Tips for Moderating a Panel

It’s always exciting when you’re asked to moderate a panel, especially one with writers. Here are some ideas to help you with planning and facilitating:

Planning

• Once you have the topic, draft a list of questions. Make sure you have extras in case you have time. Be creative. Don’t has the ones that are always used.

• Not every question has to be for every panel member. Mark which ones are for which speaker and which ones are for the entire group.

• Review them with your panel and get their feedback.

• Be familiar with your panelists’ biographies and books.

• Have a quick meeting or send an email to your panel giving them the details (e.g. any pre-meetings, what to bring, and any logistics).

Moderating 101

• Make sure everyone gets a turn in the spotlight. No one should dominate the presentation. And mix up the order. You don’t always have to move left to write down the table.

• Keep time and keep the discussion flowing. (That’s when the extra questions come in handy if you have time to fill.)

• Keep order. Hopefully, everyone is a professional, but you may need to step in every once in a while to keep the discussion moving. Barb Goffman and Ramona DeFelice Long taught me about signals. Each had a signal that she told the panel about. For an example, a knock on the table indicated time was up.

• Grace Topping taught me to ask your authors to provide short biographies and as the moderator, introduce your panel. It allows you to brag on their accomplishments, and you can keep the introductions short.

• Grace also recommended that moderators shouldn’t throw out a question to the entire group without specifying who should start. It often causes an awkward silence until someone volunteers an answer.

Wrapping it up

• Always leave time for questions.

• Make sure to ask the panelists what’s next for them.

• Thank your panel, your hosts, and your audience.

• Make sure that the audience knows if there is a book signing or any other instructions they need.

What would you add to my list?

What Have You Done Lately for Your Author Journey?

Every year, I help my team write their annual goals, and a big component of this is their developmental work. I work in IT, and technology and best practices are constantly changing. As an author, you need to continue your learning experiences to stay current with trends and to hone your skills. Here are some ideas:

• Take a class. Many libraries, writing organizations, and other organizations sponsor courses that appeal to writers. There are also thousands of YouTube videos that will show you how to do all kinds of things.

• Learn a new technology that will help you with your marketing (editing videos, creating memes, putting together a newsletter…).

• Learn how to use a social media platform that you haven’t joined yet.

• Attend a workshop or an author panel. There are so many available in-person and online.

• Attend a conference.

• Find the SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) online. Many have websites, tutorials, podcasts, and newsletters.

• Check out your local library’s website and look at all the programming and opportunities they offer.

• Many alumni associations, neighborhood associations, and civic groups offer programs for their members.

• Visit your local bookstores and check out their program calendars.

What else would you add to my list?

In Honor of International Hat Day - The Many Hats of a Writer

Happy International Hat Day! When I decided that I wanted to be a writer in elementary school, my vision was to write books and cash royalty checks. Until the first book contract arrived, I had no idea of all the aspects of the job. Here are a few things I learned along the way…

Always Wear Your Helmet

• Vet all publication and representation offers.

• Make sure you have a contract (even for work for hire).

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Research Is Important

• Even fiction writers need to do research.

• Do your homework for your writing and your business.

• Check all your facts.

• Keep good notes.

• Vet your resources.

Just Write

• BICFOK (Butt in Chair - Fingers on Keyboard)

• Focus your attention and write.

• Set writing goals that work for you to help you stay on track.

• Finish your first draft.

Editing is the Most Important Part

• Proofread and then proofread again.

• Fact check your work for inconsistencies.

• Read as a reader. Is the story captivating? (If you’re bored reading it, your readers will be, too.)

• Find a critique partner or group for feedback.

• Use your word processor’s read aloud function to listen to the text, especially dialog.

• Edit. Revise. Repeat.

• Make sure that your work is the best it can be.

Marketing is Expected

• Create your platform (website, blog, socials, newsletter).

• Build your social media and newsletter list followings. It takes time.

• Know who your readers are and what social media platform they use.

• Promotion is expensive. Figure out what works for you and set a budget.

Find Your Crew

• Network with other writers.

• Join writers’ groups.

• Volunteer.

• Go to conferences and workshops.

• Join online groups.

And always celebrate your wins!

Don't Be That Author!

I will always remember the story the HR Director at my first job told me about why people should always be professional. One day, he came back from lunch, and a young woman cut him off and slid into his parking space. Then to add insult to injury, she flipped him off when he honked his horn. The pair would meet again inside the building, and I would have loved to have seen her face when she discovered that he was conducting her job interview.

We all know the divas, the complainers, the control freaks, and the hangers-on. They are in every group. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from so many different people that they treasure authors who are easy to get along with.

Here are some things to remember, so you don’t turn into that author.

• Always be professional. People talk, and you don’t want to get a reputation for all the wrong reasons.

• Pick your battles and stand up for yourself, but do it in a way that doesn’t burn bridges. I always ask myself how big a deal something is. Sometimes, things are nonnegotiable, and other times, they really don’t matter. I try to save my energy for the important things.

