tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post3596269198110165407..comments2024-03-15T10:48:13.261+00:00Comments on Picture Book Den: THE PICTURE BOOK EVENT ANXIETY CHECK LISTUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-85562792504069294332016-05-14T02:31:14.003+01:002016-05-14T02:31:14.003+01:00The good news is, once you've faced down a few...The good news is, once you've faced down a few of these worries as reality is gets easier to address all the rest.<br /><br />I had to present to 70+ kids without my powerpoint a few weeks back. I had a helper standing up showing off my A4 "me version" of my slides to try and offer a degree of the awesome visual that was supposed to go with it but it was definitely significantly harder to keep them all engaged. But we survived and they still had a blast. <br /><br />The number of times I've left books at home. But I remind myself that for the most part, my speaking events don't convert to on-the-day sales anyway (because I present to kids, not parents) (although there's always a small upswing of sales after the fact).<br /><br />I was having a freak out a few weeks ago thinking, "What if the person who hired me is a complete fraud, doesn't work where he says he does, and is completely wasting my time." I almost opted to cancel because I felt so uneasy about it but I didn't even say anything to him. Then he paid me in advance and ALL of those worries went away because, I mean, if he is a fraud and there are no kids and I rock up to the venue for nothing, Hey I'm already paid, who cares. lol Thankfully he wasn't a fraud and the whole event came together smoothly. But it's funny the odd worries we have sometimes and how the universe sometimes steps up to deal with them for us.<br /><br />*shudders* 35 is horrible. Lots of people seem to think you can take sales and sign books at the same time. I've gotten into the habit of bringing a helper with me if I'm expecting to sell and sign at an event.<br /><br />And, the great thing about being a children's author is the audience is hyper-forgiving. :-) Although, if you're going to break out into song, I recommend picking something that might resonate more recognisably with the age group. Maybe the theme song to The Gruffulo? ;-)<br />Rebecca Laffar-Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18085299881243825229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-20363412310913979102016-04-01T09:20:54.142+01:002016-04-01T09:20:54.142+01:00It could happen, Jonathan - the decking thing, I m...It could happen, Jonathan - the decking thing, I mean, not you being boring or unfunny. If you wear the official Gruffalo mascot costume you're not allowed to talk, drink alcohol or smoke while 'in character'. As far as I'm aware, though, there's no rule about brawling...Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-53808370931727148322016-03-31T08:52:36.938+01:002016-03-31T08:52:36.938+01:00There is a also the fear of being boring. Nobody r...There is a also the fear of being boring. Nobody responding to your funny stuff and the organiser refusing to pay you for such a load of rubbish. <br />I want to see video of Julia Donaldson turning up as The Gruffalo and decking you. A youtube sensation in the making. . . ;-)Jonathan Allenhttp://picturebookden.blogspot.co.uk/p/jonathan.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-68503793071291382292016-03-30T09:08:41.844+01:002016-03-30T09:08:41.844+01:00I'm glad this post resonates with so many of y...I'm glad this post resonates with so many of you, although sorry to hear of such scarring experiences - eesh! I've been unable to respond properly due to MAJOR WRITER'S ANXIETY #1: SUDDEN LAPTOP DEATH. It won't resurrect. I'm told most everything should be 'in the cloud' but this means nothing to me.Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-60894305393266419312016-03-30T09:06:39.157+01:002016-03-30T09:06:39.157+01:00It'll be great, Moira! Part of the reason I wr...It'll be great, Moira! Part of the reason I wrote this post was to see my fears for what they are: a bit daft. What's the worst that can happen? (Apart from the choking to death thing.) It's just an event. In reality you can turn up and say BOTTOMS and the kids will be happy, and if the kids are happy, the grown ups are too. Good luck!Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-74511024158464613172016-03-29T15:57:02.821+01:002016-03-29T15:57:02.821+01:00I turned up once and, somehow, the class were expe...I turned up once and, somehow, the class were expecting an illustrator, not an author. The children didn't mind, but the teacher was unable to hide her disappointment - from the moment I arrived till the moment I left. <br />malachy doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14428551785118345251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-4640311564203947392016-03-29T15:03:04.709+01:002016-03-29T15:03:04.709+01:00Love #59. A terrifying thought. Love #59. A terrifying thought. eoinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13466488898070858431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-90313714623596509012016-03-29T13:11:33.941+01:002016-03-29T13:11:33.941+01:00Haha - relating to all of that! Haha - relating to all of that! