Since The Rush came out in May 2023, I’ve been on somewhat of a ‘speaking circuit’. It hasn’t been anything like the tours of superstar authors – but I’ve had a steady stream of events every month. Teenage Michelle would’ve regarded this with horror (I hated public speaking, I could barely expel a coherent sentence). However, luckily for me, 50+ Michelle loves an audience!
It’s particularly easy to love an audience when they’re so supportive. For the most part, people who attend library events or other author talks are super polite, attentive, inquisitive and all-to-ready to have a laugh.
I must say that audience questions take on a pattern and predictability. That’s not a bad thing: it means I get less surprises, and I’m able to form more considered answers. What are those more predictable questions? Examples include:
- What was your inspiration for The Rush?
- How long did it take to write?
- How long have you wanted to be a writer?
[And then, a variety of questions about how to get an agent, how to get a publisher, and so on].
I also attend author events, listening to other writers share their stories and helping to celebrate their book launches. There, I don’t usually ask questions – I like to leave space for other readers (and those authors’ fans) to do that. However, if I had to ask a question, I think I’d dig further into their book. That’s the kind of thing I enjoy most from an audience.
What do I mean by that? Questions like: who’s your favourite character and why? How did you feel when X did X? And so on (without spoilers, of course).
Finally, I’ve had the chance to MC events, interviewing great writers like Chris Hammer and Tim Ayliffe. Talk about a privilege! I’ve been an avid reader since childhood – it’s a dream come true to be able to ask writers questions in front of an audience.
Above: Interviewing Chris Hammer for Mount Barker Library
Thank you to everyone who’s attended one of my talks. Thank you to the libraries and booksellers who have helped stage the events: you’re amazing, you help keep authors going. If you’d like to see what I’ve got coming up, check my Events page or follow me on social media, such as my Facebook author page.
Michelle Prak Writer 