• Make sure you read your contracts and know all of your deadlines and obligations. Figure out the best way for you to manage your calendar and your time. You don’t want to be the unreliable one.

• If you volunteer for something, do your best to meet the commitment. Put the date/time/location on your calendar as soon as it is confirmed.

• Learn how to say no. It’s hard. You want to be included and don’t want to disappoint people, but you can’t do everything.

• Make sure you’re a contributor. We all know the lurker who reaps all the benefits, but never puts in any effort or takes on any of the work.

• If you find out you can’t make a deadline for some reason, reach out and communicate as early as possible. Sometimes, you can reschedule.

• Remember that the administrators of many Facebook groups, book reviewers, bloggers, and bookstagrammers are usually volunteers, and this isn’t their day job. You may need to extend some grace if your email isn’t answered as quickly as you would like.

Keyboard Shortcuts Save Time - Tips for Writers

Keyboard shortcuts can save writers some time. Here are quick ones for that can help as you write.

• Ctrl + C = Copy

• Ctrl + V = Paste

• Ctrl + Z = Undo Last Function

• Ctrl + B = Bold Text

• Ctrl + I = Italicize Text

• Ctrl + U = Underline Text

• Ctrl + = (Equal Sign) = Subscript

• Ctrl + + (Plus Sign) = Superscript

• Ctrl + F = Find

• Ctrl + P = Print

• Ctrl + S = Save

• Ctrl + O = Open a File

• Ctrl + A = Select All

• Ctrl + 1 = Single Space

• Ctrl + 2 = Double Space

• Ctrl + 5 = 1.5 Spacing

Microsoft Outlook Shortcuts

• Ctrl + R = Reply

• Ctrl + Shift + M = Create New Email

• Ctrl + 3 = Open Contacts

Shortcuts on the Ribbon

When in a Microsoft product, click the Alt key, and letters and numbers will appear in black squares on the ribbon.

Type the letter or number combination in the black box to activate that function. If the black boxes disappear, just press the ALT key again. To make the black boxes disappear, click Alt.

This is a quick way to access all of the keyboard shortcuts without any memorizing.

What I Learned about Writing from Lean IT

Lean IT comes from the manufacturing world and is based on the Toyota Production System (TPS). Key values and processes have been added to the service and technology industries through the years. Recently, I took a class on how Lean improvements can be added to IT’s service delivery, and I realized that the key principles can be applied to the writing world, too.

1. Continual Improvement (in small steps) is one the key principles of Lean. Revising, editing, and critiques are ways that writers can improve their craft. It needs to be a continuous cycle.

2. Focusing on Long-term Goals helps deliver a solid product and involves continuous improvement. Writers need to focus on where they want to be and work toward this.

3. Quality, Delivery, and Costs are key to production. They’re important in the writing world, too. You need to balance your writing, time, and monetary outputs to reach your goals.

4. The Deming Cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act) is integral to the continuous improvement cycle. Writers plan, draft, review, and then finish/publish. The writing cycle needs to include all the elements for revising, editing, and proofreading to improve your writing process and your output.

5. The principles of Lean center around Customer Value. The output and delivery of the final work is always centered around the reader and his/her experience. The ultimate goals are to sell books and bring readers back for more.

6. Flow is a key component to the manufacturing process. You need to have the right parts at the right time to keep the process moving. I would argue that flow is key to the writing process too. You need to make time to write. It’s often good to write your first draft and then work on the revising and editing stages. Sometimes, writers get bogged down with the first draft if they edit as they write.

7. In the Lean world there are value-add, necessary non-value-add, and non-value-add activities. You want to optimize your value-add work (writing, editing, etc.) while minimizing the necessary non-value-add tasks (building your platform, maintaining your social media sites, keeping accounting records, paying taxes). You also want to look at your writing life and try to remove any non-value-add activities. (For me, I cut back considerably on TV and movie-watching.)

8. Lean philosophies also focus on cutting Waste which results in financial gain. Cutting out ineffective purchases (software, services, retyping handwritten pages, marketing efforts that don’t show results) can help you to focus your efforts on what does work.

9. Overall Performance focuses on delivery and the right skills and capabilities to do the job. As writers, we need to make sure that we are learning new things and honing our craft. Make sure to build in time for learning that doesn’t consume all of your writing time. When I started writing, I bought every how-to book on the craft that I could find. I spent so much time reading about writing that I wasn’t doing. I kept a few key books, donated the rest to my library, and started writing.

While the Lean methodology is primarily for manufacturing, it has been adapted and implemented in other industries. Many of the principles apply to the writing world, and they’re good reminders to constantly strive to improve and to reach one’s goals.

Remembering All the Administrative Tasks - Tips for Authors

Writing is a business, and with that comes a lot of administrative tasks that you need to keep up with, along with your writing, revising, and book marketing work. Make sure that you take care of the tasks before they get out of control.

