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Presentations and the art of flexibility.

8/19/2015

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As I prepped for another event, it finally hit me what I was actually doing: I was actually making the local rounds to market my children’s book. THAT realization was a strange one because it was a reality that was now mine. When I was five years old playing with crayon scratchboard and mud pies, I thought of the future only as a time where I would have a 9-5 job as a doctor. The steps that would lead me there were a matter of excelling at crayon scratchboard and mud-pie making, whatever the case may be. Then, simply get good grades, go to college, go to grad school, and start working. Life according to the 5 year-old me would be formulaic (not in a bad way); instead, it has twisted and turned in such unexpected ways.

No matter how many times you do presentations, you must be prepared to be flexible. Even if you have a bread and butter presentation, like my standard "Read the book, tell the parents how the idea came about, and then play the magical scale game," each situation may present a different set of circumstances. For instance, what if the event space does not have the equipment you need? What if you are given a skinny space where people in the back may have a difficult time seeing, much less participating?

You may also be presented with a situational opportunity, like how one librarian brought me in specifically to tie into the Lunar New Year. And furthermore, this librarian was NOT interested in my standard presentation, and requested something tailored to craft-making and this Chinese cultural event.

A writer's work is never done. While you are busy promoting one book, you must also be working on that next book, and in between all this you must constantly be on your feet and ready to accept the next presentation request. The thing to not lose sight of is that every presentation is a chance to exercise your creative mind. We will get back to this point again!

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    Alice Y. Chen

    is the author of Centipede Dragon A Benevolent Creature, the first of a series of children's picture books for ages 3-7 (and up).

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