Tips for Moderating a Panel

It’s always exciting when you’re asked to moderate a panel, especially one with writers. Here are some ideas to help you with planning and facilitating:

Planning

• Once you have the topic, draft a list of questions. Make sure you have extras in case you have time. Be creative. Don’t has the ones that are always used.

• Not every question has to be for every panel member. Mark which ones are for which speaker and which ones are for the entire group.

• Review them with your panel and get their feedback.

• Be familiar with your panelists’ biographies and books.

• Have a quick meeting or send an email to your panel giving them the details (e.g. any pre-meetings, what to bring, and any logistics).

Moderating 101

• Make sure everyone gets a turn in the spotlight. No one should dominate the presentation. And mix up the order. You don’t always have to move left to write down the table.

• Keep time and keep the discussion flowing. (That’s when the extra questions come in handy if you have time to fill.)

• Keep order. Hopefully, everyone is a professional, but you may need to step in every once in a while to keep the discussion moving. Barb Goffman and Ramona DeFelice Long taught me about signals. Each had a signal that she told the panel about. For an example, a knock on the table indicated time was up.

• Grace Topping taught me to ask your authors to provide short biographies and as the moderator, introduce your panel. It allows you to brag on their accomplishments, and you can keep the introductions short.

• Grace also recommended that moderators shouldn’t throw out a question to the entire group without specifying who should start. It often causes an awkward silence until someone volunteers an answer.

Wrapping it up

• Always leave time for questions.

• Make sure to ask the panelists what’s next for them.

• Thank your panel, your hosts, and your audience.

• Make sure that the audience knows if there is a book signing or any other instructions they need.

What would you add to my list?

Networking for Authors

Writing is a solitary experience, and I think it’s important that we have a network of authors to help support us. Here are some ideas to help you find your crew.

• Join a writer’s group. I am so fortunate to be a part of Sisters in Crime (Guppies, Central Virginia, Chessie, and Grand Canyon Writers), International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers. My first traditionally published work was in a Sisters in Crime anthology. They provide support, ideas, training, critique groups, networking, and so many other opportunities that I wouldn’t have known about.

• My agent and my publisher have regular group Zooms to share information and marketing ideas with their authors. It’s nice to find partners for online and in-person events and collaboration opportunities.

• Volunteer. There are so many worthwhile organizations that are looking for the skills you have. If you’ve got the time, give back a little. And besides doing good for others, you get to meet new people and network.

• Look for other authors who write what you write. Reach out to see if they are interested in collaborating.

• Plan a book event and invite other authors to be on your panel or to sign with you. This provides a great opportunity for you to network with new readers.

• I am so fortunate to be a part of several group blogs through the years (where each author is responsible for blogging on a specific day). Not only do we provide feedback for each other’s posts, but we share information and ideas.

I treasure my writing friends. They are so generous with their time and advice. I encourage new (or seasoned) writers to find a crew. These are the amazing people who commiserate with you and share your celebrations.

Happy Mermaid Day!

Happy Mermaid Day! I’ve added this to the list of my holidays since I write the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Here’s a list of Mermaid Advice that I received from mystery author Jayne Ormerod. Enjoy your celebration!

• “Sea” life’s beauty.

• Avoid “pier” pressure.

• Take time to coast.

• Make waves.

• Be sure of yourself.

• Don’t be “shellfish.”

• Seize the day.
  

What Have You Done Lately for Your Author Journey?

Every year, I help my team write their annual goals, and a big component of this is their developmental work. I work in IT, and technology and best practices are constantly changing. As an author, you need to continue your learning experiences to stay current with trends and to hone your skills. Here are some ideas:

• Take a class. Many libraries, writing organizations, and other organizations sponsor courses that appeal to writers. There are also thousands of YouTube videos that will show you how to do all kinds of things.

• Learn a new technology that will help you with your marketing (editing videos, creating memes, putting together a newsletter…).

• Learn how to use a social media platform that you haven’t joined yet.

• Attend a workshop or an author panel. There are so many available in-person and online.

• Attend a conference.

• Find the SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) online. Many have websites, tutorials, podcasts, and newsletters.

• Check out your local library’s website and look at all the programming and opportunities they offer.

• Many alumni associations, neighborhood associations, and civic groups offer programs for their members.

• Visit your local bookstores and check out their program calendars.

What else would you add to my list?

What's Your Author Brand?

What is your author brand?

Branding helps readers identify you as an author and sets expectations for your readers. It helps you create a visual identity. Your colors, fonts, photos, graphics, and logo need to match your writing style and your genre.

My first traditionally published piece was a short story in an anthology that had a red and black cover, so I matched my graphics to that color palette. I talked to a publicist years later, and she asked why my sites looked dark because my writing style is light and humorous. Now, I use pastels. If you need help, Google color wheel. There are tons of them out there. It helps you choose complimentary colors.