Mileage and Receipts - After an event, I record the mileage, tolls, and expenses in my yearly spreadsheet. I do it as part of my unpacking routine. If I purchase something, I print the receipt and file it. By doing these as they happen, I don’t have to spend time at the end of the year trying to remember what I did and how much I spent. And I don’t have to scramble to find receipts.

Sales Tax - My state requires that I collect and file sales tax on all book sales that I do. During an event where I’m selling books, I keep a list of what books sell and the cost. I record all sales in my spreadsheet, so I have the information when I file my quarterly sales tax.

Filing - Filing is not my favorite thing to do, but I’ve learned over the years to keep up with it (or it’s a mess at tax time).

Contacts - When I get a new contact, I added it to my electronic contact’s database with a description of who/what it is. It takes some time, but it helps me remember later. If it is a service or a person for book marketing, I also keep a spreadsheet with a lot of metadata (like name, business name, specialty, who recommended them, etc.), so I can find the information later (in case I forget the person’s name). Make sure that you back up your favorites and contacts in case your computer or phone is lost or damaged.

Minimize the Clutter - I acquire hundreds of postcards, bookmarks, flyers, and business cards throughout the year. I put all of the contact information in my electronic contacts database or my spreadsheet, and then I recycle the business cards and flyers. If it’s an event that I attended, then I keep the souvenir for my scrapbook. I donate a lot of books to the Friends of the Library, and I’ve started putting bookmarks that I don’t use in a plastic baggie to go with the donation. You can also slide them in the book for the next reader.

Organizing Your Photos - I download my photos to my computer after an event. I file them by event with enough information that I can find them again, especially if it something that I want to use for book marketing. I go through my pictures and delete the ones I don’t want to keep. Cloud or hard drive storage can add up with thousands of pictures after time. At the end of the year, I move all of the previous year’s photos to an external hard drive.

If I do the admin-y tasks throughout the year, then it’s not such a big hassle at tax time. Best wishes for your writing and book marketing!

Lights, Camera, Action - Video Conferencing Tips for Authors

Welcome to the new normal that includes working and connecting in different ways. A lot of us aren’t YouTubers or TikTok experts, so it’s tough to get the right lighting and look. And you don’t have to invest in fancy cameras, microphones, or ring lights. Here are some tips to help you look and sound your best.

Location, Location

Find the best spot in your house. If you’re using a phone or tablet, you can be mobile. Experts suggest that you turn your phone on with the camera facing you. Then walk around your house and find a good spot with a lot of natural light. If you need your laptop for the meeting, you’ll need a spot where you can still type and use the mouse. Being in front of a window is good (unless the sun is shining directly in your face). You don’t want lamps/lights that are above or on the sides because they cast shadows.

You want your camera to be just above your eyes/forehead. You don’t want to be looking down (too much saggy chin), and you don’t want the camera pointing up your nose. You also don’t want to be looking off camera. Use books or other items to adjust the height of your camera. If you’re using a phone with a pop socket, you can hang it on a mug for an easy tripod.

Make sure your video spot is not in a major thoroughfare of your house. You don’t want interruptions or photobombs.

Check your background and make sure there’s no junk or clutter. Remember that sometimes, the camera picks up more than you think. I have a whiteboard in my office where I plot the next mystery. My team is always trying to see what’s on the board behind me.

Your Look

Ladies, you do want to wear some makeup, so you don’t look washed out on camera. Wear solid colors (but not white or black). Wear jewelry. My friend wears hats when she doesn’t want to do her hair. One team recently had crazy hat day, so everyone had an excuse to cover up a bad hair day. A lot of YouTube stylists suggest dry shampoo or wetting and styling your bangs on days you don’t want to do a full wash and style.

They Can See You and Hear You

They can see you, and sometimes, we forget that. Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen kids and pets photobomb calls. We’ve been interrupted by phone calls and delivery drivers. I try to remember to close the door, so they don’t see distractions behind me. Use mute when you’re not speaking to cut down on background noise. Also, if you’re multitasking, they can see that, too.

Practice Makes Perfect

Do a practice session and check your video and sound. If you’re working with a group of people, you may want to have a mini session to make sure everyone can logon, work the equipment, and host the meeting.

Make sure you know how to adjust your sound and camera. If your internet is slow, you will have issues with your video quality. The sound and the video may not match, and it will look like a 1950s dubbed movie. If you need to stream video, make sure no one else at your house is streaming or gaming at the same time.

Practice with the video conference tool. Most have similar features, but buttons, views, and functionality will vary. If you’re going to share your screen, make sure you have the files open and ready.

Some days, I get video conference fatigue. I never imagined that I’d be popping in to one video chat after another at the day gig. But it is a good way to stay connected and to see others when we’re quarantining.

Y’all be safe, and hopefully, we’ll be back together in person soon.