LIVING ROOM READING
A Living Room Reading is an opportunity to bring members of your community together for poetry and dialogue. These readings are an opportunity for me to fulfill on my mission to use poetry as a tool for creating critical dialogue.
What is a Living Room Reading?
A Living Room Reading is exactly what it sounds like. I come to your home or community space and perform poetry for you and the members of your community. This event can be as big or small as you want, and is suitable for people of all ages. The purpose is to read poetry, spark discussion and hopefully sell some books and CD’s.
How to make your Living Room Reading a success
Hosting a Living Room Reading is an opportunity to bring members of your community together for poetry and dialogue. I have put together some helpful tips to make sure your event is a success.
The guest list
A Living Room Reading can be a success whether you have five guests or fifty. I recommend you invite more guests than you expect to attend as everyone you will invite will not be able to make it. Think outside the box. You would be surprised who in your rolodex would be interested in this event. When inviting guests make sure you also invite them to bring a friend or two.
Homemade marketing plan
Use whatever methods you already use to invite guests: internet, phone or face-to-face. Most hosts find it useful to include an RSVP with all invites to encourage people to commit to attending the event. The more times you reach potential guests, the better the chance of them showing up. Everyone is busy these days and will appreciate a reminder a couple of days before the event.
If you are inviting guests through internet channels like email or evite, and make sure you follow-up with a phone call. Include a link to www.kahlilalmustafa.com, a link to a video, a description of the book or your favorite poem from the collection to build excitement for the event.
Hospitality
It is usually best to keep your refreshments light and simple. Simple snacks like fruit, chips and crackers will suffice or change it up by hosting a dessert party with cookies and cakes. Make it a pot-luck or ask guests to bring a beverage. No-one expects you to provide a banquet.
Living Room Reading: frequently asked questions
I have friends who can’t make it; can they order BOOKS ONLINE or book a Living Room Reading?
Absolutely! Hopefully one of your guests will be interested in hosting their own Living Room Reading. If there is someone you invited who cannot make it and you think they may be interested, let them know they can host their own event. Books and CD’s are available for purchase on my website.
What should I expect?
Partially, this depends on you and your guests. I will read anywhere between twenty and forty minutes of poetry, though not necessarily in one sitting. What has worked best in the past is a short set in the beginning, some Q&A and dialogue, another short set, our group poetry game, and a short set to close, followed by more book sales and more dialogue. Overall, the average lasts about two and a half to three hours.
What is my role in the party?
During the event, the host has two very important roles. First, make sure your guests feel welcomed. A Living Room Reading is a democratic space and we want to make sure every person feels like they have a voice. Your second role is to open and close the program. At some point we will gather the guests and begin our program. At the end, it is important that the guests here from you. This is also the time to let them know about purchasing products and that they can host their own Living Room Reading.
BOOK A LIVING ROOM READING TODAY!!
A Living Room Reading is an opportunity to bring members of your community together for poetry and dialogue. These readings are an opportunity for me to fulfill on my mission to use poetry as a tool for creating critical dialogue.
What is a Living Room Reading?
A Living Room Reading is exactly what it sounds like. I come to your home or community space and perform poetry for you and the members of your community. This event can be as big or small as you want, and is suitable for people of all ages. The purpose is to read poetry, spark discussion and hopefully sell some books and CD’s.
How to make your Living Room Reading a success
Hosting a Living Room Reading is an opportunity to bring members of your community together for poetry and dialogue. I have put together some helpful tips to make sure your event is a success.
The guest list
A Living Room Reading can be a success whether you have five guests or fifty. I recommend you invite more guests than you expect to attend as everyone you will invite will not be able to make it. Think outside the box. You would be surprised who in your rolodex would be interested in this event. When inviting guests make sure you also invite them to bring a friend or two.
Homemade marketing plan
Use whatever methods you already use to invite guests: internet, phone or face-to-face. Most hosts find it useful to include an RSVP with all invites to encourage people to commit to attending the event. The more times you reach potential guests, the better the chance of them showing up. Everyone is busy these days and will appreciate a reminder a couple of days before the event.
If you are inviting guests through internet channels like email or evite, and make sure you follow-up with a phone call. Include a link to www.kahlilalmustafa.com, a link to a video, a description of the book or your favorite poem from the collection to build excitement for the event.
Hospitality
It is usually best to keep your refreshments light and simple. Simple snacks like fruit, chips and crackers will suffice or change it up by hosting a dessert party with cookies and cakes. Make it a pot-luck or ask guests to bring a beverage. No-one expects you to provide a banquet.
Living Room Reading: frequently asked questions
I have friends who can’t make it; can they order BOOKS ONLINE or book a Living Room Reading?
Absolutely! Hopefully one of your guests will be interested in hosting their own Living Room Reading. If there is someone you invited who cannot make it and you think they may be interested, let them know they can host their own event. Books and CD’s are available for purchase on my website.
What should I expect?
Partially, this depends on you and your guests. I will read anywhere between twenty and forty minutes of poetry, though not necessarily in one sitting. What has worked best in the past is a short set in the beginning, some Q&A and dialogue, another short set, our group poetry game, and a short set to close, followed by more book sales and more dialogue. Overall, the average lasts about two and a half to three hours.
What is my role in the party?
During the event, the host has two very important roles. First, make sure your guests feel welcomed. A Living Room Reading is a democratic space and we want to make sure every person feels like they have a voice. Your second role is to open and close the program. At some point we will gather the guests and begin our program. At the end, it is important that the guests here from you. This is also the time to let them know about purchasing products and that they can host their own Living Room Reading.
BOOK A LIVING ROOM READING TODAY!!