My good friend Carol Hoenig, whom I interviewed on this call, was a national events coordinator for one of America’s largest book chains (Border’s) for many years and she is the author of the award-winning novel Without Grace, which she propelled to success through her own efforts as an independently published author. She is a writers’ conference committee member for The New York Center for Independent Publishing, as well as a member of the advisory council. She is also a full-time freelance writer and publishing consultant. Her latest book is THE AUTHOR’S GUIDE TO PLANNING BOOK EVENTS: TIPS AND TOOLS FOR BOOKSELLING SUCCESS.
If you’ve been on any of my publishing industry calls in the last couple of years or have regularly read my newsletter, then you know that I believe strongly in author empowerment. Yes, there are greater opportunities for self-published authors today, and greater opportunities for ALL authors to promote themselves with or without the assistance of their publishers than ever before. But we need help!
Through my work with authors as an editor and publishing consultant, I always encourage writers to learn practical skills of publicity and the mechanics of the publishing business. Planning the type of kick-ass author events where you not only bring people into a venue to hear you, but you also translate those bodies into book sales is a MUST.
How do we do that? As the coauthor and ghostwriter of 18 published books, I can attest that it’s not always as easy as you might think at first glance. You need some savvy and you need some chutzpah to make these events a success. I asked myself: “Where can we go to get the insider’s view on this monumentally significant subject?” and came up with the brilliant answer: Carol Hoenig!
Carol’s expertise is well known in the industry… recently we found out that her event planning guidebook was named a finalist by USA Book News in the category of Business/Writing/Publishing.
Writing a book requires skill and talent, but reaching and captivating an audience in person is another skill altogether—one that does not necessarily come naturally to many authors. That’s why I am so thrilled that I persuaded Carol to enlighten us with the wisdom of her experience.
She has worked with literally hundreds of successful authors and book publicists, and she shared the best of their stories as well as hers during our interview.
She has worked locally and nationally.
She has booked signings for authors who were just getting started and for those who were household names and had already done many events. She held an event for Suze Orman before she went on national television. And she handled signings for Jimmy Carter twice.
“Anyone who has a book will benefit from reading Carol’s instructional guide on how to promote it.”
–Agapi Stassinopoulos, author of Conversations with the Goddesses and Gods and Goddesses in Love |
During our 90-minute call, I asked Carol all sorts of burning questions from the listeners about book event planning, like:
- I’m a first-time author, are book signings appropriate for me?
- There seem to be so many ways to go, where do I start?
We also covered:
- How to find and choose the perfect venue
- Why nontraditional venue functions can be much more lucrative than traditional events at a local bookstore
- Important materials and approaches to book a venue
- Step-by-step instructions for planning, organizing—and enjoying—publication and book-signing events
- Using a publicist vs. not-using a publicist
AND:
- How to bring a crowd together
- Ways to save time and money
- Avoiding the five worst mistakes you could make
- Clever tips for setting up on site
- Getting your audience to buy the book…
- And recommend it to their friends
- Much, much more!
“Carol is the perfect mix of what you look for in an event planner: she is knowledgeable, accessible, and attentive. She knows her audience as well as the resources at her command; shake (not stir) liberally with some outside-the-box thinking, and you have the makings for a near-perfect event.”
–Kim and Danny Alderman, authors of Africa Calling and How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck? |
If you are a self-published author, or an author with a mainstream publisher who understands the vital importance of taking publicity matters into your own hands, then you absolutely MUST hear this program. This audio is only $40 for a full 90 minutes jam-packed with information! AND you also get TWO BONUS GIFTS!
- Everyone who purchases the program will receive BONUS GIFT #1, an interview I did with John Basil, my coauthor of WILL POWER: HOW TO ACT SHAKESPEARE IN 21 DAYS, in which we talk about the power of persuasive rhetoric for speakers and writers.
- Plus, BONUS GIFT #2, yet another recorded interview, this time with Brian Feinblum, Chief Marketing Officer of Planned Television Arts, on effective publicity plans, “HOW TO GET YOUR BOOK JUMPING OFF THE SHELVES!”
So, if you’ve got a book on the way or one on the shelves already, do not hesitate one more minute. Purchase this program and set your first book events in motion IMMEDIATELY.
Writers are my heroes! It takes such a leap of courage to put your ideas out in the world. Let’s find a way to get those ideas read. I am on your side.
Truly, I can’t wait for you to meet my friend Carol Hoenig, and take this powerful step to MATERIALIZE YOUR DREAMS.
See you in the bookstores.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Gunning,
“The Publishing Insider”
