Hosting an author for a literary event is an engaging way to generate new readers, and inspire those who already like to read. But finding the money to bring in a well-known author can be daunting. However, budget limitations should not make hosting authors a non-starter. Consider holding a ticketed, VIP reception with the author as an additional activity to the main, public presentation.
If you have rules against charging for an event, ask your Friends of the Library to host it, or some other organization that can sponsor a fundraiser. You might have a $100 per ticket, wine and cheese exclusive reception with personal invitations going to foundation members or select patrons. Or perhaps a coffee and cake with the author at $25 a ticket, open to whomever wants to pay to hang out with the author in a smaller, more personal setting.
Books In Common has considerable success getting authors to participate in a fundraising activity, typically held just prior to the public event. We keep them short, about 30-45 minutes. Adding a fundraising component to your programming helps generate both funds and more local interest in the event. Sometimes, we’ve seen these VIP fundraisers raise all, or a large part, of the budget necessary for hosting an author. If this suits your community, go for it, and let us know if we can help!