I asked a friend advice on giving a reading, since I do my first tomorrow and he said:
“At an early reading in the 70s at my publisher’s house in Vancouver, B.C., I was so anxious I drank a little too much, took off all my clothers except under shorts in front of the audience and about a third of the way through threw my loose-leaf manuscript out over the heads of the audience screaming that it was a bunch of fucking shit and lies…the adrenalin of some fear is good, gives you an edge.”
In case you were wondering what to expect should you happen to attend a reading.
I remember seeing Dave Eggers read - he had the audience diagnose a problem with his leg (night tremors) and then he brought an exercise coach out and we all did a bit of a workout. That might be more my style. I’ve been calling around town to see if I could get a therapist to travel with me, in case we need to diagnose any madness in the audience. I also might play a game or two of bingo, or challenge someone to leg wrestle. No one can beat me at leg wrestling. No one. I’m just saying.
Why does a search for podium aerodynamics turn up almost nothing?!
Peter Fogtdal - who is on tour now - is an impressive reader. I would classify it as about 38% insane, contradicting himself schizophrenically every third sentence. It was a great performance.
Laura bought me a black button shirt with little pin stripes that mesmerize me. So that’s probably what I’ll wear, and subsequently remove at the pinnacle of the performance. I’m also considering a hat, maybe this, or this?
If anyone else has any reading tips for me - please say!
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[...] at his reading at Powell’s, Ben Parzybok isn’t promising anything, but may take off his clothes, run screaming, or just do some gentle knee bends. (For his reading at [...]
I think you should make alternating members of the audience hold you up on a couch the entire time
have fun..and congrats
Julie! Thanks - great to hear from you.
I think reading from a couch is a great idea - exalted and above the crowd, like some kind of comfort-loving literary ruler. I’ll ask and see what they say, I’m sure they’ll go for it.
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