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09662198435076382422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-23094637796528164452016-03-29T11:42:09.213+01:002016-03-29T11:42:09.213+01:00Funny and true! Your new book looks lovely. Relat...Funny and true! Your new book looks lovely. Related to #35, I will forget how to write my own name (missed an L out of Alice once)/sign the wrong name / use the wrong pen and create black splodges in all the shiny new books. Oh and I might be asked to sing (by nursery children). This has happened and I am not a great singer. And all the clothing-related anxieties. I might ladder my tights/be drenched from head to foot by a passing lorry/lose the heel of my shoe under a tube train (don't ask).Alice Hemminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12694364581604394819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-32470551722642459952016-03-29T10:33:06.753+01:002016-03-29T10:33:06.753+01:00I'm going to channel someone I reckon - Haven&...I'm going to channel someone I reckon - Haven't decided who it is yet but probs a TV presenter I like! Suggestions welcome : ) Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-12270105513222651682016-03-29T09:41:32.436+01:002016-03-29T09:41:32.436+01:00Good luck with your event, Moira - I really feel f...Good luck with your event, Moira - I really feel for you. Wish I had a younger, more articulate, confident author double who could go out and do events for me!LuWriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06793378306766981247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-45563813974974708122016-03-29T08:39:44.972+01:002016-03-29T08:39:44.972+01:00Now THIS is close to my heart! I'm doing my fi...Now THIS is close to my heart! I'm doing my first event in years next week, at the Edinburgh International Science Festival. At the last festival I did a few years ago I got such a horrible panic attack the night before I haven't done any since. I've never had one before or since but it felt like a heart attack and it was very upsetting. But I've been working up to it. I made this one a workshop - less children - and I've even taken up meditation and been to improv classes in order to feel confident enough to start appearing again. What could possibly go wrong...? Stay calm! Stay calm! Seriously, though - It is a difficult thing for some. I think doing the events regularly will be the only way to conquer the nerves. Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-19526017883245597382016-03-29T08:34:08.196+01:002016-03-29T08:34:08.196+01:00Am event organiser *has* been disappointed I am no...Am event organiser *has* been disappointed I am not Julia Donaldson. True story.<br /><br />Johnny Depp has never come to one of my events. Damn him....Tamsyn Murrayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08041502244181924265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-15386883900634896282016-03-29T08:29:29.264+01:002016-03-29T08:29:29.264+01:00Lol, thanks Michelle!Lol, thanks Michelle!Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-67238007568713743552016-03-29T08:25:43.146+01:002016-03-29T08:25:43.146+01:00Thanks for making me laugh so much first thing in ...Thanks for making me laugh so much first thing in tbe morning. Have suffered anxiety about everything on the list (though replace Julia Donaldson with the lovely, young, talented and prolific YA Writer Holly Bourne) - and maybe add to list conviction you'll forget how to speak English, possibility of having embarassing heart attack/stroke on stage, and strong probability of vomming over the audience... :-) LuWriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06793378306766981247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-79056013990079445492016-03-29T08:19:16.953+01:002016-03-29T08:19:16.953+01:00Now that's scary. Out of all of them, that'...Now that's scary. Out of all of them, that's the one that has me nervous...Juliet Clare Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06020801246132751659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-69697796720254933102016-03-29T01:54:53.237+01:002016-03-29T01:54:53.237+01:00Ha ha, I bet you're brilliant, Michelle! Numbe...Ha ha, I bet you're brilliant, Michelle! Number 49 haunts me too and why is it that only the terrible photos appear in Google image search?<br />Here's another worry that happened to me: already late as caught in mega traffic jam (caused by accident) and then arrive to find car park closed for repair and only double yellow lines for what seems like miles. Now I always ask in advance about parking!Paeony Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13129555451791248798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-87517258777346869772016-03-28T14:39:36.874+01:002016-03-28T14:39:36.874+01:00That was fortunate - and another anxiety to add to...That was fortunate - and another anxiety to add to the list. 'What if I forget to show up?' I hope it goes well, Pippa.Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-28642125908117894102016-03-28T10:58:14.181+01:002016-03-28T10:58:14.181+01:00I cycled into town with a daughter last week, and ...I cycled into town with a daughter last week, and we were walking along the pavement and chatting about trainers when I spotted an A-frame notice that - heart fail moment - was advertising a book reading by me that I'd forgotten about! But fortunately isn't until next Saturday and so I can still arrive as if I know what I'm doing... or not! NB To daughter's embarrassment I did lick a finger and wipe out an 'e' to correct the spelling of my name.Pippa Goodharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17709422048047155208noreply@blogger.com