Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig

The book club meeting went really well yesterday—there was a great group in attendance and the museum where we were meeting was a great facility.

The format was for me to give a talk to the group first, followed by a Q&A section.

I always like to be really well-prepared when I give a talk—well, actually, I just like to be well-prepared for everything. In the past, this has meant that I put everything on note cards. While I didn’t read off the note cards (because that would be incredibly boring for everyone in attendance), I’ve always memorized my cards.

This time I used a great tip that I came across recently (and I wish I remembered where I read it.) This time I still had my paper with me, but I had a list of questions on it. Questions that I, of course, knew the answers to.

If you ask a list of questions, then answer them, your speech will sound more natural and relaxed. And—you still have a paper to go off of in case you lose your way.

So instead of note cards that detail what I’m going to say, my paper would say:

When did you start writing books?
Why did you choose mysteries to write?
How did you find your first publisher?
When is your next release?

That kind of thing. It worked out really well because I stayed on track but sounded more casual because my speech was less-rehearsed.

Have you got any public speaking tips? I’m always looking for new ways to improve because public speaking definitely doesn’t come naturally to me. :)

I have to admit that I enjoy reading author acknowledgments.

These days, a book is really a collaborative effort between a lot of different people operating behind the scenes. At least, these folks are behind the scenes until they’re put on the acknowledgments page of a book. :)

These pages were really useful for me when I was researching publishers and agents—because agents and editors are always thanked (or should be) by published writers.

Now I think they’re just fun to read. For me, they’re a window into the writer’s world and the people who are part of it. Plus, it’s usually the only personal note directly from the author. For that reason, I’ve always enjoyed reading them.

The acknowledgments can be tricky for me. I want to make sure I haven’t left anyone out, but I also don’t want to go on and on as if the page was an Academy Award speech.

There’s usually a little list I try to go through in my head to make sure I haven’t left anyone out:

Agent
Editor
Agent assistant or Editorial assistants or copy editors (anyone I know by name)
Anyone who helped with research/sources
Family who put up with me while I was writing. :)
First readers
Writing mentors
People (teachers, etc.) who provided encouragement or support

Do you read the acknowledgments in books? Can you think of any other people who should be included in a list of whom to thank?

I’ve been absolutely slammed with activity the last couple of weeks and it doesn’t look like it’s letting up until maybe another week down the road.

I was running errands on Monday when I remembered my son had asked me to pick up some nonfiction books for a paper he’s writing on typhoid and the American Civil War, so I made a detour into the library.

I pulled out a bunch of books and was about to check them out and scurry off again for more errands when I noticed how peaceful the library was. It was about 11:00 in the morning and there were only adults quietly reading or researching on the second floor of the Morrison Library. I pulled out my notebook from my pocketbook and took a seat.

And just like that (and I’m not a sentimental person) but the craziness of the past week melted away and I felt complete joy.

The funny thing is that I can’t really explain why writing is so enjoyable. It’s almost like I’m a kid again—pretending. That was fun, too. Except that, as a grown-up, you can’t actively go around making things up and pretending….unless you’re a writer. Then it’s allowed—and encouraged.

Sometimes, the writing isn’t as fun. Sometimes the deadlines and the promo and the worry over the story make me forget the fun. Sometimes writing is tedious. Sometimes I’m scared to death that the ideas won’t come as obligingly as they always have. Sometimes I look at my publishing contracts and think that I’m just a business person after all, and not a creative person.

To forget the bad parts, when I feel that surge of—well, it’s almost an endorphin rush of elation, I remember it. I hold onto it. Ultimately, the reason I keep on writing is my love of writing. The left-brained part of the equation is a more calculated plan involving the readers and what the readers would enjoy reading. That’s important, too. But it’s my love of writing that keeps me going.

The headlines have been rough lately for writers—bookstores closing, confusing choices to make, a changing future for books. What I keep going back to is the writing itself.

Because even a bad day writing is better than a good day spent doing most other things.

What keeps you writing?

In a couple of days, I’m speaking to a book club about my book, Pretty is as Pretty Dies.

It’s been a bit of a busy week with field trips, birthday parties, and other activities. So now I’m trying to make sure I’m ready to talk to the book club.

For me, it’s all about preparation whenever I’m speaking in public. If I’m not prepared or don’t feel like I’m prepared, I’ll definitely get flustered.

There are usually two different types of book clubs that I’ve come across. One type is very casual and you sit in a circle with the other members and engage in the general discussion. The other type is more structured—you’d give a talk about the book or writing or both, followed by a question and answer session.

It’s good to know what to expect before you go. This sounds like a no-brainer, but I’ve been surprised before by groups that functioned as covered-dish suppers/book clubs and felt like I should have brought something (although I was assured I didn’t need to.) You might want to ask if you should prepare a talk (and on what subject), or if it will be a more laid-back program.

