Speaking at the Detroit Jewish Book Fair

 

Wondering how author talks work at the Detroit Jewish Book Fair? Accepted an invitation to give a talk at the Detroit Jewish Book Fair? Below you’ll find all of the information you’ll need about our author talks, but you can always email [email protected] for more details.

Click here for information how to submit your book.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Where does the Detroit Jewish Book Fair happen?
Usually, our events are at the JCC of Metro Detroit, in West Bloomfield, MI. But, our 2020 festival will be virtual. So, the festival will be happening on the internet.

 

Does the Detroit Jewish Book Fair pay authors to speak?
Not usually, but we are open to negotiating.

 

Is there a program for local authors?
Indeed there is. Click here to learn more.

 

Does the Detroit Jewish Book Fair  sell books by presenting authors?
Yes. We ensure that our presenters’ books are available for sale at our online store well in advance of their event.

 

How many books will I sell?
This varies quite widely.  Generally speaking, a good talk will generate more book sales. We do not make guarantees about the number of books we will sell.

 

How many people will come to my talk?
Again, this varies widely. Daytime talks range from 50-150 people watching live, while evening talks are usually 200 or more. We plan to keep talks available on YouTube after they have been broadcast live, so viewers will continue to accumulate long after the event.

 

LOGISTICAL DETAILS

General format:
We have found that, in the online format, moderated discussions and interviews work best. So, we will be pairing most speakers with an interviewer or moderator. If you have a specific request for who that should be, just let us know. While each talk will be slightly different, the basic format will look something like this:

  • Intro of guest and moderator by someone official
  • Opening statement by guest (about 10 mins about you, your work, etc.)
  • Prepared questions from interviewer/moderator with questions from audience interspersed
  • Closing thanks from someone official

 
What do I  need to present a high-quality online talk ?

  • High-speed internet
    • We recommend ensuring that there are no other internet-heavy activities going on during your talk.
  • A webcam
    • A high-definition camera with a light is ideal
  • Chrome web browser
  • Good lighting (lighting that can point at you while you speak)
  • A decent microphone
    • We recommend using headphone/microphones combos, either wireless or wired, of the type that are used with cell phones.
  • An interesting, but not overpowering background.
    • People enjoy seeing into a speaker’s life, but please make sure the area behind you is not so cluttered that it takes focus away from you.
  • A relaxed approach.
    • When presenting from your home and being watched in the homes of your audience, strict formality goes naturally to the wayside.
    • Do what you can to create a distraction-free and organized space, but accept that you can’t control everything. Cat wander through the frame? Child making noise in the background? Don’t get flustered – we all understand.

 

What should I talk about?
Our audience tends to enjoy hearing about the topic of your book (especially if it’s nonfiction), how and why you chose that topic, the writing process, how the book relates to current events, and any relevant historical context. Generally speaking, they are most engaged by good and interesting stories.

 

Should I do a reading?
Generally, our audience does not enjoy readings. Including a paragraph or so of reading during your talk can work well, but we expect these to be talks, not readings.

 

Should I have a slideshow ready?
You can share your screen during your talk, so we can include any images or slide presentations you’d like. Managing a slide presentation or images while talking into a camera can be cumbersome, however. So, unless you are used to giving such presentations, we recommend only including images or slideshows if they are critical to your talk or add significantly to its depth.

 

Will my session be recorded?
Ideally, yes.  We would like for all of our Book Fair sessions and events to be available to our audience to watch on our YouTube channel well into the future. We believe that keeping recordings publicly available will help bring additional attention to our speakers and their books as well as providing content to our audience. Of course, we will only make these recordings public if you consent. So, if you are speaking at the Book Fair, please fill out the short form below.

 

Still have questions? Email [email protected] to contact our office.

 

 

 

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