Recent obvious failures and spectacular successes in book fests combined with an actual near collision (my fault) in the grocery store with the incomparable founder of the successful-for-decades BARR - Black Authors & Readers Rock - Conference* who's also the author of Plan It! The Complete Resource Guide for Authors, Book Clubs & Literary Event Planners inspired me to write this FlashbackFriday post.
In 2017 P.G. Parks & Recreation hosted a community event (overall theme has escaped my Swiss cheese memory) at the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex. Sharon Lucas hosted an event planning workshop that explained the basics for creating a strategy and action plan to generate successful results. Later that year (or possibly the next?) I volunteered at the Prince George's County Book Festival, which she coordinated, and got to see and experience her impressive professional execution of the methods she'd taught.
From the outside looking in successful events that run smoothly with organizers who provide quick responses and solutions to unexpected and sudden challenges make it look easy to do. It's not. Hosting book events that deliver satisfaction to everyone involved requires a dedicated team of experts and volunteers, knowledgeable and responsive venue staff, time, money, a lot of sweat equity and enthusiastic commitment to the mission, along with an enormous amount of planning for the known and the unknown, especially for factors beyond human control.
The weather
Traffic
Parking
The venue's HVAC system
Physical and mental health of the team members (participants & attendees too)
The economy/sociopolitical shifts
Bizarre social media showdowns
Other unforeseen circumstances
For our very small team at The Write Women Book Fest, under promising and over delivering to participants and attendees while respecting and appreciating event volunteers and venue staff are our priorities. Sharon Lucas embodies all that we aspire to be as book events organizers. She dropped by the first TWWBF at Marietta House Museum in 2019. Her encouragement is the reason we dared to reach out to distinguished literary icon Marita Golden during the pandemic years. During our brief chat at the grocery store the other day Sharon Lucas mentioned that her current family responsibilities mean no more BARR, the event which set a very high standard for book events expectations in the DMV area and across the U.S.
Her practical guide to book event planning is still available in ebook format and seems as necessary and relevant as ever. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plan-it-sharon- lucas/1122810235
Happy successful book event planning to all!
*One of the reasons TWWBF moved from the outdoor venue of Marietta House Museum to the indoor venue of Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center is that it was where BARR was for years until they moved to National Harbor.
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