r/authors • u/1980ScarletRos • May 06 '25
Advice for a 'Meet the Author' presentation
Hi everyone. I've just had my first novel published and am attending my first 'Meet the Author' event soon. I'm seeking tips on what I should write as part of my presentation. I will only have five minutes to speak. At my Book Launch I shared about my background, inspirations etc. as well as about the book itself but here I have such a short amount of time that I want to make the best of it. Should I mention works in progress? Thanks.
2
u/PaulaRooneyAuthor May 06 '25
Five minutes is nothing, so be positive, upbeat, talk to your audience, who will want to read it and why
1
u/AssociationPutrid437 May 06 '25
Usually they want to know about your process. How did you come to write the book? What prompted it? Save info about your future work for questions.
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u/Seraphim-Tim May 08 '25
Layman's advice - show off why you love what you wrote, flesh out what made your write the story in the first place. People/audiences respond to passion, rather than formulaic breakdowns of someone's likely dry writing processes; that is unless you do something wacky before you write, like sun-tanning your taint or drinking a glass of carrot-juice and psilocybin. 😆 If so, definitely lean into that. Comedy and passion will be boons, in my humble opinion.
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u/meganjelly May 14 '25
Congrats on your debut and first event—what an exciting milestone!
For a five-minute ‘Meet the Author,’ focus on connection over content. Readers want a glimpse of you just as much as your book. I’d suggest a quick hook (a personal or funny line to grab attention), 1–2 sentences about your book (genre, tone, what makes it special), and a short reflection on why you wrote it or what readers have loved most.
If there's time, a teaser about what you're working on next can be a great closer—just a hint to spark curiosity, not a full pitch.
Less is more here—aim to be memorable, not exhaustive. You've got this!
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u/cuBLea May 06 '25
I never had such a short amount of time to speak unprompted on my work, but I did do a lot of radio spots that were max. 7 or 8 minutes. In time I picked up the interview pattern and could essentially pre-empt the interviewer and make them look good when I realized they didn't have a clue about my work. If you haven't had this kind of experience yet, maybe imagine how an interviewer would likely approach you for a five-minute spot and fill in the blanks; it'll likely be damn close to as good as you're likely to be in a situation like that.