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Blogs by Claire Krulikowski
Showing Your Story's Emotion 10/31/2017 7:06:47 AM
The emotion of a story upon your audience, not the typing, facts, the words read as hieroglyphics on a page, but it is the emotion that "sells" your book. It had been years between the very first reading I gave of "Moonlight on the Ganga" after its initial release and my first public reading after this new 2017 re-release.
At that first talk, years ago, at a Barnes & Noble in Washington State, there were at least 43 people in attendance (verified by book sales so probably more in the audience). I'd walked through the audience, greeting people, shaking hands, welcoming people, and as I took to the "stage" I felt this satisfying sense of "I was born to do this." Then, just as I was about to be introduced at the podium, looking out over the crowd I signaled them and said, "You know what is so cool about this? For years I've walked through this store and thought, 'One day my books will be sold here, and IT'S HAPPENING!"'
The entire audience cheered and clapped, because just about everyone understands the desire to succeed, break out and grab your dream! Buoyed by that sense and freshly awake to the near and dear memories of the "Moonlight" tales, my reading, my voice, my expressions, the pacing of the story telling shared emotional and energetic delights and broke a "reading sales record" for that region's BN stores.
There were many readings after that, and I came to recognize that when I simply "gave a reading," sales were minimal and the attendees mere more like observers, curious but not committed.
I think of this now after the re-release of "Moonlight on the Ganga," and my very first reading after years away. This would take place at the Ashland Literary Arts Festival in Ashland, Oregon on 10/28/17. As I prepped, selecting which stories to share, reading the tales again that echo rose in me yet again ("I was born to do this").
And, during THIS first reading of the re-released stories about events occurring to me along the Ganges River, I was again "in the flow" so to speak. So much so that as I read excerpts from the chapter 'Holy Cow,' I actually teared up, my voice shook and I had to take a few seconds break to carry on. When I did so, looking up there were people in the audience also with wet-stained cheeks and those that weren't crying wore soft smiles.
Their tears stunned me as much as my own, for surely I had read pieces from 'Holy Cow' before without breaking down. Yet, it is a tender piece and I was again 'coming home' to the beautiful sense of life I felt in Rishikesh.
And, yes, in terms of another benefit...three quarters of those in attendance purchased autographed copies of "Moonlight on the Ganga." They wanted to read more, yes, but they also wanted to FEEL more. I urge writers to be vulnerable and share the soul of your stories with your audience.
