Brydie Wright's Blog - Posts Tagged "brydie-wright"
Have I Come To Writing Too Late?
On the weekend, I visited Nutcote, the museum home of Australian children's writing legend May Gibbs, who died in 1969. Her most famous novel for children is Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (the little guys pictured here), published in 1918. Coincidentally, this was the same year that Norman Lindsay published his Aussie classic, The Magic Pudding. There must have been something in the Billabong waters that year.
But I digress...
Why had I waited until my late 30s to visit Gibbs' home, a place I had wanted to see for years? Maybe it was the same reason I have only turned my attentions to a love of writing in my third decade. I'm a literary 'late bloomer'.
I showed early promise at writing in primary school and high school, scoring good grades in English and Creative Writing. Nothing too stellar but a glimmer of talent waiting to be developed. I studied English Literature to the highest level I could bear, opting to start working in the 'real world', rather than pursue a PhD in Eng. Lit.
The moment that stopped me in my tracks, however, was being rejected entry into a third-year Creative Writing course during my BA Hons degree. I was devastated. I had submitted a short story but in hindsight I think they were looking for a portfolio and my writing, though lightly satirical, was innocent and probably not tortured or mature enough for a university writing course. Whatever the reason, I lost confidence in my writing and decided to focus on a career using my research and organisational talents, taking me into TV, then higher education and magazines and events management for the banking industry. Over sixteen years in the workforce, I'd done well but was forever looking for a true path I could follow through.
Something clicked in my brain when I was spending time with my toddler in between work contracts, and I was inspired to sit down and write, for the first time in years. Not just one manuscript but three and like Daddy and the World's Longest Poo, all the stories are picture books and written in a humorous, irreverent style about the curious ways that little people think.
So, nearing my 40th birthday, I've decided to resist the urge to rush back to the security of another office job and pursue this thing they call 'writing for a living'. The 'living' part hasn't quite come yet but the writing part is flowing and for the first time in a very long time, I feel I am doing what I am meant to be doing. From marketing my book, reviewing books, polishing manuscript sfor submission, or blogging for 'Mummy' and lifestyle websites, I'm loving it all.
But have I left it too late? The financial pressure is certainly on. Maybe I can't afford to indulge my writing at this point in my life, or maybe I can't afford not to.
I opened this blog with Nutcote for a reason - May Gibbs. She died at the ripe old age of 92 and her career spanned eight decades, with her first artistic works achieving recognition when she was only a teenager. At my age, May still had over half of her writing career to go.
They say if you find something you really love doing, you are in no rush to retire, so theoretically, I have the rest of my life (however long that may be) to pursue my writing and make it work. I can only dream of the kind of success May Gibbs achieved but she has certainly inspired me. She never had children of her own but she knew what they loved to read.
That's why I'm starting with poo. Kids can't help but love toilet humour and while mass market success might still be a long way off, I'm finally in there with a chance. I'm not going to cave to rejection. I can write and I #amwriting.
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
But I digress...
Why had I waited until my late 30s to visit Gibbs' home, a place I had wanted to see for years? Maybe it was the same reason I have only turned my attentions to a love of writing in my third decade. I'm a literary 'late bloomer'.
I showed early promise at writing in primary school and high school, scoring good grades in English and Creative Writing. Nothing too stellar but a glimmer of talent waiting to be developed. I studied English Literature to the highest level I could bear, opting to start working in the 'real world', rather than pursue a PhD in Eng. Lit.
The moment that stopped me in my tracks, however, was being rejected entry into a third-year Creative Writing course during my BA Hons degree. I was devastated. I had submitted a short story but in hindsight I think they were looking for a portfolio and my writing, though lightly satirical, was innocent and probably not tortured or mature enough for a university writing course. Whatever the reason, I lost confidence in my writing and decided to focus on a career using my research and organisational talents, taking me into TV, then higher education and magazines and events management for the banking industry. Over sixteen years in the workforce, I'd done well but was forever looking for a true path I could follow through.
Something clicked in my brain when I was spending time with my toddler in between work contracts, and I was inspired to sit down and write, for the first time in years. Not just one manuscript but three and like Daddy and the World's Longest Poo, all the stories are picture books and written in a humorous, irreverent style about the curious ways that little people think.
So, nearing my 40th birthday, I've decided to resist the urge to rush back to the security of another office job and pursue this thing they call 'writing for a living'. The 'living' part hasn't quite come yet but the writing part is flowing and for the first time in a very long time, I feel I am doing what I am meant to be doing. From marketing my book, reviewing books, polishing manuscript sfor submission, or blogging for 'Mummy' and lifestyle websites, I'm loving it all.
But have I left it too late? The financial pressure is certainly on. Maybe I can't afford to indulge my writing at this point in my life, or maybe I can't afford not to.
I opened this blog with Nutcote for a reason - May Gibbs. She died at the ripe old age of 92 and her career spanned eight decades, with her first artistic works achieving recognition when she was only a teenager. At my age, May still had over half of her writing career to go.
They say if you find something you really love doing, you are in no rush to retire, so theoretically, I have the rest of my life (however long that may be) to pursue my writing and make it work. I can only dream of the kind of success May Gibbs achieved but she has certainly inspired me. She never had children of her own but she knew what they loved to read.
That's why I'm starting with poo. Kids can't help but love toilet humour and while mass market success might still be a long way off, I'm finally in there with a chance. I'm not going to cave to rejection. I can write and I #amwriting.
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
Toilet Procrastinator - A Character Study
Things have been getting a bit serious here in this weekly blog, and it’s Easter, so it’s time for some fun...
For the next few weeks, I’m going to provide character studies of the three protagonists in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo: - Daddy, Mummy and of course, the little boy.
Let’s start with the most complex character first – Daddy, the ‘toilet procrastinator’.
What exactly is a toilet procrastinator and how can we understand his or her motivations?
Think about your own life for a moment. Have you ever known anyone who spends a long time on the toilet, on a regular basis? Someone who enjoys going to the toilet as a pastime, rather than a biological necessity. It might be your dad, your sister, your brother, your grandad, or you. Apart from being annoying to those around you, there is really no shame in it. It’s a common behaviour and people like this are usually quite happy to ‘own it'. They are toilet procrastinators.
Toilet procrastinators have a range of hobbies they like to do on the toilet. They might take a book or an iPad/iPhone in there, refer to a pile of magazines or papers stocked in the corner, listen to their iPod, use too much toilet paper, or zone out and enjoy the serenity. Unless you’re a mother with a young child, the toilet is a private space, all your own. No one can get to you in there and it provides the best excuse of all to hide away:- nature has called and can’t be ignored. The oldest trick in the book!
The 'Daddy', of Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo fame, is a serial toilet procrastinator but what is usually quite a private behavior has now come under the spotlight. His four-year-old son depends on him and can’t understand where he disappears to for hours on end. The little boy looks high and low until he finally stumbles on a closed toilet door and an unsuspecting Daddy behind it.
Suddenly, the toilet procrastinator’s hard-earned peace has been shattered and his toilet-hiding ruse exposed. His son is onto him and is not going to give up until he finds out exactly what Daddy is doing in there. One can only imagine and this, he does, with gusto.
But is the longest poo literal or figurative? Do toilet procrastinators really poo more than other people, or do they just see it as an opportunity for time out, in the way that 'in-and-out' toilet-goers do not.
And how on earth does a small child reconcile these behaviours? In the case of the little boy in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo, he uses his imagination with hilarious results. You’ll just have to get your hands on a copy to see for yourself.
And now that we’ve finally shed some light on the definition of ‘toilet procrastinator’, and the signs to look for, it’s time to turn our attention to the antithesis of the ‘long-pooer’. This would be the toilet ‘in-and-outer’, or for the purposes of this book, Mummy. More on this next week...
For the next few weeks, I’m going to provide character studies of the three protagonists in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo: - Daddy, Mummy and of course, the little boy.
Let’s start with the most complex character first – Daddy, the ‘toilet procrastinator’.
What exactly is a toilet procrastinator and how can we understand his or her motivations?
Think about your own life for a moment. Have you ever known anyone who spends a long time on the toilet, on a regular basis? Someone who enjoys going to the toilet as a pastime, rather than a biological necessity. It might be your dad, your sister, your brother, your grandad, or you. Apart from being annoying to those around you, there is really no shame in it. It’s a common behaviour and people like this are usually quite happy to ‘own it'. They are toilet procrastinators.
Toilet procrastinators have a range of hobbies they like to do on the toilet. They might take a book or an iPad/iPhone in there, refer to a pile of magazines or papers stocked in the corner, listen to their iPod, use too much toilet paper, or zone out and enjoy the serenity. Unless you’re a mother with a young child, the toilet is a private space, all your own. No one can get to you in there and it provides the best excuse of all to hide away:- nature has called and can’t be ignored. The oldest trick in the book!
