5 Tips to Write a Killer Book Presentation

Tips to Write a Killer Book Presentation

Are you going to present your book to potential readers?

This is a chance to interact with your audience and see how they react—a rare and precious opportunity for writers.

To get the most out of this experience and score many book orders, your presentation should be structured, to the point, and engaging. After all, the presentation is basically a sales pitch, and we need to spark interest in your product.

In this article, you’re going to learn how to write an engaging book presentation and get people talking about your writing.

1. Begin with a story

“My book is about…”

That’s how many authors begin presenting their books. There’s nothing wrong with this traditional approach, but it also can make a presentation a bit underwhelming.

Starting with a story is a much better idea.

Example:

Let’s suppose you wrote a book about climate change. You can start by mentioning some of the facts, statistics, or stories of people who are involved in fighting against this issue.

Starting with something “bigger” could serve as an attention hook to draw the attention of listeners.

“Another way is to share a personal experience that listeners can consider relatable,” says Mia Mahomes, a writer from TrustedDissertations. “Or a situation they can find themselves at some point in their lives.”

Example:

Here is how David Grinspoon, a prize-winning author, uses this technique to make an intro to his book about climate change—

“When people ask me what to tell their kids about climate change, I say ‘Don’t pull a wool over their eyes. But don’t tell them our world is doomed. Because it’s not. Instead, tell them some stories about our planet and our species…”

You can listen to the full intro in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFSZ1_Qdit4

Once you’ve done a wonderful intro, it’s time to place your book in that story.

2. Explain why you wrote the book

If you managed to grab the attention of your listeners, it’s time to move on to your book. You need to put it in the context of the story and make a transition to the book’s content. This is a writing tip that will also improve your speaking skills.

Ideally, you would connect the “moral” of the story to the reason for writing your book. As an author and a human being, you have your personal stance on that story, so you can share it.

Explain what was the primary driver that made you work on this project. It could be a personal experience, a desire to share knowledge, something that motivated you during writing, a situation that you witnessed, a personal challenge, a movie, you name it.

Example:

One of the leading theories why Ernest Hemingway wrote The Old Man and The Sea was the desire to prove that he wasn’t finished as a writer.

This goes to show that whatever the reason is, it’s powerful enough to make you start such a project.

So, the reason why you wrote the book might also reveal more details about your personality or career. It’s a good way to win some followers and spark some discussion topics after the presentation.

3. Name the benefits for readers

So, why should people read your book?

Will it make them kinder? Will it enrich their life somehow? Or maybe help expand their mind?

At this point, you can write about the specific benefits of your book for readers. This is the moment to prove that the audience could really benefit from reading your work, so be as reader-oriented as possible.

Consider focusing on several most important ones to keep your presentation focused and to the point. Here’s a mini summary of the benefits for John Boyne’s The Heart’s Invisible Furies for inspiration:

Author’s screenshot from Goodreads

Consider writing each benefit in one sentence and then add details. This way, you’ll make a text for your presentation or speech.

4. Use simple language

Consider simplifying your presentation as much as possible if it contains words some readers might not understand. They could be anything from publishing terms or names of some complex, professional items or objects described in the book.

If you must mention some professional jargon, though, be sure to offer a quick and simple explanation.

5. Tell the audience who should like your book

Like any other book, yours has a target audience — a group of people who is likely to enjoy reading it. You’ve probably defined this audience before even writing, so you have a good understanding of these most likely readers.

Mentioning the target audience during the presentation is a great idea to encourage potential readers to buy the book. Maybe they are looking for a book that can inspire them, expand their horizons, etc. Thus, hearing that your book is inspirational will motivate them.

Or, let’s suppose you wrote a book about learning to see the positive in any situation. In this case, you can say that the book can help manage stress, deal with anxiety, and learn how to be happier overall.

How to Write a Book Presentation: Summary

A book presentation is your sales pitch. It’s your time to shine and tell the world why they should read your writing. Preparing yourself for this event is a big deal, and the tips you just read should be helpful to get it done right.

 

Author’s bio. Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger at GetGoodGrade, an aggregator for useful college resources and websites. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.