Tip: Staging Your Own Readings

Oh, how I wish I were one of those really good bloggers who blogs every day, someone with a never-ending supply of intelligent musings . . . but alas, no dice. Some weeks are better than others. So here's my tip for this time:

Get together with a few writing or otherwise creative friends (I've found two more plus you, for a total of three, is ideal -- it guarantees a full house in a smallish venue once you've asked all your friends but the program doesn't get long and boring) and have a reading. This is easy. You approach a likely spot, such as neighborhood cafe, book store, or your local library. Even Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Starbucks can often be very receptive to this, especially the ones in smaller cities, or out-of-the-way ones in large cities. It depends on the manager. Have a few places in mind -- some will not want to do it for any number of reasons. (One cafe I tried with some friends wasn't receptive because it shared the space with a classical music store and didn't feel they could disrupt the store that way.) But don't be put off. Simply call a possible venue or two and ask to speak to the manager. Let them know what you want to do, about how long it will take (an hour is good), and about how many people will come. Some of them won't want any fee, some, such as a small cafe, may want a nominal fee. (I paid $25 for an hour in a little cafe in Oakland once.) Don't work with anyone who wants a lot of money. You're getting people in to buy their coffee. And of course the library is usually free.

Work out a program with your friends. This can include a simple reading each (keep it to 15 minutes each, no more than three or four people, or the audience gets bored); a staged reading of a story; an excerpt of a play; a presentation of artwork; or some combination. Themes are fun. (Some friends and I had a lot of success with a staged reading of one of my Her Infinite Variety Shakespeare stories, a presentation of the Ten Minute Hamlet [hilarious], and a Shakespearean Mad Lib of Hamlet's "To be or not to be" speech.)

Let all of your friends and family know it would mean the world for you for them to come. Make flyers. Get an events listing in your local newspaper. (Most newspapers do this as a service as long as you get them the info on time -- check the listings in your paper. Somewhere near them there will be a deadline and instructions for how to send them information. Or simply call the paperand ask.) And send a flyer to the paper's entertainment or books page; it can't hurt. There's always a possibility you will get a bit of coverage.

Don't be nervous. If you don't like reading your own work aloud, ask someone who's more into performing to do it.

Why do all this? you ask. Many reasons. One, it is a way to get your "Google quotient" (mentioned in a previous entry in this blog) up; the newspaper listing will list your name, that may be found by Google, this adds to your "platform." Two, you never know who you might meet or what networking you might do. Things start to happen when you get active in your local writing community. And three, it really is fun, and believe it or not, it makes a nice change for your audience -- it's a lot more restorative than sitting in front of the TV all night. Even if the only folks who come are friends and family (did I say "only?" who is more important?), you will have a good time and get your confidence up.

Fall and winter are a great season for this. Go for it. It's really not that much trouble, and you'll be glad you did.