The 'Daddy', of Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo fame, is a serial toilet procrastinator but what is usually quite a private behavior has now come under the spotlight. His four-year-old son depends on him and can’t understand where he disappears to for hours on end. The little boy looks high and low until he finally stumbles on a closed toilet door and an unsuspecting Daddy behind it.
Suddenly, the toilet procrastinator’s hard-earned peace has been shattered and his toilet-hiding ruse exposed. His son is onto him and is not going to give up until he finds out exactly what Daddy is doing in there. One can only imagine and this, he does, with gusto.
But is the longest poo literal or figurative? Do toilet procrastinators really poo more than other people, or do they just see it as an opportunity for time out, in the way that 'in-and-out' toilet-goers do not.
And how on earth does a small child reconcile these behaviours? In the case of the little boy in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo, he uses his imagination with hilarious results. You’ll just have to get your hands on a copy to see for yourself.
And now that we’ve finally shed some light on the definition of ‘toilet procrastinator’, and the signs to look for, it’s time to turn our attention to the antithesis of the ‘long-pooer’. This would be the toilet ‘in-and-outer’, or for the purposes of this book, Mummy. More on this next week...
Take the Personality Test on the "Poo" Book Blog
It’s World Book Day on Sunday 23 April and to celebrate, the “Poo” Book Blog continues its character study of the main players in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo.
Last week, we delved into the psyche of the ‘toilet procrastinator’, portrayed memorably by Daddy. He's a ‘long poo-er’ and for every one of these, there is a toilet ‘in-and-outer’. It’s time to shed light on this strange dichotomy...
Let’s start with a Pop Quiz.
1. When nature calls, do you:
a) Find the nearest available toilet, do your business and get out of there?
b) Find the nearest toilet, stick up a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and leisurely take your time?
2. When there are jobs to do, or you need to get the family ready, do you:
a) Somehow manage to squeeze in a bathroom break and continue with epic multi-tasking?
b) Realise it’s all too much and find the nearest bathroom, citing nature calling?
3. And finally (although I’m quite enjoying this), what is your idea of escapism?
a) It would never be the toilet. I’d prefer a holiday in the sun.
b) True escapism is hiding away from the world, in that safe and quiet place I call the toilet.
What Do Your Results Mean?
Now, let’s psychoanalyse your results. If you scored all, or mostly, Bs, you are what is classically diagnosed as a ‘toilet procrastinator’ and you will sympathise with the Daddy character.
If you scored all, or mostly As, you are what is commonly referred to as a ‘toilet in-and-outer’ and you only need to look to the Mummy character (in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo), to find a shining example.
When the little boy protagonist finds Daddy hiding in the loo, he seeks out Mummy for an explanation as to why. In Mummy’s eyes, 'nature calling' is just a ruse for Daddy needing some time out in the bathroom. Her interpretation of his behavior only confuses the little boy more, with wildly imaginative results.
For Mummy, a ‘long-poer’ is code for toilet escapism and while she can recognise this motivation, she can’t understand it. But is Mummy really so perfect? You’ll just have to get your copy at Lulu.com to see what the book has in store for her.
And now that we have resolved that extremely complex set of bathroom behaviours, we look forward to seeing events from the point of view of ‘the little boy’ in the blog next week.
Your Special Invitation
If you like children's books and your author interviews dynamic, I hereby invite you to an International Facebook Party, at which I will be doing a guest spot on 7 May (9am – 12noon AEST).
I’ll be giving away a copy of Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo and there will be loads more fun, to celebrate the Cover Reveal for new indie author Michelle Dennise's children's book “Where’s My Sandwich?” A great opportunity to discover new books for youngsters and the indie authors that write them.
To find out more and register your interest in attending the party (and joining me for a guest spot), visit Michelle Dennise's Cover Reveal Party Facebook page. Please feel free to share with appreciators of great books for kids!
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDenn...
Last week, we delved into the psyche of the ‘toilet procrastinator’, portrayed memorably by Daddy. He's a ‘long poo-er’ and for every one of these, there is a toilet ‘in-and-outer’. It’s time to shed light on this strange dichotomy...
Let’s start with a Pop Quiz.
1. When nature calls, do you:
a) Find the nearest available toilet, do your business and get out of there?
b) Find the nearest toilet, stick up a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and leisurely take your time?
2. When there are jobs to do, or you need to get the family ready, do you:
a) Somehow manage to squeeze in a bathroom break and continue with epic multi-tasking?
b) Realise it’s all too much and find the nearest bathroom, citing nature calling?
3. And finally (although I’m quite enjoying this), what is your idea of escapism?
a) It would never be the toilet. I’d prefer a holiday in the sun.
b) True escapism is hiding away from the world, in that safe and quiet place I call the toilet.
What Do Your Results Mean?
Now, let’s psychoanalyse your results. If you scored all, or mostly, Bs, you are what is classically diagnosed as a ‘toilet procrastinator’ and you will sympathise with the Daddy character.
If you scored all, or mostly As, you are what is commonly referred to as a ‘toilet in-and-outer’ and you only need to look to the Mummy character (in Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo), to find a shining example.
When the little boy protagonist finds Daddy hiding in the loo, he seeks out Mummy for an explanation as to why. In Mummy’s eyes, 'nature calling' is just a ruse for Daddy needing some time out in the bathroom. Her interpretation of his behavior only confuses the little boy more, with wildly imaginative results.
For Mummy, a ‘long-poer’ is code for toilet escapism and while she can recognise this motivation, she can’t understand it. But is Mummy really so perfect? You’ll just have to get your copy at Lulu.com to see what the book has in store for her.
And now that we have resolved that extremely complex set of bathroom behaviours, we look forward to seeing events from the point of view of ‘the little boy’ in the blog next week.
Your Special Invitation
If you like children's books and your author interviews dynamic, I hereby invite you to an International Facebook Party, at which I will be doing a guest spot on 7 May (9am – 12noon AEST).
I’ll be giving away a copy of Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo and there will be loads more fun, to celebrate the Cover Reveal for new indie author Michelle Dennise's children's book “Where’s My Sandwich?” A great opportunity to discover new books for youngsters and the indie authors that write them.
To find out more and register your interest in attending the party (and joining me for a guest spot), visit Michelle Dennise's Cover Reveal Party Facebook page. Please feel free to share with appreciators of great books for kids!
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDenn...
Oops! I Couldn't Help Laughing At Toilet Humour
The past two weeks I’ve been navel-gazing at Daddy and the Worlds Longest Poo and by now, we have examined the characters of the Daddy and the Mummy and their different approaches to visiting the loo.
Of course, it is a golden rule of picture books, that the story should focus on the experience of the child. This book is no different. It is written from the first-person perspective of the little boy, speaking directly to the reader.
Children see the world through innocent eyes and part of their charm is they take things at face value. Often an everyday occurrence, may carry meaning on different levels for children and adults. I believe that if you write a book for an age-level that needs assistance reading, it can’t hurt to consciously engage the adults who are reading to the children. Be honest, have you ever read a picture book to your child in a glazed-over state, saying the words, but not following an inch of the storyline? I have, and I find these are generally the books that my son never asks for again.
Often, the books we mutually love, and read over and over, are the ones that appeal to both of us. They might be funny, beautifully written, employ great use of rhyme, overflow with imagination, or have a wonderful message we can admire, or relate to. There are many great children’s authors and many of these types of books. In writing my book, it was my top priority to write a story that children and adults could identify with and laugh at together, even if on completely different levels, as is often the case.
So, how does this relate to the little boy, the hero of this story about funny toilet behaviours? The little boy hero worships his daddy and can’t understand where he keeps disappearing to. As if in a game of hide and seek, he searches high and low until he discovers Daddy in the toilet. The boy himself has a fascination for the toilet and poo, as kids of a certain age generally do. His imagination starts to run away with him, especially when Mummy says that Daddy is doing the “world’s longest poo”.
In terms of a character study, the little boy is what you might call a 'literal thinker'. When he hears 'long poo', he thinks of a poo of great length, in size and shape. If someone spends a long time in the toilet, what else would a young child think? So, what could be more giggle-inducing for a child reader, than to be carried away with the little boy’s imaginings, revealed in a story-stopping illustration, you’ll have to see to believe.
Of course, Daddy doing a long poo is the easiest and most innocent way for the boy’s mummy to explain her husband’s behaviour. We often explain more complex adult behaviours in very simple terms for children - the stork who brings babies, is just one example. Do we appreciate just how literally children take these things?
That is the beauty of childhood and a little person’s innocence. Movie makers have cottoned on to the appeal of dual-meaning, comedic narratives for children and their movie ticket-buying parents. And as a picture book-reading parent myself, I can’t help but write with parents consciously in mind, as much as I wish to entertain the little readers I make the stories for.