Things you need:

• Know who your audience is. It’s not everyone who reads. You need to figure out who reads what you write.

  • Look at authors who write you like you. Who follows them? Who reviews their books?

  • Look at your website and social media metrics. These can help you narrow down age groups, countries of origin, and genders of your followers and visitors.

• Know who else is writing in your genre. Check out their websites.

• A logo - This helps readers identify your social sites, newsletter, blog, and website. It needs to match your style of writing and your colors.

• A tagline - This is a short statement that describes your writing.

  • Mine is Mysteries with a Southern Accent.

• A professional photograph - You need a professional photo (no selfies). That was one of my first investments. Your readers need to be able to know that they’ve found the sites of an author.

What else would you add to my list?

Happy National Proofreading Day!

Happy National Proofreading Day! I believe that the editing/revising stage of your writing is the most important part of your writing process. You often have one chance when you’re querying, and you need your manuscript to be the best it can be.

Here are some proofreading tips that can help.

• Print out your document and proofread it on paper.

• Use your word processor’s read-aloud functionality to listen to your manuscript. You will often hear misused words (e.g. then for than) that you may miss reading.

• Make sure you spellcheck your document after ever editing session to catch any gremlins that slipped in.

• Check for missing punctuation, especially quotation marks.

• Make a list of your overused words. We all have them. Then use the search feature to find them. You will be shocked at how many times you used some words/expressions.

• Find a writing partner who will swap manuscripts with you for proofreading. It helps to have another set of eyes on it.

What would you add to my list?

What I Learned about Character Development from Vicki Delany

Recently, I attended the Sisters in Crime - Grand Canyon Writers’ presentation featuring the fabulous Vicki Delany on Character Development. If you haven’t checked out her multiple series yet, you need to add them to your to be read pile. (She also writes as Eva Gates). Here is some of her great advice.

• A series is a chance for characters to grow. When you start, you’re in the head of a new character for the first time, and it takes time to learn about him/her. You don’t always have this luxury in a stand-alone novel.

• Trust yourself as a writer.

• Read all the time. Curiosity and reading are important for writers.

• In many cozy mysteries, authors introduce a lot of characters at once. This can be tricky. Make sure that the characters’ names don’t look or sound alike. You don’t want to confuse readers.

• In fiction, writers often drop or call out names in conversation more than what happens in real life. This is often done to make it clear to the reader who is talking.

• Be careful if you write dialogue with an accent. It can easily be overdone.

• Names are a strong indicator of age. Use online baby name lists from specific years to see what names were popular during an era.

• If your sleuth has friends or sidekicks, their likes and personalities should be different. They should complement the traits of your protagonist.

• In mysteries, sidekicks give the sleuth someone to talk through the case with, and while they don’t solve the crime, they often offer suggestions that puts the protagonist on the right path.

• A sidekick also offers the author a way to break up internal dialogue of the main character.

What I've Learned Recently about Book Marketing

I’ve attended some Sisters in Crime chapter presentations recently, and I’m loving that I can experience speakers and workshops from all over the country. Here’s what I’ve learned recently about book marketing from Chessie, Grand Canyon Writers, and Central Virginia chapters.

From Brian Paone’s session on effective marketing, I learned:

• You cannot wait for readers or sales to come to you.

• If you decide to write in a new genre, be prepared that it will be almost like starting over with your marketing and platform-building.

• Your website, headshot, and social sites need to look professional. You also need to look professional on virtual calls and in-person events.

• For in-person events where you have an author table, you need to make it unique and attractive. You want people to approach you. Make sure to take a look at how your table looks to the audience before the doors open. Make sure that all book covers face the audience (and not you).

• Have a good elevator pitch about your book(s). You need to practice this and be ready, but you don’t want it to sound too rehearsed.

• When you are at in-person events, stand as much as possible. Stay off your phone and smile. You want to be approachable.

• When someone approaches your table, be the first to speak. At in-person events, readers want to connect with authors. Be conversational.

Nicolette Lemmon had some very helpful advice. You also need to check out her book for writers at any stage. It’s called Write. Market. Succeed. An Author’s Marketing Playbook.

• Know where your readers are. Know what social media platforms they prefer.

• If you are trying to figure out who your reader is, go on social media and find authors that are similar to you. Look at what they are doing and look at their reviews. You’ll get an idea of what their fans like.

• Start your marketing plans BEFORE your book is out.

• You have about 8 seconds to get someone’s attention on social media.

• You have about 30 seconds when you talk to someone about your book to get your key points across. Make sure you have a short elevator speech ready to go.

• Your audience has to see your message 7 times before they remember and recognize you/your work.

• Make sure you stay visible on your website and social media.

• Your website is your online office. Make sure that you update it regularly.

• Google yourself to see what comes up.

• Pay attention to your writing business.