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This is Elizabeth Stark in the Book Writing World. Welcome to the Final Week of this Book Writing World Term.
On the last week of every term, on the conference, we do a reading, and the amazing, imaginative, compelling storyteller who present . . . are YOU!
It’s great practice to introduce, summarize and honor your own writing with a respectful and vital reading. After all, whether it’s in a hologram, on an iPad screen or for a podcast or audio book, authors will probably continue to read their work as a way to promote it for a long time to come.
A few notes about reading your work.
Introduce your draft/ reading portion as you would a friend at a cocktail party. You would not say, This is my friend Jane. She runs chronically late and when we’ve shared a hotel room, she always snores. Plus, she stands in the grocery store reading those trashy magazines and holding up the lines. And I think she lies sometimes. Polite little lies, but it’s a slippery slope. Did I mention she doesn’t always wash her hands after she goes to the bathroom? I’m pretty sure . . .
Politely introduce your friend, with warmth and respect! The kind of intimacy you’re developing with your book project can lead to some problems remembering why you fell in love in the first place. Work to keep the magic alive. Show off your book with pride. Throw in a compliment or two. It never hurts . . .
Use your pitch. Get really good at saying what your book is about in one intriguing sentence. Practice, practice, practice. Practice your introduction. What do your readers need to know to understand the section you are about to read? What else do you want to say (with extreme brevity and ease) to intrigue and engage your audience? Try it out at home, in the mirror. In front of your cat. Time it to make sure it really is five minutes–and not just when you are reading faster than a speeding bullet. Slow it down. Take your time. Practice reading it slowly and clearly and well. And then bring it to the call. This is your time to shine.