So, if you are looking for a book that you can enjoy with your pre-schooler, or a book with enough humour to engage your early primary reader, why not take a chance on a new author and her original and honest portrayal of family life? It’s a chance for kids to laugh at things they love, like poo, and a chance for adults to lighten up and laugh at themselves.
For reviews on Daddy and the Worlds Longest Poo, and its special brand of humour, look no further than Goodreads. The book is also currently retailing 20% off in Paperback and AUD$4.99 in eBook, so it’s a great time to buy on Lulu.com.
Think Father’s Day in the US, UK and Canada on June 18. What better way to encourage fathers and grandfathers to read to their kids?
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
Of course, it is a golden rule of picture books, that the story should focus on the experience of the child. This book is no different. It is written from the first-person perspective of the little boy, speaking directly to the reader.
Children see the world through innocent eyes and part of their charm is they take things at face value. Often an everyday occurrence, may carry meaning on different levels for children and adults. I believe that if you write a book for an age-level that needs assistance reading, it can’t hurt to consciously engage the adults who are reading to the children. Be honest, have you ever read a picture book to your child in a glazed-over state, saying the words, but not following an inch of the storyline? I have, and I find these are generally the books that my son never asks for again.
Often, the books we mutually love, and read over and over, are the ones that appeal to both of us. They might be funny, beautifully written, employ great use of rhyme, overflow with imagination, or have a wonderful message we can admire, or relate to. There are many great children’s authors and many of these types of books. In writing my book, it was my top priority to write a story that children and adults could identify with and laugh at together, even if on completely different levels, as is often the case.
So, how does this relate to the little boy, the hero of this story about funny toilet behaviours? The little boy hero worships his daddy and can’t understand where he keeps disappearing to. As if in a game of hide and seek, he searches high and low until he discovers Daddy in the toilet. The boy himself has a fascination for the toilet and poo, as kids of a certain age generally do. His imagination starts to run away with him, especially when Mummy says that Daddy is doing the “world’s longest poo”.
In terms of a character study, the little boy is what you might call a 'literal thinker'. When he hears 'long poo', he thinks of a poo of great length, in size and shape. If someone spends a long time in the toilet, what else would a young child think? So, what could be more giggle-inducing for a child reader, than to be carried away with the little boy’s imaginings, revealed in a story-stopping illustration, you’ll have to see to believe.
Of course, Daddy doing a long poo is the easiest and most innocent way for the boy’s mummy to explain her husband’s behaviour. We often explain more complex adult behaviours in very simple terms for children - the stork who brings babies, is just one example. Do we appreciate just how literally children take these things?
That is the beauty of childhood and a little person’s innocence. Movie makers have cottoned on to the appeal of dual-meaning, comedic narratives for children and their movie ticket-buying parents. And as a picture book-reading parent myself, I can’t help but write with parents consciously in mind, as much as I wish to entertain the little readers I make the stories for.
So, if you are looking for a book that you can enjoy with your pre-schooler, or a book with enough humour to engage your early primary reader, why not take a chance on a new author and her original and honest portrayal of family life? It’s a chance for kids to laugh at things they love, like poo, and a chance for adults to lighten up and laugh at themselves.
For reviews on Daddy and the Worlds Longest Poo, and its special brand of humour, look no further than Goodreads. The book is also currently retailing 20% off in Paperback and AUD$4.99 in eBook, so it’s a great time to buy on Lulu.com.
Think Father’s Day in the US, UK and Canada on June 18. What better way to encourage fathers and grandfathers to read to their kids?
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
Therapeutic Qualities of a 'Pantser' Blog Post
Hello all. Welcome to May. Can we believe it's already May?
It's hard to fathom how fast the time flies. For me, it's already been 9 months since Daddy and the World's Longest Poo was published and five months since I started writing and building my author platform in earnest.
If you've been reading any of the Character Study series in my book blog the past few weeks, I want to thank you for following my work and hope it may entice you to pick up a copy of my book.
This week, I should have a fabulous new idea for my weekly blog, published Tuesdays (almost always!) but I am going to be honest and let you in on my secret. I don't...
Life has thrown my family and I some curve balls this week on the personal side and I'm back into event manager mode on the professional side (planning a Facebook party guest author slot). With emotional distractions on the right side of my brain and the analytical left-hand brain working overtime, I'm back to where I was before I became a writer - stymied in the middle of more immediate concerns.
Que sera sera!
So, while I yearn for the next clear space in my diary to get stuck back into my short story submission for the CKT Anthology, I'm going to plough ahead with life admin and preparing for the next stage of my book's promotional campaign.
And If I'm sounding a little woe is me, I apologise in advance. I shouldn't be self-indulgent. I am actually very excited about the events of this week, in terms of opportunities for my author platform.
On Monday 1 May, I was delighted that the latest ezine issue of Buzz Words Magazine included my 'Foot in The Door' interview about my self-publishing experience. There are so many ways you can self-publish these days and I rarely ever hear anyone mention the path I took, so it felt affirming for me to tell my story - the good and the bad. I felt that perhaps I was imparting some wisdom that might help an independent author struggling with their next steps.
And as for that mention of my brain being in over-drive, I am working with the wonderful and entrepreneurial Michelle Dennise, who has kindly invited me to share part of her spotlight. It's as a Guest Author for her Where's My Sandwich Book Cover Reveal Facebook Party on Sunday 7 May (AEST).
Writing and working from home can be lonely, so so I am enjoying working collaboratively with Michelle, a very organised and proactive lady, with a collegiate spirit towards her fellow indie authors.
I'm nervous but excited about my guest slot - I have the run of the party page for 15mins at 10.40 - 10.55am (Australian EST) and I've chosen to share the debut of my book trailer video with party guests in that slot. Uploading videos to Facebook in a live interactive party. No pressure at all! Technical gods, please be with me.
The party is a new format for us indie authors but Michelle has assembled an excellent group of children's authors from the US and Australia, for book promos, prizes, author Q&A and lots more fun and surprises. We'd love it if you can join us.
All are welcome (parents, friends, kids, indie authors, trade published authors), even if you're just tuning in for curiosity sake. I'm sure some of you are thinking, how do you run a party on Facebook?
Just tune into the party page and you'll find out! For all the details and the RSVP page, please visit Facebook at the Michelle Dennise Cover Reveal Party page.
And if we reach 200 likes for the page by the weekend, author Curt Fulsty will perform a dance routine for us. A multi-talented man!
So, there you go, I feel better already writing this post and I guess that took some kind of creativity, didn't it? A true exercise in writing as a 'pantser' (i.e. flying by the seat of your pants).
------
As this week's post-script, I wanted to let you know that I also publish lifestyle blogs and arts and entertainment reviews for third-party blogging sites. I know my following and engagement functions on this site are limited, so if you are curious to see what other elements of life I give my writer's treatment to, please do feel free to check out (and subscribe to) my 'editor's choice' awarded musings at WeekendNotes and Sydney Mums Group.
Brydie Wright
It's hard to fathom how fast the time flies. For me, it's already been 9 months since Daddy and the World's Longest Poo was published and five months since I started writing and building my author platform in earnest.
If you've been reading any of the Character Study series in my book blog the past few weeks, I want to thank you for following my work and hope it may entice you to pick up a copy of my book.
This week, I should have a fabulous new idea for my weekly blog, published Tuesdays (almost always!) but I am going to be honest and let you in on my secret. I don't...
Life has thrown my family and I some curve balls this week on the personal side and I'm back into event manager mode on the professional side (planning a Facebook party guest author slot). With emotional distractions on the right side of my brain and the analytical left-hand brain working overtime, I'm back to where I was before I became a writer - stymied in the middle of more immediate concerns.
Que sera sera!
So, while I yearn for the next clear space in my diary to get stuck back into my short story submission for the CKT Anthology, I'm going to plough ahead with life admin and preparing for the next stage of my book's promotional campaign.
And If I'm sounding a little woe is me, I apologise in advance. I shouldn't be self-indulgent. I am actually very excited about the events of this week, in terms of opportunities for my author platform.
On Monday 1 May, I was delighted that the latest ezine issue of Buzz Words Magazine included my 'Foot in The Door' interview about my self-publishing experience. There are so many ways you can self-publish these days and I rarely ever hear anyone mention the path I took, so it felt affirming for me to tell my story - the good and the bad. I felt that perhaps I was imparting some wisdom that might help an independent author struggling with their next steps.
And as for that mention of my brain being in over-drive, I am working with the wonderful and entrepreneurial Michelle Dennise, who has kindly invited me to share part of her spotlight. It's as a Guest Author for her Where's My Sandwich Book Cover Reveal Facebook Party on Sunday 7 May (AEST).
