BRATTLEBORO — Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., will offer a series of free workshops for writers and others engaged in artistic pursuits. On Saturdays in August, award-winning author Barbara Morrison will share strategies for promoting creative work.
• Aug. 10 - Promotion 101: These days, all authors must help promote their books, and every entrepreneur must develop marketing skills.
Beginning with the three questions that guide one's marketing strategy, participants will look at the marketing tools that work today and discuss the pros and cons of different promotional strategies.
Among other things, various forms of social media and how to use them effectively will be explored as well as some time-management tricks and tools.
• Aug. 17 - Unleashing the Power of Press Releases: No matter what your business, an effective press release is the primary tool in your promotional toolbox.
In this workshop, the different kinds of press releases and their formats will be de-mystified. Attendees will get started writing one, so they should bring writing materials and a desire to promote their business.
• Aug. 24 - It's Showtime! Giving a Successful Reading: Giving a reading is perhaps the most stressful and most rewarding part of being a writer. The connection with the audience and the reward from their reaction to one's work buoys the spirit of the most jaded writer. Yet many writers lack the performance skills to present a compelling reading.
The class will look at how to choose and order the selections for a reading, go over basic oral interpretation techniques, and practice by reading pieces provided. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own work to practice reading.
• Aug. 31 - Submit Your Work: One of the biggest questions for writers is how to get their work published. Whether writing poetry, short stories, essays, a novel, or memoir, there is a process for submitting work for publication.
This introductory workshop will cover identifying a market for one's work (magazine, agent, publisher), submission guidelines, writing a query letter, and how to follow up.
Sponsored by the Friends of Brooks Memorial Library, the event is free, open to the public, and fully accessible. For more information, call 802-254-5290 or visit www.brookslibraryvt.org.