Welcome to ACatOfNineTales.com
The online hangout of author and blogger, Jon Gibbs
The online hangout of author and blogger, Jon Gibbs
Jon Gibbs (jon@acatofninetales.com) is the current 'Author in Residence' at the Samuel S. Yellin School in Stratford, New Jersey, where he teaches his Fun with Fiction program to Grades 3 and up.
In addition to making regular appearances with NJAN (New Jersey Authors' Network) at panel/Q&As in libraries around the Garden State, Jon also gives solo presentations and workshops on writing and blogging, as well as the occasional after-dinner speech. His 60 minute presentation, GETTING PUBLISHED: 10 Things Every Writer Should Know was broadcast on local cable TV in the Fall of 2012.
For booking details, please scroll down to the FAQ section
at the bottom of this page.
GENERAL WRITING TALKS
10 THINGS EVERY WRITER SHOULD KNOW (Duration 60 mins)
The world of publishing has changed. What with the e-Book revolution, the increasing popularity of self-publishing and the rise in the number of e-zines (web-based magazines), there are more roads to publication than ever before.
Whichever route you choose, there are things you should know and steps you can take to make the journey easier, help you improve your work, and (in the case of those looking for traditional publication) get that acceptance letter much faster.
Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs, for a fun, informative discussion on the ten things every writer should know.
Also, there may be candy.
MISTAKES MOST WRITERS MAKE (and how to avoid them)
(Duration 60 mins)
It's good to learn from your mistakes, but even better to learn from other people's.
In this fun, interactive presentation, New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs, shares advice on how to avoid and/or recover from some of the less obvious mistakes made by writers as they attempt to navigate the modern minefield which is today's publishing industry.
Also, there may be candy.
13 THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WRITING FOR YA/TWEENS
(Duration 50 mins)
There’s more to writing for the middle grade/young adult market than just making your characters the appropriate age. What topics interest YA/Tween readers today? Should you write in first person or third? What level of vocabulary should you use? Which (if any) topics or situations are considered off-limits by traditional publishers?
Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs, for a fun, informative presentation on what to keep in mind when writing for the YA/Tween market.
Also, there may be candy.
10 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BOOK IN PERSON
(Duration 50 mins)
So you’ve got a book out. You advertised it on your website, did the blog tour and promoted it on all manner of modern social media. Trouble is, with over 300,000 books published in America every year, there’s an awful lot of competition out there. So how else can you get the word out?
In this fun, interactive presentation, New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs, shares advice on how to promote yourself and your work in person, even if your book’s only available in e-form.
Also, there may be candy.
ARE YOUR CHARACTERS RIGHT FOR THE PART?
(Duration 50 mins)
When you create a character for a book or story, it’s tempting to stick with the first ‘person’ who turns up to audition, but what if he/she isn’t really right for the part? How can you make sure the ‘actor’ you end up using is the best one for the role?
Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs, for a fun, informative workshop on auditioning potential characters.
Also, there may be candy.
*PLEASE NOTE: This is a 'hands on' session. Attendees need to bring the first ten pages of a finished manuscript or current WiP.
RECOGNIZE AND EMBRACE YOUR NARRATIVE VOICE
(Duration 50 mins)
Writing stories is a lot like telling jokes, how well they’re received depends a lot on how you tell ‘em. Sure, characters do all the talking, but the biggest voice a reader ‘hears’ comes from the narrator.
Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs, for a fun, informative workshop on how to recognize and embrace your narrative voice.
Also, there may be candy.
*PLEASE NOTE: This is a 'hands on' session. Attendees need to bring the first ten pages of a finished manuscript or current WiP.
SCHOOL VISITS
FUN WITH FICTION
(see 'School program' page for more information)
Classroom talks for Grades 3 and up (Duration 40 mins each)
In this fun, interactive series of workshops designed for the classroom, Jon Gibbs walks students through the many stages of writing a story. The secondary goal of each module is to get students more interested in reading, and to encourage them to make up stories of their own.
"I ARE A WRITER!" School assembly talk (Duration 45 mins)
An informative (and hopefully entertaining) Powerpoint presentation for larger groups. This talk is geared towards school assemblies. Students learn a little about what goes into writing a novel, and get to see the publishing process from the writer's side of the book.
BLOGGING TALKS
HAVE BLOG, WANT READERS (Duration 60 mins)
In this fun, interactive presentation, author and blogger, Jon Gibbs, takes you through the who; why; what; where; when and how of blogging.
From the easy bit, starting one up, to the hardest part, getting people to actually read it, Jon will share some of the proven techniques he used to develop his own blog, An Englishman in New Jersey (http://www.jongibbs.livejournal.com), which is now read in over thirty countries.
Plus, there may be candy.
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU - A Tactical Guide to Successful Blogging
(Duration 120 mins)
Why do some folks seem to have a knack for getting people to read their online journal when so many don’t?
In this two-hour workshop, author and blogger, Jon Gibbs, will show you how to achieve the ‘Writer’s Balance’ (ten parts self- promotion: one part self-publicity) on your online journal, and provide a 22-page, step-by-step guide to getting the best out of the most underused, or misused, tool at a writer’s disposal.
Attendees will leave the workshop with a better understanding of how to write eye-catching blog entries, develop a loyal readership, and successfully promote themselves and their work online by applying the same techniques Jon used to develop his own blog, An Englishman in New Jersey (http://jongibbs.livejournal.com), which is now read in over thirty countries.
FAQ'S ABOUT JON'S PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS
How do I book you for an event?
Just drop me a line (jon@acatofninetales.com) and I'll get back to you ASAP.
How much do you charge for non-school presentations and workshops?
Generally speaking, whatever you normally pay your speakers will do just fine, with the following exceptions:
If you’re inviting me on behalf of a library, my presentation is free, though I do ask to be allowed to sell my work afterwards.
If you’re inviting me on behalf of a writing group (or other organization) which doesn’t collect a membership fee and there’s no charge for attending the event, my presentation is free, though I do ask to be allowed to sell my work afterwards.
Do you do Skype presentations?
Sure.
I'd like you to talk on a different aspect of writing. Would you be interested? Absolutely. If you have something specific in mind, like the Summer Writers Workshop I'm doing at The Georgian Court University in July 2012, or you'd like me to come up with something for you, just let me know.
Do you currently have any talks or workshops lined up?
Yes. Here's a list of where I'll be during the coming weeks and months: http://bitly.com/Jontalks.