Writing and working from home can be lonely, so so I am enjoying working collaboratively with Michelle, a very organised and proactive lady, with a collegiate spirit towards her fellow indie authors.
I'm nervous but excited about my guest slot - I have the run of the party page for 15mins at 10.40 - 10.55am (Australian EST) and I've chosen to share the debut of my book trailer video with party guests in that slot. Uploading videos to Facebook in a live interactive party. No pressure at all! Technical gods, please be with me.
The party is a new format for us indie authors but Michelle has assembled an excellent group of children's authors from the US and Australia, for book promos, prizes, author Q&A and lots more fun and surprises. We'd love it if you can join us.
All are welcome (parents, friends, kids, indie authors, trade published authors), even if you're just tuning in for curiosity sake. I'm sure some of you are thinking, how do you run a party on Facebook?
Just tune into the party page and you'll find out! For all the details and the RSVP page, please visit Facebook at the Michelle Dennise Cover Reveal Party page.
And if we reach 200 likes for the page by the weekend, author Curt Fulsty will perform a dance routine for us. A multi-talented man!
So, there you go, I feel better already writing this post and I guess that took some kind of creativity, didn't it? A true exercise in writing as a 'pantser' (i.e. flying by the seat of your pants).
------
As this week's post-script, I wanted to let you know that I also publish lifestyle blogs and arts and entertainment reviews for third-party blogging sites. I know my following and engagement functions on this site are limited, so if you are curious to see what other elements of life I give my writer's treatment to, please do feel free to check out (and subscribe to) my 'editor's choice' awarded musings at WeekendNotes and Sydney Mums Group.
Brydie Wright
8. May, 2017 A Facebook Party Guide: What, Why and How?
As followers of my social media feeds may be aware, I took part in a Facebook Party on Sunday 7 May. It was a lot of work but I really enjoyed it and I used my 'Guest Author’ forum to launch my new Book Trailer for Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo.
A Facebook Party is a useful tool for promoting yourself as an author or blogger but
What exactly is it?
Why would you use it? (and)
How do you get it right?
Over the next three weeks, I’m going to blog about my experiences and share some tips to help others who may be keen to try the format but nervous about its capabilities and limitations.
The party I’m going to use as a reference point is Michelle Dennise’s Cover Reveal Facebook Party, a page which is still live and filled with great content across seven different children’s authors. It's a good working example of the format and I’m going to preface this blog by saying that I was very impressed with the host’s execution of this party and any experiential knowledge taken from it, will be used here purely for constructive purposes.
And, I should mention that I’ve also been to one other Facebook Party, hosted by a popular writer’s group. I attended as a guest, so I now have user experiences from both the hosting and joining perspectives. There is good and bad in the format, regardless of how well it is executed, and I’ll do my best to present a balanced representation as a kind of ‘beginner’s guide’ to the what, why and how.
In this week’s post, I’ll be musing on a common reaction to the format:-
What on earth is a Facebook Party?
I think your reaction to a Facebook Party invite might depend on whether you are using social media for professional or private purposes. Case in point, my professional author/blogger contacts tended to take my invitations to join a Facebook Party in their stride, or they weren’t letting on to me if they didn’t understand what I was talking about. On the other hand, close family members I invited were terrified of the offer. Maybe that says something about my personal ‘pull’ but I think it was more likely a healthy skepticism on their part as ‘personal’ users of social media. What am I being roped into? Do I have to be on camera in a live party situation? Would I attend this party if the host wasn’t my relative/friend?
So, if you’re considering a Facebook Party invitation and wondering if you should go, let me clear up some possible misconceptions. The beauty of the format is that it can be as ‘live’ an experience as you want it to be, for the participant. You don’t have to break the safety of your anonymous, social media cocoon. You can wear your PJs and sit behind the computer screen chowing down on the snack of your choice with gay abandon, though you will need one hand spare to hit the ‘refresh’ button (more on that in coming weeks!). And, you can dip in and out and be as social or as antisocial as you want to, during the party. You can even miss the party and come back as a voyeur later, if the page remains published by the host.
While live video streaming might be employed if you’re 'techie' enough, the host would use this function at their own peril. Technical gremlins might freeze or delay the feed, especially if you’re at one of those elusive Facebook Parties with 'very high traffic'. Most author parties online would still play it safe and conduct most of the interaction through a series of posts on which guests can comment, as per usual Facebook behaviour, except you know that your host will (or should) be there ‘live’ to respond to your queries.
So hopefully, I’m conveying the idea that a Facebook Party is more like a silent disco with headphones, than a face-to-face, raucous concoction of music, laughter and alcohol. It’s more of an intellectual, knowledge exchange party, you might say, usually with prizes, like a kid’s party! Content can be shared by the host and participants (to varying degrees) via text-based posts, text and photo posts, memes, emojis, clip art, pre-recorded video and links to YouTube and other weird and wonderful places. Live engagement with posts is also encouraged via the commenting function within posts, or visitor posts and page reviews.
To Fly Solo or Co-host?
From an author’s, or Facebook group's perspective, you may ponder whether to host solo or share the spotlight and invite others to ‘co-host’ or ‘guest host’. There are pros and cons to both and I’ll talk more about this when I look at ‘why host a Facebook Party’ in the blog next week. Whichever option you choose, the content you post is designed to impart information about your product, services or group, in the most engaging way possible. A healthy mix is needed between instructive posts, information sharing and inviting audience participation to achieve the interactive and social engagement goals of the party. The most interactive parties encourage ‘live Q&A’, commenting and submitting answers to quiz questions, to enter the draw for promotional prizes.
Varied content and mixed use of audio visual posts, such as pre-recorded video, will liven up what can otherwise be a slow format and as always, asking your guests to compete for ‘free stuff’ will get the party started instantly. Trivia-based giveaways work particularly well when you have an existing group in attendance, with prior knowledge and affiliation with the ‘product’ the party is promoting.
So, the next time you are asked to attend a Facebook Party, don’t freak out. It’s a little like attending comedy or live theatre. Those who love audience participation book front row seats and those who prefer a one-way, observational experience will sit as far from the front as possible. The more of yourself you commit to a Facebook Party, whether host or guest, the more rewarding the experience will be but you might equally prefer to be a fly of the wall and there is no better party for introverts.
And now that you’ve been brave and clicked ‘Going’ to your Facebook Party invite, come back next week for more blogging wisdom on why you might choose this format to promote your writing wares.
A Facebook Party is a useful tool for promoting yourself as an author or blogger but
What exactly is it?
Why would you use it? (and)
How do you get it right?
Over the next three weeks, I’m going to blog about my experiences and share some tips to help others who may be keen to try the format but nervous about its capabilities and limitations.
The party I’m going to use as a reference point is Michelle Dennise’s Cover Reveal Facebook Party, a page which is still live and filled with great content across seven different children’s authors. It's a good working example of the format and I’m going to preface this blog by saying that I was very impressed with the host’s execution of this party and any experiential knowledge taken from it, will be used here purely for constructive purposes.
And, I should mention that I’ve also been to one other Facebook Party, hosted by a popular writer’s group. I attended as a guest, so I now have user experiences from both the hosting and joining perspectives. There is good and bad in the format, regardless of how well it is executed, and I’ll do my best to present a balanced representation as a kind of ‘beginner’s guide’ to the what, why and how.
In this week’s post, I’ll be musing on a common reaction to the format:-
What on earth is a Facebook Party?
I think your reaction to a Facebook Party invite might depend on whether you are using social media for professional or private purposes. Case in point, my professional author/blogger contacts tended to take my invitations to join a Facebook Party in their stride, or they weren’t letting on to me if they didn’t understand what I was talking about. On the other hand, close family members I invited were terrified of the offer. Maybe that says something about my personal ‘pull’ but I think it was more likely a healthy skepticism on their part as ‘personal’ users of social media. What am I being roped into? Do I have to be on camera in a live party situation? Would I attend this party if the host wasn’t my relative/friend?
So, if you’re considering a Facebook Party invitation and wondering if you should go, let me clear up some possible misconceptions. The beauty of the format is that it can be as ‘live’ an experience as you want it to be, for the participant. You don’t have to break the safety of your anonymous, social media cocoon. You can wear your PJs and sit behind the computer screen chowing down on the snack of your choice with gay abandon, though you will need one hand spare to hit the ‘refresh’ button (more on that in coming weeks!). And, you can dip in and out and be as social or as antisocial as you want to, during the party. You can even miss the party and come back as a voyeur later, if the page remains published by the host.
