the authors ahead of time, letting them know what questions they plan to ask so the authors can be ready to present their best selves to the audience.
“I want this to be enjoyable. This isn’t a Sunday morning news show,” Shelley says. “I want the authors to feel comfortable. I want the audience to have a good time and be entertained. And the legwork that we do on the other side of the computer screen is what makes it look good.”
4) Have a backup plan — No matter how thorough you’ve been, make sure at least one other person knows the ins and outs of your plan. If you partner with a bookstore, the bookseller who already has deep knowledge of the books and the authors is the perfect person to step in if plans go awry. Jessica and Shelley work closely with Devin throughout the weeks leading up to the event and copy each other on all correspondence with the authors, so everyone is equally prepared.
Still, “shenanigans are going to happen,” Shelley says. And in the online world, technology is frequently to blame. “Even though we’ve been doing Zoom and Crowdcast and Google Meet — for how long? — I have never been part of an event that hasn’t gone sideways.”
But practice and preparedness help. Jessica has developed a fact sheet for Once Upon A Crime events that outlines what participants should expect, which browser works best with Crowdcast, and the answers to other frequently asked questions. Participants run through a technology check before they go live.
On a few occasions, technical hiccups have meant the hosts have had to fill airtime with small talk until the problems can be resolved. In those cases, Shelley relies on her author research — chatting about a recipe in the back of an author’s book or asking a question related to the author’s social media post — to keep the conversation flowing.
5) Invest in the right tools — Technology doesn’t have to cost a lot, but good lighting, decent headphones, and a quality microphone all make the online-event experience more enjoyable for both the authors and the audience.
If you’re an author who will be featured during one of these events, use the quirks of presenting online to your advantage.
“You can tell which of the authors have done a lot of these because their backgrounds are just perfection,” Shelley says. One easy way to up your background game is to strategically place a copy of your book over your shoulder where everyone watching will see.
Bonus! Learn from others — Take a look at what works for others as you plan your event. One of the delights of virtual events is that many of them live online permanently. Once Upon a Crime’s virtual events are archived on its Crowdcast channel. Other bookstores and event organizers have similar archives.
See how the Once Upon a Crime crew’s preparation pays off when the bookstore hosts its next author event at 6 p.m. Central on February 24. Register here. This event will feature Stephanie Barron, Rob Osler, S.J. Rozan, and Wayne Johnson.