Book Launches and Associated Activities by Allison Symes

Image Credits:-  

Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. AI images avoided. Photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by Gemma Owen-Kendall on behalf of the school or by me, Allison Symes. Many thanks to Babs Trevitt for the image of me taking part in the Swanwick Open Prose Mic Night.

When this goes out, I would have had my first book launch for Seeing The Other Side at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. A recent development has been to allow delegates to have their launches as part of the school events in the year of first publication. 

I enjoyed this opportunity. It was wonderfully set up by a launch co-ordinator who, amongst other useful things, took pictures on my phone and theirs, so the school and I can use these on social media. See the pictures.

Given my last launch was in 2020 when everything was online due to the pandemic, it is a joy to hold in person events again. 

Many thanks to Babs Trevitt for taking this photo.

I love taking part in Open Prose Mic Nights.  Flash fiction works wonderfully for them. 

I will have an online launch which my publisher will set up not long after this post goes out but will have another in person event which I’ve set up in September. I hope there will be more especially in the run up to that event in December we won’t mention by name yet because it is far too early (and seems to get mentioned earlier each year).

I’ve finally got my own card reader. I haven’t needed one before but appreciate this will help me so much at events. I’ve also taken the opportunity to update my website and business card but this is at least fun to do.

Spot the proud author!

I love going to other writing launches and usually learn from them. This is one fantastic aspect to the writing life. Authors learn from each other, we bring each other on in our careers, even when we write such widely varying things.

What does every author hope for from a signing? A good turn up, respectable sales, positive feedback if the author is reading.  I’ve found people like being read to and, for me, it shows what flash fiction is, which usually leads to sales.

The back of The Hayes where the Summer School is held. 

Most delegates take this photo at some point!

Often I will find people will take my business card and/or sign up to my newsletter and then a few days later I discover there has been a spike in my Kindle sales. All good because, unless they came to an event I was taking part in or running, I wouldn’t have made those sales at all, I especially appreciate these.

The Swanwick Information Room

There were 12 launches at Swanwick this year. 

What does every author need for events?

1. Stamina
2. Good weather if held outdoors
3. Enough (non-alcoholic) refreshment (and I only say that because alcohol can dry out the throat, not helpful if you’re reading).
4. For events with other authors, convivial company, especially during the “down” times.
5. Good connections (for phones and card readers).
6. Business cards/sign up forms for newsletters/info so people can look you and your work up later on.
7. Supportive friends and family.

I enjoyed sitting on these mini benches during the lunch break. 

The Hayes is a lovely location.

If you’re having writing events this year, I hope they all go well. If you’ve already had these, I hope they went well.

But it is lovely being able to get out and about “properly” again, isn’t it?