While live video streaming might be employed if you’re 'techie' enough, the host would use this function at their own peril. Technical gremlins might freeze or delay the feed, especially if you’re at one of those elusive Facebook Parties with 'very high traffic'. Most author parties online would still play it safe and conduct most of the interaction through a series of posts on which guests can comment, as per usual Facebook behaviour, except you know that your host will (or should) be there ‘live’ to respond to your queries.
So hopefully, I’m conveying the idea that a Facebook Party is more like a silent disco with headphones, than a face-to-face, raucous concoction of music, laughter and alcohol. It’s more of an intellectual, knowledge exchange party, you might say, usually with prizes, like a kid’s party! Content can be shared by the host and participants (to varying degrees) via text-based posts, text and photo posts, memes, emojis, clip art, pre-recorded video and links to YouTube and other weird and wonderful places. Live engagement with posts is also encouraged via the commenting function within posts, or visitor posts and page reviews.
To Fly Solo or Co-host?
From an author’s, or Facebook group's perspective, you may ponder whether to host solo or share the spotlight and invite others to ‘co-host’ or ‘guest host’. There are pros and cons to both and I’ll talk more about this when I look at ‘why host a Facebook Party’ in the blog next week. Whichever option you choose, the content you post is designed to impart information about your product, services or group, in the most engaging way possible. A healthy mix is needed between instructive posts, information sharing and inviting audience participation to achieve the interactive and social engagement goals of the party. The most interactive parties encourage ‘live Q&A’, commenting and submitting answers to quiz questions, to enter the draw for promotional prizes.
Varied content and mixed use of audio visual posts, such as pre-recorded video, will liven up what can otherwise be a slow format and as always, asking your guests to compete for ‘free stuff’ will get the party started instantly. Trivia-based giveaways work particularly well when you have an existing group in attendance, with prior knowledge and affiliation with the ‘product’ the party is promoting.
So, the next time you are asked to attend a Facebook Party, don’t freak out. It’s a little like attending comedy or live theatre. Those who love audience participation book front row seats and those who prefer a one-way, observational experience will sit as far from the front as possible. The more of yourself you commit to a Facebook Party, whether host or guest, the more rewarding the experience will be but you might equally prefer to be a fly of the wall and there is no better party for introverts.
And now that you’ve been brave and clicked ‘Going’ to your Facebook Party invite, come back next week for more blogging wisdom on why you might choose this format to promote your writing wares.
16. May, 2017 A Facebook Party Guide: Why Host One?
Thanks for tuning in again to the second in this tri-series of blogs on Facebook Parties and what on earth to do with them. Last week, I kicked off with a description of WHAT to expect from a Facebook Party. I’m hoping to de-shroud the mystery around the format.
In this post, I’ll explain WHY the format might be a good one for authors and bloggers, looking after their own PR.
A Facebook Group Celebrating a Birthday or Anniversary
It just so happens I attended another Facebook Party during the week, as a guest, so I’m well-stocked with experiential advice. The party I refer to was an anniversary celebration for a children’s writers' group. The virtual get-together was used as an internal group promotion, to strengthen the collegiate networking spirit between members. As with all Facebook Groups, members can dip in and out of conversations, often contributing to a ‘bystander’ feeling, rather than a sense of 'ownership' re the group’s objectives.
By publicising a 1-hour slot for a Facebook Party on a certain date, at a certain time, it’s a kind of friendly ‘Call to Action’ from the hosts of the group, giving all members a chance to actively take part in a live discussion. Using a Facebook Party to bring together an already targeted group of followers, is a great tool for strengthening engagement, if done right. I’ll talk more about HOW to pull off a successful party like this, next week. The party I attended gave me some great ideas, I'm keen to share.
A Facebook Party Promoting the Objectives and Services of a Group
An industry group for writers might market itself as a provider of services to its members. It is therefore faced with the ongoing challenge of how to engage members with its information and commercial products.
I’m a member of a great industry group for children’s authors and illustrators, though its Facebook page is more of an information service, rather than a page on which members can freely post, share and self-promote. The first Facebook Party I attended was held as a Birthday celebration for the group but it’s PR purpose was very different from the anniversary party I’ve described above.
The host of the party was skillful in designing the activity as an opportunity for members to become more aware of the resources and services available to them. I don’t want to go too far into the ‘HOW’ of Facebook parties this week but this host chose quiz questions (with book prizes) that mostly required a search of the group’s website. What a clever way to direct targeted traffic to your website (during the party) and highlight your services (commercial or otherwise).
A Facebook Party Promoting an Author’s Wares – the Cover Reveal
If you’ve not yet attended a Facebook Party, you might be wondering if it’s a live video-feed, Q&A format. While these live feeds are used to great effect by writers with public profile, the Facebook Party format is a little different. It’s more structured and less reliant on live video streaming, and often a better tool for emerging wordsmiths with smaller fan bases.
New 'indie' author Michelle Dennise, introduced me to the Cover Reveal as a reason to host a Facebook Party. I put my hand up for one of her 15-min guest author slots. Michelle’s Cover Reveal Party page is still live, if you’d like to take a poke around.
As an individual marketing his/her writing business online, as opposed to a group sharing common interests, the most likely reason to use the Facebook Party format is when you have a new product to promote.
Think a virtual book launch and the Cover Reveal Party is a good example. You might (and hopefully do have) a dedicated Author/Blogger Facebook Page but consistent engagement can be hard to garner. You can set up an event on your page, or publish a separate Party Page, especially useful if you are co-hosting with other authors and need a neutral space. The objective is then that this page will attract its own legion of followers before, during and post-event, all the while cross-posting back to your main Author Page.
When you are a new or relatively unknown author, it’s going to be a tough ask to draw a huge amount of traffic to your Party Page. On the other hand, this might be the best reason to host a party. Why not celebrate your launch or reveal your book cover ? It will create a buzz around you, more so than if you are just sending promotional posts out into the ether.
We’ll talk more about this next week but this is where inviting other 'indie' writers to co-host can be a boon. The aim should be to pool your follower base and cross promote the party as much as possible. and after all, a party of one is no fun!
The Cover Reveal Party is best timed immediately prior to your book launch with the goal of attracting pre-orders and followers to your Author Page, post-party.
Next week in the blog...
So, now that I've planted the seed of hosting your own Facebook Party, you’ll be raring to go but don’t rush in quite yet. If you don’t execute a Facebook Party right, you could damage your personal or group brand. None of us want this.
Drawing on my Facebook Party experiences, I’m going to highlight some key areas that will make a difference to how you come across in your live online platform. I can’t wait to share with you.
Have a good week!
Brydie Wright
In this post, I’ll explain WHY the format might be a good one for authors and bloggers, looking after their own PR.
A Facebook Group Celebrating a Birthday or Anniversary
It just so happens I attended another Facebook Party during the week, as a guest, so I’m well-stocked with experiential advice. The party I refer to was an anniversary celebration for a children’s writers' group. The virtual get-together was used as an internal group promotion, to strengthen the collegiate networking spirit between members. As with all Facebook Groups, members can dip in and out of conversations, often contributing to a ‘bystander’ feeling, rather than a sense of 'ownership' re the group’s objectives.
By publicising a 1-hour slot for a Facebook Party on a certain date, at a certain time, it’s a kind of friendly ‘Call to Action’ from the hosts of the group, giving all members a chance to actively take part in a live discussion. Using a Facebook Party to bring together an already targeted group of followers, is a great tool for strengthening engagement, if done right. I’ll talk more about HOW to pull off a successful party like this, next week. The party I attended gave me some great ideas, I'm keen to share.
A Facebook Party Promoting the Objectives and Services of a Group
An industry group for writers might market itself as a provider of services to its members. It is therefore faced with the ongoing challenge of how to engage members with its information and commercial products.
I’m a member of a great industry group for children’s authors and illustrators, though its Facebook page is more of an information service, rather than a page on which members can freely post, share and self-promote. The first Facebook Party I attended was held as a Birthday celebration for the group but it’s PR purpose was very different from the anniversary party I’ve described above.
The host of the party was skillful in designing the activity as an opportunity for members to become more aware of the resources and services available to them. I don’t want to go too far into the ‘HOW’ of Facebook parties this week but this host chose quiz questions (with book prizes) that mostly required a search of the group’s website. What a clever way to direct targeted traffic to your website (during the party) and highlight your services (commercial or otherwise).
A Facebook Party Promoting an Author’s Wares – the Cover Reveal
If you’ve not yet attended a Facebook Party, you might be wondering if it’s a live video-feed, Q&A format. While these live feeds are used to great effect by writers with public profile, the Facebook Party format is a little different. It’s more structured and less reliant on live video streaming, and often a better tool for emerging wordsmiths with smaller fan bases.
New 'indie' author Michelle Dennise, introduced me to the Cover Reveal as a reason to host a Facebook Party. I put my hand up for one of her 15-min guest author slots. Michelle’s Cover Reveal Party page is still live, if you’d like to take a poke around.
