I was talking to a friend at writing group today about the upcoming “Books with Byte” event. She mentioned that it sounds like I do it all myself.
That would be, because I do.
It never really occurred to me. Not like, sit and think about it, occurred to me. I knew I did everything myself but not really how much is involved. Maybe I don’t let myself think about it?
But, of course I do all the things. What part would I farm out? Other people can’t source the products I want, because I don’t know what I want until I find it. (I wanted soaps, badges, pens, and wristbands, as it happens! My colours are specific though and my budget SMALL.)
I can’t exactly say to someone “make me a thing but I don’t know what it is you need to make … you’ll work it out.” (I made boxes with sliding lids and then pen boxes.)
I’m not a 100% sure what to do with the cake but I know I wanted fruitcake and it had to be my Nana’s recipe … there was no way around making that myself. It also needed time to mature so it’s not the kind of thing that can be whipped up the day before. Just not sure what to decorate it with/as, yet. Although Daughter #2 has butterfly cutters so I know there will be butterflies!
I needed invitations. I made them and personally addressed them to special people in my world.
Wanted a playlist. Made it. After all, it’s music that means something to me and is relevant to the Byte Series in some way, either because I listened to it while I wrote the series or Ellie heard the songs playing in the series. Who could really do that?
I still need to create the FaceBook Event thingy … but I don’t know who else would know what to say or how I’d say it?
Bookmarks? Yep, you betcha, designed those too.
Media pack? Yep, done. I’ll send that out soon.
Logos … done, used them on the soap, pens, bookmarks, magnets, stickers, media pack … oh yeah, designed the magnets and stickers too.
Abigail … I made a version of dear Abigail. Which someone will win!
When you think about what is going into this final event for the now completed Byte Series … what could I hand over to another person?
Not much!
I do want a balloon arch, garland thing … quite happy to hand that over to someone!! Feel free to volunteer. I have all the balloons, tape, and two balloon pumps. Of course, it needs to be made in situ. So, not quite as easy as it sounds!
So, yeah, I do pretty much all the planning, creating, and organising myself.
Perhaps organising all the whatnot for a book event is akin to writing a book? A solitary thing … and in the end you just hope like hell people come.
To be honest that’s always the fear – that I’ll be standing in an empty room surrounded by swag and balloons.