Comments on authonomy Blog | authonomy writing community: A Night of Words and Music

I haven't been here very much lately. I spent ...

2010-09-08T12:29:21.996+01:00

I haven't been here very much lately. I spent a year on Autho and sort of fizzled out a bit. So it's nice to see that it's still a friendly place.

you are right there,. gigs are just for musicians ...

2010-08-19T10:55:51.226+01:00

you are right there,. gigs are just for musicians and singers but not for writers. singers do the tasks in singing the song the writers does for it to be famous. that's how it works.

nice post.

2010-07-19T12:28:28.971+01:00

nice post.

You think that wasn't written with a little tw...

2009-12-22T23:01:19.808Z

You think that wasn't written with a little twinkle ;)

It's interesting, actually - I'm sure Stephen is having a larf, but some people have asked to join up. It never really occurred that might happen. Partly because back in January I mooted a mass collective and was met with stony silence. Partly because, well, I don't know, really. Just never occurred! One thing about

Spoken like a true publisher, Dan! (ha ha... sorr...

2009-12-22T20:31:58.507Z

Spoken like a true publisher, Dan!

(ha ha... sorry, couldn't resist)

Oliver, yes, it has to be embarrassing - at the ri...

2009-12-19T23:43:32.179Z

Oliver, yes, it has to be embarrassing - at the risk of coming across like an actOR, you have to lay yourself totally open to get the most out of it - and to give the most to the audience. But it's worth it!

Stephen - :) Unfortunately we are running at capacity at the moment:)

This year I did three readings, had six signings, ...

2009-12-16T20:18:28.304Z

This year I did three readings, had six signings, and all of them were terrifying. Nothing I couldn't get over of course, but I was surprised at how nervous I was. The only reason for my surprise is because I am no stranger to performing for strangers. I did speech and debate in high school and all through college, becoming a national champion in multiple events. I also performed in musicals,

Totally inspirational Dan - Year Zero seems to me ...

2009-12-14T18:42:59.374Z

Totally inspirational Dan - Year Zero seems to me to be like the Factory Records of the writer's world! I want in - how do I join the collective?

It's largely up to the author to generate the ...

2009-12-11T12:44:25.223Z

It's largely up to the author to generate the events and that's fine. Readers want to attend the book readings to meet the author, to get to know and like that person. They already like the book or they wouldn't be attending. Barbara Silkstone

Thank you, Authonomy! My biggest worry would be t...

2009-12-11T10:48:37.976Z

Thank you, Authonomy!

My biggest worry would be that I would say "I want to put on this gig and that gig and I want to arrange the venue and the bands and the publicity for it" and the publisher would say, "hold on a minute, you're only doimg talks at Waterstone's, and we'll produce the promotional material". Or worse still, they'd say "not sure

Unsurprisingly, there’s no simple answer to this. ...

2009-12-11T10:16:57.275Z

Unsurprisingly, there’s no simple answer to this. The amount/type of publicity a book receives is completely dependant on who the author is, what kind of person she/he is, what his/her circumstances are (maybe has a full time job on top of being an author and therefore not able to take time off for lots of events); what the book’s like, what other books are being published at the same time and

Hi Ruth - I'd love to hear from Authonomy/HC (...

2009-12-11T09:48:02.265Z

Hi Ruth - I'd love to hear from Authonomy/HC (HELLO HARPER COLLINS!!) on this - I honestly don't know how much control a writer would have over their publicity events if they were signed to a publisher - it's one of the reasons I'm no longer seeking representation. 50% of my day job is events management; I also do music journalism; and am, er, I belive the polite phrase is a "

You should try to create a party atmosphere around...

2009-12-10T23:05:44.110Z

You should try to create a party atmosphere around a book reading. Give it a theme. Don't just sit behind a desk and read. Get up, walk around, be dramatic, be funny, whatever fits you and your book. Make it an EVENT not merely a book reading. With love & laughter, Barbara Silkstone

I've never heard of mixing book readings with ...

2009-12-10T21:05:51.227Z

I've never heard of mixing book readings with music and belly dancers. How brilliant! I've gone on three lonely book tours, sometimes with only three or four people showing. Soooo depressing. Why didn't my publishers think of planning an event? Food, music, entertainment, and oh, yeah, some writer is going to read from his book. Thanks for the idea.

Thank you, Miranda. I hope your music is as succes...

2009-12-09T14:32:09.866Z

Thank you, Miranda. I hope your music is as successful for you as your writing :) And thank you so very much for getting involved. There will certainly be a next year :)

Congratulations Dan! Free e-day is a totally bril...

2009-12-09T13:16:58.173Z

Congratulations Dan!

Free e-day is a totally brilliant idea and I was honoured to be involved. Hopefully I can do the same next year!

I love the idea of writers 'gigging'... As a musician myself I know how cool it is to share your work with a live audience - scary but incredibly rewarding.

Here's hoping for lots more of this and huge congratulations

Cara, that's a great point - and getting peopl...

2009-12-09T09:00:45.518Z

Cara, that's a great point - and getting people to read aloud must be an even better focus than listening?

Barbara - good point - one needs to keep an audience engaged, and simply sitting behind a desk with one's nose in one's books reading aloud for half an hour isn't always going to do that.

Dan, I have found there is no greater high than li...

2009-12-08T23:11:28.757Z

Dan, I have found there is no greater high than live book readings. I performed 18 readings last year and loved every minute of it. This is what most writers long for, positive feedback from their audience. I recommend talking directly to the gathering and limiting the reading, it works magic. Barbara Silkstone, author of 527 Naked Men & One Woman - The Adventures of a Love Investigator and

I think live readings are great! I teach reading t...

2009-12-08T23:09:12.906Z

I think live readings are great! I teach reading to adults and students say that sometimes they are not sure how to pronounce a word or without sound they struggle to stay focused. Listening to someone read allows them to follow along if they like to discover proper ways of speaking words, and those with ADD can stay focused!

Anne, at the risk of this sounding like a back-sla...

2009-12-08T15:11:11.448Z

Anne, at the risk of this sounding like a back-slapping exercise, when I was new to Authonomy and it all felt rather bewildering and scary, your kindness and helpfulness with my terrible pitch was one of the things that made me feel so welcome and at home.

Can I just very seriously say, 'Go Dan!':-...

2009-12-08T14:33:15.979Z

Can I just very seriously say, 'Go Dan!':-)

As one of the people who listened to you read at the first gig in Oxford (and part of Year Zero), I can say that you're a wonderful, remarkable writer and an awesome reader too. SKIN BOOK is fascinating.

I haven't been here very much lately. I spent a year on Autho and sort of fizzled out a bit. So it's nice to

Shayne, thank you - and yes, HC and Authonomy are ...

2009-12-08T08:03:23.233Z

Shayne, thank you - and yes, HC and Authonomy are very generous with the space they give to their writers here.

Ali - We'll be wherever will have us (I don't think my local audience at Jaffe & Neale in the Cotswolds would quite know what to make of us, though!)

Hi Dan Sounds like a blast - hope you'll be te...

2009-12-07T21:37:54.854Z

Hi Dan
Sounds like a blast - hope you'll be telling us your tour dates and venues - and that there might be something down in these 'ere parts.
AliB

Dan, thanks for sharing your wonderful report here...

2009-12-07T21:25:16.706Z

Dan, thanks for sharing your wonderful report here. Thanks, also, to HC and Authonomy for hosting this report.

Serious question - we'll be doing some gigs in...

2009-12-07T16:11:38.511Z

Serious question - we'll be doing some gigs in your neckl of the woods - would Queen Tantrum be prepared to play if we provide a good venue?