As an individual marketing his/her writing business online, as opposed to a group sharing common interests, the most likely reason to use the Facebook Party format is when you have a new product to promote.
Think a virtual book launch and the Cover Reveal Party is a good example. You might (and hopefully do have) a dedicated Author/Blogger Facebook Page but consistent engagement can be hard to garner. You can set up an event on your page, or publish a separate Party Page, especially useful if you are co-hosting with other authors and need a neutral space. The objective is then that this page will attract its own legion of followers before, during and post-event, all the while cross-posting back to your main Author Page.
When you are a new or relatively unknown author, it’s going to be a tough ask to draw a huge amount of traffic to your Party Page. On the other hand, this might be the best reason to host a party. Why not celebrate your launch or reveal your book cover ? It will create a buzz around you, more so than if you are just sending promotional posts out into the ether.
We’ll talk more about this next week but this is where inviting other 'indie' writers to co-host can be a boon. The aim should be to pool your follower base and cross promote the party as much as possible. and after all, a party of one is no fun!
The Cover Reveal Party is best timed immediately prior to your book launch with the goal of attracting pre-orders and followers to your Author Page, post-party.
Next week in the blog...
So, now that I've planted the seed of hosting your own Facebook Party, you’ll be raring to go but don’t rush in quite yet. If you don’t execute a Facebook Party right, you could damage your personal or group brand. None of us want this.
Drawing on my Facebook Party experiences, I’m going to highlight some key areas that will make a difference to how you come across in your live online platform. I can’t wait to share with you.
Have a good week!
Brydie Wright
A Facebook Party: How to Host a Good Shindig
Welcome to another week and the third and final instalment in my Facebook Party Guide: the WHAT, the WHY and the HOW.
This week: the 'HOW'
Anyone can throw a Facebook Party but as with a real-life party, or launch event, a bad or poorly executed party, could do more harm than good.
If your aim as a writer or writer's group, is to promote and engage, then there are ways to do this to a professional standard. On a public-facing page, we are always on show and every opportunity counts.
From my experiences, as both a party attendee and guest host (and former event manager), I’ve gleaned some trips of the trade, designed to help your party provide a better user experience and return on investment for the host/s.
Timing and Duration
Let’s be real. A virtual party is an awkward format for both the host and the user. Therefore, the best tactic is to keep it short and sweet. One hour works well, as the pace can often be frantic when the activity is live. Your users will appreciate a manageable timeslot they can devote themselves to, around their busy lives.
If you have good reason to make your party longer (for example, you might be co-hosting and providing multiple guest author slots), then keep the schedule tight. Publicise key timings for tuning in (i.e. cover reveals or Q&As) and accept that your audience and engagement will ebb and flow, as with any real-life party over several hours. Just give guests enough reasons to tune in and keep coming back.
If your audience is international, you are never going to please all timezones. As with Michelle Dennise’s recent Cover Reveal Party, the host invited US and Australian guest authors to take part, so found a morning/evening slot that suited US and Australian timezones. If your audience is local, around 8pm on a Sunday evening or weeknight might be a good time, to allow families to get their commitments out of the way before hand.
Inviting co-hosts: the pros and cons
A simple term for inviting other people to co-host your party is ‘group work’. How many projects have I seen fail as soon as responsibility becomes decentralised and the most conscientious person ends up doing all the work?
In terms of hosting a Facebook Party as a professional, promotional tool, it doesn’t have to be this way. Group work in this scenario should mean, strength in numbers, pooled talents, pooled resources, depth of content and variety of approaches. Michelle Dennise’s Facebook Party page is a good example of a group activity making for a richer promotional and user experience. Post-party, the page is still attracting more and more likes by the day!
When you bring others into your project, these tips migh help keep things on track:
◦As host, you are ultimately responsible for how the party plays out, so plan, promote, rehearse and expect the same of your guest hosts.
◦Invite people you know to co-host, or have some sort of vetting process, or agreement from your co-hosts that they will be able to commit to what is required (including cross-promotion of the event on their own feeds).
◦Guest hosts are responsible for the success of their individual slots but don’t assume anything, as people’s knowledge of the technical capacities of Facebook will differ. If you are main host, make sure everyone involved is clear on the ground rules for posting and interaction and that they understand how to navigate and use the party page effectively, BEFORE the party goes live.
◦Maintain pre-party communication with your co-hosts and perhaps set up a chat group on messenger (useful during the party, in particular). Don’t be afraid to ask for segment outlines from your group, so you know all is well in advance, or can help, if potential glitches seem to be arising.
◦Provide 'trouble shooting' guidelines for your co-hosts, so they are aware of the technical gremlins that can plague Facebook Parties. For example, attendees need to regularly refresh their pages, so that they can see the newest content. Co-hosts will also do well to pre-schedule some posts and rehearse and plan the best way to post video material in the feed.
How to Deliver A Fun Party When You Are Live
For my money, here’s a summary of some do's and don’ts to get the most of your Facebook Party.
Don’ts
◦Don’t leave too much to chance. Know what you are going to post, when you are going to post it and how. Audience interaction should be 'by the seat of their pants' but your's as host should be controlled wherever possible.
◦Don’t leave too much time between posts. Think carefully of the user experience. How long will it realistically take attendees to read and interact with the post, leaving some buffer for delays and technical issues? If you leave it too long before your next post, it will break momentum and leave those with good WIFI connections and reflexes, bored.
Do's
◦As with any event, provide some simple and friendly housekeeping rules for your attendees (and co-hosts). If they’ve never been to a Facebook Party before, they’ll appreciate it. The main thing is to manage EVERYONE’s expectations. Technology/WIFI is our friend but can also be our greatest foe. The more traffic to your site at one time, or the weaker a participant's internet connection, the more delays you might expect. Let everyone know upfront, that new posts will go up regularly and to keep refreshing their pages every few minutes to stay in touch with the latest posts.
◦Use a wide variety of posts to enrich your content delivery including text, colourful or meaningful graphics, text with graphics, funny/cool gifs, book trailers, cover reveals, short presenter videos (pre-record preferably) and quizzes with prizes.
◦Did someone say trivia and prizes!! This is a terrific drawcard and engagement tool and I’ve seen it used expertly by the Just Write for Kids and Creative Kids Tales Facebook pages for their group parties. The latter upped the ante and competitive spirit, by asking questions that required a live visit to its webpage. The former chose a fantasy theme, Lewis Carroll’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, to keep all of us writerly types enthralled and engaged.
◦If you run a quiz, I do think it’s rewarding for those in attendance, to award a prize at the end of the event but you might also like to keep an avenue open for post-party engagement to the page. This could be done by running another competition for those who couldn’t attend and keep it open for a certain amount of time post-party.
◦Invite real interaction from the audience, to make guests feel involved in the party and not just bystanders. A great technique I learned is to ask your guests to introduce themselves when they arrive and share their professional Facebook Pages. Writers love this!! Another idea is to run a live Q&A segment, or generally invite comments to any post. As host/s, try to reply during the party if possible and if not, acknowledge and respond to comments/questions after. Reward and thank people for their participation.
I hope that the experiences I’ve shared have been constructive. I appreciate not everyone might agree, or you might have better ideas on how to pull a crowd and achieve a high return on investment from a Facebook Party.
I’d love to hear from you either via a comment on my website (www.brydiewright.com) or you might like to comment in the Facebook feeds where I share this post.
To all who’ve taken the time to read (and the parties I've cited as inspiration), thank you.
Now, good luck and get partying!
This week: the 'HOW'
Anyone can throw a Facebook Party but as with a real-life party, or launch event, a bad or poorly executed party, could do more harm than good.
If your aim as a writer or writer's group, is to promote and engage, then there are ways to do this to a professional standard. On a public-facing page, we are always on show and every opportunity counts.
From my experiences, as both a party attendee and guest host (and former event manager), I’ve gleaned some trips of the trade, designed to help your party provide a better user experience and return on investment for the host/s.
Timing and Duration
Let’s be real. A virtual party is an awkward format for both the host and the user. Therefore, the best tactic is to keep it short and sweet. One hour works well, as the pace can often be frantic when the activity is live. Your users will appreciate a manageable timeslot they can devote themselves to, around their busy lives.
If you have good reason to make your party longer (for example, you might be co-hosting and providing multiple guest author slots), then keep the schedule tight. Publicise key timings for tuning in (i.e. cover reveals or Q&As) and accept that your audience and engagement will ebb and flow, as with any real-life party over several hours. Just give guests enough reasons to tune in and keep coming back.