I never charge a book club for an appearance—to me, it’s enough that they’ve bought my book. But I usually have to regret if the club meeting is too far away…travel expenses have definitely gone up.

I bring small things to give away—bookmarks, magnets, postcards, pencils, etc., Candy is always popular. :) Sometimes I’ll bring something larger–a door-prize type gift that I pull out of a hat.

If you have a newsletter, you could bring a signup sheet to collect emails to notify readers of your upcoming releases, etc. Be sure you’re being upfront that the list is for a newsletter…and that they can unsubscribe whenever they’d like.

Carry the address of the venue with you and the organizer’s cell phone number. Frequently the club meetings are in someone’s house and it’s easy to get lost. I’ll program the address in my GPS, but I have a backup on paper—and I keep the organizer’s cell phone number close by, just in case.

Look nice. I usually am dressed nicer than everyone else, but it makes me feel better than being underdressed. And if I dress well, the book club members know that I treated their meeting like a special event and dressed accordingly.

Review your book before you go. Or your cheat sheet on the book. I have a Word document that covers characters and plot twists in great detail. It’s easy for me to forget things, especially when I’m under a little pressure. And the book club will have just read the book. It’s not good for them to know more about the book than we do!

The questions I get from book clubs are different from the questions I get from writers. (I receive more questions about the book’s characters—are they based on real people? What do those people think of my books? etc). I’m prepared to talk more in depth about my characters and their motivations. I’m also prepared to talk about small plot points in the book.

The book club might find hidden meaning in your book…that you didn’t intend. I usually just smile and nod when this happens. :) Who knows—maybe I subconsciously included symbolism?

People may challenge you on your book. I think this has happened at every book club meeting I’ve ever been to. If you’re speaking to a big group (15-20 people or more), then you really need to expect some criticism from someone.

Someone may not like a character or might find a continuity error or could disagree with a position they think you’re taking in the book. I just roll with it and don’t take it personally. Remind yourself going in that you’re not there to get defensive about your book…you’re discussing it. Most times everyone is very nice, even if they’re bringing up a point they didn’t like or a problem they had. The more professionally we can handle this kind of situation, the better we look in the end.

They will ask what you’re working on next. Practice a succinct summary. If you’re writing the first part of your draft or would rather not talk about your book, you could just briefly answer that you’re working on a follow-up to the book they read, or that you’re working on a new project that’s very different from the one they just finished.

Bring extra books. If you have other books, bring them, too. Sometimes, book club members will ask you to sign a book for them to give as a gift. You’ll also need to bring ones, in case you need to make change.

I enjoy book clubs because they’re frequently the only times I get to meet with readers in person (conferences are mainly made up of writers). Have you talked to book clubs before? Got any additional tips?

*************************

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

On Saturday, my son had a paintball party for his 14th birthday. The paintball fields were run by a company in a rural area about 45 minutes from Charlotte.

While we were out there, there was another group playing simultaneously—a group of 12 year old girls from a private school in the Charlotte area.

One of the girls from the other group had a problem with her paintball gun and handed it to the referee, an employee for the paintball company.

He fiddled with it for a while, then called her over. What he said (and the cigarette dangling out of his mouth didn’t help, either) sounded like this: “It ain’t dooin’ it no moah.”

“Excuse me?” the 12 year old private school girl asked.

He repeated it.

“I’m sorry…could you say that again?” I could tell she was listening very, very hard now.

He repeated it. The same way without trying a different approach.

“I’m sorry?” She looked at me for help translating.

“It’s fixed,” I said.

I don’t know if it was the double-negative, the ain’t, the poor grammar, his very thick Southern accent, or the cigarette, but she couldn’t understand a word the young man said.

The fact that she had to work that hard and still couldn’t figure out what he was saying perfectly illustrates my reasoning for not writing (much) Southern dialect in my very Southern books.

I think it’s best to go light on dialect and instead try using phrases, idioms, and word choices that locals of an area would use. For me, I’d rather stick with the rhythm of Southern speech (it has a definite lilt and pattern) than take a stab at phonetic spelling (which would be really tiresome for a reader.)

Yes, Southerners drop consonants like crazy. A Southern drawl can string out a short word into an 8 syllable one.

It would get old to read. And pulls the reader out of the story.

Why use dialect when there are so many other ways to convey the feel of a region?

Better to use vocabulary choices that Southerners would use: pocketbook instead of purse, tote instead of carry, buggy instead of cart, cut off instead of turn off.

Better to just say that a character speaks in a thick accent and show other characters struggling to understand them.

Better to include Southern foods and drinks to convey a sense of the South: grits, gravy, biscuits, barbeque, sweet tea, bourbon.

Better to show the slower pace of the South by writing about characters on screened porches in rocking chairs.

Better to detail unusual or interesting Southern customs surrounding funerals, family gatherings, and other special occasions.

Do you have trouble reading dialect? How do you convey a sense of your region in your writing?