The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events: Tips and Tools for Bookselling Success [Paperback]

Carol Hoenig (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

“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 Adlerman, authors of Africa Calling and How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck?

Writing a book requires technique and skill, but reaching and captivating an audience is another skill altogether—one that does not come naturally to most authors. In The Author’s Guide to Planning Book Events, award-winning author and accomplished book-event coordinator Carol Hoenig provides the know-how to show authors how to

• Find and choose the perfect venue
• Plan an event for optimum results
• Build on each success to reach more readers

Hoenig has worked with hundreds of successful authors and book publicists and shares the best of her stories and theirs. She explains why nontraditional venue functions can be much more lucrative than traditional events at a local bookstore. And she provides step-by-step instructions for planning, organizing—and enjoying—publication and book-signing events. The result is a must-have resource for every author’s bookshelf.

About the Author

Carol Hoenig was a national event specialist for one of America’s largest book chains for many years and is the author of the award-winning novel Without Grace. She is a writers' conference committee member, as well as a member of the advisory council for The New York Center for Independent Publishing. She is a full-time freelance writer and publishing consultant.

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse Star (July 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583484760
• ISBN-13: 978-1583484760
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,006,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You must promote your book!!, November 11, 2007

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events: Tips and Tools for Bookselling Success (Paperback)

Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (11/07)

Carol Hoenig's "The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events" is an excellent guide to the author about to be published, and seasoned authors may also find some good ideas for their own book events.

Hoenig makes it very clear in the book that an author cannot sell books unless the author is willing to promote the books. She cites many authors who are willing to sit behind a desk and quietly sign books, but she makes it clear that book signings are often not effective. Authors must entertain their audiences by having book events. As an author myself, I have found that even a book signing is going to require some public speaking skill. People will approach you and ask what your book is about, and you must be able to describe your book in a couple of sentences that grab their attention or they will walk off without buying. Hoenig tells authors not to sit behind the table but stand and talk to passers-by. She also suggests doing creative activities like bringing holiday paper and wrapping books for customers at the holiday season.

Hoenig is an excellent source for information about book events, not only because she is an author and can tell us what worked and did not work for her, but more importantly, she is the former owner of a bookstore where she had many authors come to sign books and give presentations. She has worked with everyone from bestselling authors and publishers to unknown and up-and-coming authors, and she provides many examples of what works and does not work.

The real strength of Hoenig's book is she makes it clear YOU MUST DO EVENTS if you want to sell books. She understands many writers are shy, so she makes suggestions to help them, such as finding other writer friends to interview you before an audience, or doing events with other authors, so you are not by yourself. She also suggests linking up with artists or musicians to cross promote the arts and provide your self with a new audience.

The only aspect where I wish Hoenig suggested more was in addressing authors' shyness. She provided many suggestions for book events, but I felt she needed to spend more time helping authors improve their public-speaking skills, such as providing more examples of successful speeches and ways to describe your book to make it interesting and ways to overcome shyness. She needed to address how authors can overcome shyness and improve their public persona and public-speaking skills. I am surprised she did not recommend authors go to Toastmasters or similar groups for public speaking.

Overall, I would recommend "The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events" to other authors, especially new authors. Then I would suggest they find a way to practice the activities Hoenig suggests and to get friends to come to their events and give them feedback on what was and was not successful. The bottom line: to sell books, YOU MUST DO BOOK EVENTS! And you must also figure out how to do them well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Promotion For Authors--Eyes Wide Open, August 22, 2007

By	PJ Campbell "PJC" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events: Tips and Tools for Bookselling Success (Paperback)

Carol Hoenig is no stranger to the promotion of books. Having worked for one of the largest book retailers in the world and now an award-winning author, herself she speaks from experience in the world of author events.
In her newest book, The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events: Tips and Tools for Bookselling Success, she opens her vault to reveal tried, true and new techniques for putting an author's book in front of the readers who want to know and be in-the-know.
Written in an open and inviting voice, Hoenig puts the new authors'questions to rest and for the repeat authors, she offers up-to-date methods of self-promotion that will be a sell-out of every book at your event.
As an industry professional, I highly recommend every author to purchase a copy of this timely and valuable companion to self-promotion.
PJC

5.0 out of 5 stars Planning Book Events= Real Success, June 14, 2010

By	Carin Froehlich (Bucks County, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events: Tips and Tools for Bookselling Success (Paperback)

I am a first time writer and profess to having stacks of self-publishing books.Author's Guide to Planning is unigue,and truly stands out from the rest. Hoenig "thinks outside the box" which is imperative in today's marketing. Her methods for marketing are refreshing,easy to accomplish.My whole marketing plan changed after reading this book!
Hard work on our part as a writer, has always been part of the deal,but with Hoenig's suggestions,it means real success!