If your audience is international, you are never going to please all timezones. As with Michelle Dennise’s recent Cover Reveal Party, the host invited US and Australian guest authors to take part, so found a morning/evening slot that suited US and Australian timezones. If your audience is local, around 8pm on a Sunday evening or weeknight might be a good time, to allow families to get their commitments out of the way before hand.
Inviting co-hosts: the pros and cons
A simple term for inviting other people to co-host your party is ‘group work’. How many projects have I seen fail as soon as responsibility becomes decentralised and the most conscientious person ends up doing all the work?
In terms of hosting a Facebook Party as a professional, promotional tool, it doesn’t have to be this way. Group work in this scenario should mean, strength in numbers, pooled talents, pooled resources, depth of content and variety of approaches. Michelle Dennise’s Facebook Party page is a good example of a group activity making for a richer promotional and user experience. Post-party, the page is still attracting more and more likes by the day!
When you bring others into your project, these tips migh help keep things on track:
◦As host, you are ultimately responsible for how the party plays out, so plan, promote, rehearse and expect the same of your guest hosts.
◦Invite people you know to co-host, or have some sort of vetting process, or agreement from your co-hosts that they will be able to commit to what is required (including cross-promotion of the event on their own feeds).
◦Guest hosts are responsible for the success of their individual slots but don’t assume anything, as people’s knowledge of the technical capacities of Facebook will differ. If you are main host, make sure everyone involved is clear on the ground rules for posting and interaction and that they understand how to navigate and use the party page effectively, BEFORE the party goes live.
◦Maintain pre-party communication with your co-hosts and perhaps set up a chat group on messenger (useful during the party, in particular). Don’t be afraid to ask for segment outlines from your group, so you know all is well in advance, or can help, if potential glitches seem to be arising.
◦Provide 'trouble shooting' guidelines for your co-hosts, so they are aware of the technical gremlins that can plague Facebook Parties. For example, attendees need to regularly refresh their pages, so that they can see the newest content. Co-hosts will also do well to pre-schedule some posts and rehearse and plan the best way to post video material in the feed.
How to Deliver A Fun Party When You Are Live
For my money, here’s a summary of some do's and don’ts to get the most of your Facebook Party.
Don’ts
◦Don’t leave too much to chance. Know what you are going to post, when you are going to post it and how. Audience interaction should be 'by the seat of their pants' but your's as host should be controlled wherever possible.
◦Don’t leave too much time between posts. Think carefully of the user experience. How long will it realistically take attendees to read and interact with the post, leaving some buffer for delays and technical issues? If you leave it too long before your next post, it will break momentum and leave those with good WIFI connections and reflexes, bored.
Do's
◦As with any event, provide some simple and friendly housekeeping rules for your attendees (and co-hosts). If they’ve never been to a Facebook Party before, they’ll appreciate it. The main thing is to manage EVERYONE’s expectations. Technology/WIFI is our friend but can also be our greatest foe. The more traffic to your site at one time, or the weaker a participant's internet connection, the more delays you might expect. Let everyone know upfront, that new posts will go up regularly and to keep refreshing their pages every few minutes to stay in touch with the latest posts.
◦Use a wide variety of posts to enrich your content delivery including text, colourful or meaningful graphics, text with graphics, funny/cool gifs, book trailers, cover reveals, short presenter videos (pre-record preferably) and quizzes with prizes.
◦Did someone say trivia and prizes!! This is a terrific drawcard and engagement tool and I’ve seen it used expertly by the Just Write for Kids and Creative Kids Tales Facebook pages for their group parties. The latter upped the ante and competitive spirit, by asking questions that required a live visit to its webpage. The former chose a fantasy theme, Lewis Carroll’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, to keep all of us writerly types enthralled and engaged.
◦If you run a quiz, I do think it’s rewarding for those in attendance, to award a prize at the end of the event but you might also like to keep an avenue open for post-party engagement to the page. This could be done by running another competition for those who couldn’t attend and keep it open for a certain amount of time post-party.
◦Invite real interaction from the audience, to make guests feel involved in the party and not just bystanders. A great technique I learned is to ask your guests to introduce themselves when they arrive and share their professional Facebook Pages. Writers love this!! Another idea is to run a live Q&A segment, or generally invite comments to any post. As host/s, try to reply during the party if possible and if not, acknowledge and respond to comments/questions after. Reward and thank people for their participation.
I hope that the experiences I’ve shared have been constructive. I appreciate not everyone might agree, or you might have better ideas on how to pull a crowd and achieve a high return on investment from a Facebook Party.
I’d love to hear from you either via a comment on my website (www.brydiewright.com) or you might like to comment in the Facebook feeds where I share this post.
To all who’ve taken the time to read (and the parties I've cited as inspiration), thank you.
Now, good luck and get partying!
The Sunshine Blogger Award
I, Daddy, from Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo, would like to thank the academy for this most auspicious of accolades. My author, Brydie Wright, would like to take the credit for this Sunshine Blogger Award but without my character, she’d be nothing and her book wouldn’t be the success it is (or could be one day).
But even I must give credit where credit is due. Without a nomination from Kim M Watt, blogger extraordinaire, my blog may well have been overlooked. Kim’s own interview for the Sunshine Blogger Award, won on behalf of Layla, the world-dominating cat, is one of the most entertaining I’ve seen in recent years.
I read it on the loo where all my best thinking is done.
And It is now my pleasure to carry on the Sunshine Blogging tradition and answer the interview questions Kim M Watt wrote for me, before my author can get a word in.
i. Is your author disproportionately cruel to you, or does she enjoy embarrassing you for comic relief?
Yes, I think my author is cruel to me. Everyone deserves a bit of privacy when they are in the loo, bathroom, toilet – whatever you want to call it. For some of us, it’s a haven; a world away from our troubles. Can’t a grown man have five minutes’ peace without his author holding his bowel movements up for public ridicule?
ii. Are you named for someone in your author’s life? Why?
My name is Daddy. I have a sneaking suspicion that my author must have had a daddy like me at some stage or maybe even a husband. The more I think about it, it’s probably the latter. She seems to have a lot of ideas about why husbands spend ages on the loo. She thinks we are doing some sort of gigantic poo but it’s just secret men’s business and there’s nothing funny in that. Just good harmless reading, thinking or listening to our iPods.
iii. What quirks has the author given you that you really wish they hadn’t?
Where do I start? My author portrays me as this secretive dad hanging out in the toilet for hours on end, neglecting my domestic duties. When have I ever done that? Can I help it if nature calls, or I just need some time out? I’m a regular sort of guy and when you need to go, you need to go.
iv. Do you feel confident that you’re going to make it into a sequel? Why/Why not?
Isn’t anything sacred anymore? What could my sequel possibly be? Daddy and the World’s Longest Pee? I think my author needs to leave me in peace. Having said that, I’m a pretty interesting guy and there’s a lot more to me than my toilet behaviour. If there was a sequel about my son and my wife, then I’d have to be in it. Come to think of it, I I heard my author saying something about a short story she’s written, starring me and my son, all about our gardening exploits. Stay tuned for this later in the year…
v. How do you justify not doing what your author tells you to?
Pass. I seem to always end up doing what my author wants me to do.
vi. What is one thing about you that your author has edited out/is going to edit out, but you’d like to tell us?
Well, I think it’s important to say that my wife is not perfect either. Sometimes I catch her hiding from my son, watching The Bold and the Beautiful in bed. You know what they say, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. We all have our own ways of trying to find a little peace.
vii. What’s the most interesting thing about you?
Maybe you should ask my son. He follows me around everywhere, even when I’m in the toilet. He’s always asking me questions. I think what you could say about me is I know when to take five and just breathe. I think it’s important for everyone to find their own place to meditate and have some ‘me’ time away from the family. The toilet is that place for me. It’s usually very peaceful, until my son discovered my hiding place.
viii. If you’re not the protagonist, do you wish you were? Why/ why not?
My son seems to be the protagonist but I think I steal the show. After all, it’s called Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo, not The Little Boy Who Wonders What His Daddy is Doing in the Loo. That title just wouldn’t work.
ix. Do you have a sidekick or helper? Who are they?
My son is my shadow, my sidekick and my helper. One day he’s going to grow up just like me… he’ll appreciate the toilet too.
x. What would you like to tell your author?
I think my author is on the right track naming her books after me and making me a central character but next time, spare a thought for my privacy please. I’m the laughing stock of my dads' circle now. As if they don’t love the toilet too. I’ll say it again, people who live in glass houses…
But even I must give credit where credit is due. Without a nomination from Kim M Watt, blogger extraordinaire, my blog may well have been overlooked. Kim’s own interview for the Sunshine Blogger Award, won on behalf of Layla, the world-dominating cat, is one of the most entertaining I’ve seen in recent years.
I read it on the loo where all my best thinking is done.
And It is now my pleasure to carry on the Sunshine Blogging tradition and answer the interview questions Kim M Watt wrote for me, before my author can get a word in.
i. Is your author disproportionately cruel to you, or does she enjoy embarrassing you for comic relief?
Yes, I think my author is cruel to me. Everyone deserves a bit of privacy when they are in the loo, bathroom, toilet – whatever you want to call it. For some of us, it’s a haven; a world away from our troubles. Can’t a grown man have five minutes’ peace without his author holding his bowel movements up for public ridicule?
ii. Are you named for someone in your author’s life? Why?
My name is Daddy. I have a sneaking suspicion that my author must have had a daddy like me at some stage or maybe even a husband. The more I think about it, it’s probably the latter. She seems to have a lot of ideas about why husbands spend ages on the loo. She thinks we are doing some sort of gigantic poo but it’s just secret men’s business and there’s nothing funny in that. Just good harmless reading, thinking or listening to our iPods.
iii. What quirks has the author given you that you really wish they hadn’t?
Where do I start? My author portrays me as this secretive dad hanging out in the toilet for hours on end, neglecting my domestic duties. When have I ever done that? Can I help it if nature calls, or I just need some time out? I’m a regular sort of guy and when you need to go, you need to go.
iv. Do you feel confident that you’re going to make it into a sequel? Why/Why not?
Isn’t anything sacred anymore? What could my sequel possibly be? Daddy and the World’s Longest Pee? I think my author needs to leave me in peace. Having said that, I’m a pretty interesting guy and there’s a lot more to me than my toilet behaviour. If there was a sequel about my son and my wife, then I’d have to be in it. Come to think of it, I I heard my author saying something about a short story she’s written, starring me and my son, all about our gardening exploits. Stay tuned for this later in the year…
v. How do you justify not doing what your author tells you to?
Pass. I seem to always end up doing what my author wants me to do.
vi. What is one thing about you that your author has edited out/is going to edit out, but you’d like to tell us?
Well, I think it’s important to say that my wife is not perfect either. Sometimes I catch her hiding from my son, watching The Bold and the Beautiful in bed. You know what they say, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. We all have our own ways of trying to find a little peace.
vii. What’s the most interesting thing about you?
Maybe you should ask my son. He follows me around everywhere, even when I’m in the toilet. He’s always asking me questions. I think what you could say about me is I know when to take five and just breathe. I think it’s important for everyone to find their own place to meditate and have some ‘me’ time away from the family. The toilet is that place for me. It’s usually very peaceful, until my son discovered my hiding place.
viii. If you’re not the protagonist, do you wish you were? Why/ why not?
My son seems to be the protagonist but I think I steal the show. After all, it’s called Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo, not The Little Boy Who Wonders What His Daddy is Doing in the Loo. That title just wouldn’t work.
ix. Do you have a sidekick or helper? Who are they?
My son is my shadow, my sidekick and my helper. One day he’s going to grow up just like me… he’ll appreciate the toilet too.
x. What would you like to tell your author?
I think my author is on the right track naming her books after me and making me a central character but next time, spare a thought for my privacy please. I’m the laughing stock of my dads' circle now. As if they don’t love the toilet too. I’ll say it again, people who live in glass houses…
Perfect Father’s Day Gift Idea for Cheeky Mums & Kids
It’s that time of year again. The time dads in the UK, US and Canada, feign surprise on Father’s Day, as they open tool and gardening related gifts from their kids.
I’m an advocate for Father’s and Mother’s Day, so don’t get me wrong. I know it’s highly commercialized but we need to teach kids to show appreciation and to GIVE to others, even if it means putting their hands in their piggy banks. And sure, I agree, giving and showing appreciation needs to be a behavior demonstrated all year round, not just on one commercially decreed day.
Still, we live in a commercial society and most parents will go through the motions of choosing a present with their children, to give to their dads on the third Sunday in June (that’s 18 June this year).
A popular gift idea, apart from tools, or hand-made goods, is books about dads and grandads. I remember on my baby son’s first Father’s Day, giving a touching book about a baby bear and a grandad bear, to my father. I also remember my parents giving a copy of My Aussie Dad, a fabulous book from Yvonne Morrison and Gus Gordon, to my staunchly English husband, on his first Father’s Day in Australia. Fortunately, we are a bit cheeky in our family, so the joke was well received and we loved reading the adventures of a BBQing, sports-loving dad. They have those in England too, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch.
And what, might you be asking, is my point in all this?
I’m a children’s book author, so I would advocate giving a book to Dad or Grandad this Father’s Day, especially if your son or daughter need assistance with reading. Childhood literacy is important and experts acknowledge that the power of a male role model reading books to themselves, or to their sons, in particular, has an incredible influence on young boys, who may naturally favor more physical pursuits.
Humour is also a useful tool for encouraging young children to read and dare I say it, a funny book might just encourage parents and grandparents to read more with their kids.
So, can you take a joke? Are you ready to laugh at yourselves? I would venture that if you’re a parent or a grandparent, with precocious four to seven year-olds in your life, a sense of humour is the key to sanity.
My debut picture book, Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo (Lulu Publishing), is for every family who has ever laughed at a certain someone who sits on the toilet for too long. It’s for a Mum who’s ever wondered where her husband was hiding out for hours on end. It’s for a child who finds poop hilarious and most of all, it’s for a cheeky dad or grandad, who can laugh at himself.
Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo is averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads with 16 member reviews and 5 stars on Amazon with 8 customer reviews.
"Daddy and the World's Longest Poo is a wonderfully whimsical book about one of life's greatest mysteries. Both children and adults alike will enjoy the authors wicked sense of humor as she explores where and why dads disappear for such long periods of time. With bright beautiful illustrations that at times reminded me of Dr. Seuss' art style bringing the funny story to life. Children and adults of all ages will enjoy this delightfully entertaining book." – Amazon Customer Review (5 stars).
For Northern hemisphere shoppers, Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo is available to buy online at Lulu.com (in paperback and eBook) and Amazon (in paperback). Don't miss out for Father's Day - order your copy now.
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
I’m an advocate for Father’s and Mother’s Day, so don’t get me wrong. I know it’s highly commercialized but we need to teach kids to show appreciation and to GIVE to others, even if it means putting their hands in their piggy banks. And sure, I agree, giving and showing appreciation needs to be a behavior demonstrated all year round, not just on one commercially decreed day.
Still, we live in a commercial society and most parents will go through the motions of choosing a present with their children, to give to their dads on the third Sunday in June (that’s 18 June this year).
A popular gift idea, apart from tools, or hand-made goods, is books about dads and grandads. I remember on my baby son’s first Father’s Day, giving a touching book about a baby bear and a grandad bear, to my father. I also remember my parents giving a copy of My Aussie Dad, a fabulous book from Yvonne Morrison and Gus Gordon, to my staunchly English husband, on his first Father’s Day in Australia. Fortunately, we are a bit cheeky in our family, so the joke was well received and we loved reading the adventures of a BBQing, sports-loving dad. They have those in England too, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch.
And what, might you be asking, is my point in all this?
I’m a children’s book author, so I would advocate giving a book to Dad or Grandad this Father’s Day, especially if your son or daughter need assistance with reading. Childhood literacy is important and experts acknowledge that the power of a male role model reading books to themselves, or to their sons, in particular, has an incredible influence on young boys, who may naturally favor more physical pursuits.
Humour is also a useful tool for encouraging young children to read and dare I say it, a funny book might just encourage parents and grandparents to read more with their kids.
So, can you take a joke? Are you ready to laugh at yourselves? I would venture that if you’re a parent or a grandparent, with precocious four to seven year-olds in your life, a sense of humour is the key to sanity.
My debut picture book, Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo (Lulu Publishing), is for every family who has ever laughed at a certain someone who sits on the toilet for too long. It’s for a Mum who’s ever wondered where her husband was hiding out for hours on end. It’s for a child who finds poop hilarious and most of all, it’s for a cheeky dad or grandad, who can laugh at himself.
Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo is averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads with 16 member reviews and 5 stars on Amazon with 8 customer reviews.
"Daddy and the World's Longest Poo is a wonderfully whimsical book about one of life's greatest mysteries. Both children and adults alike will enjoy the authors wicked sense of humor as she explores where and why dads disappear for such long periods of time. With bright beautiful illustrations that at times reminded me of Dr. Seuss' art style bringing the funny story to life. Children and adults of all ages will enjoy this delightfully entertaining book." – Amazon Customer Review (5 stars).
For Northern hemisphere shoppers, Daddy and the World’s Longest Poo is available to buy online at Lulu.com (in paperback and eBook) and Amazon (in paperback). Don't miss out for Father's Day - order your copy now.
Daddy and the World's Longest Poo
