| Handouts. Old-fashioned as the word sounds, handouts | | | | that helps listeners to recall information. |
| can be a valuable tool for authors. Purdue University's | | | | 5. CHOOSE THE FONT CAREFULLY. When you |
| Online Writing Lab (OWL) recommends the textbook | | | | type your handout choose a font that easy easy to |
| approach to writing handouts. You think about the | | | | read, such as Times New Roman, Verdana, and |
| purpose of the handout, write a draft, and then revise | | | | Garamond. Avoid cursive or "artistic" fonts because |
| it. Defining the purpose can be time-consuming, | | | | they slow reading and make speed reading difficult. |
| according to OWL. These steps will help you to create | | | | 6. ADD A VISUAL. Whether it is the cover of your |
| handouts that support -- and sell -- your book. | | | | book, a photo, clip art, or downloaded images, every |
| 1. STATE THE PURPOSE IN A SENTENCE. This step | | | | handout needs a visual. The visual should be |
| clarifies your handout, which makes writing easier, and | | | | connected to your book in some way. I have used |
| makes reading easier for attendees. According to | | | | rubber stamps for visuals and they photocopy well. |
| OWL, many authors diagram the points of their | | | | Color code handouts if you have more than one for a |
| handouts before they start writing. | | | | talk. |
| 2. REMIND READERS OF THE EVENT. If you are | | | | 7. PROTECT YOURSELF. Remember to put a |
| speaking at a conference, put the conference title, | | | | copyright line and symbol on your handout. Years ago, I |
| date, and place on your handout. This helps attendees | | | | talked to a parents' group and wrote a handout to go |
| to remember you, your presentation, and the points | | | | with my presentation. It took me about six hours to |
| you made. You may put this information at the top of | | | | create the handout. But I forgot to include copyright |
| the page, the bottom, or in a box. | | | | protection. A few weeks later one of the attendees |
| 3. INCLUDE YOUR BOOK TITLE. The title of your | | | | used my handout for her talk. I was hurt because I did |
| book should be somewhere on the handout. For talks I | | | | not think this was ethical and she was a member of |
| have been giving recently I used the title of my book | | | | my church. |
| as the title of my talk. I am a nonfiction writer and this | | | | 8. CLOSE WITH CONTACT INFO. Include your name, |
| decision worked well for me. However, it may not | | | | address, and email address (if you choose to do so) |
| work for a fiction book. | | | | on all handouts. Bring some business cards along, too, |
| 4. BE CONCISE. Too much print is a turn-off. The | | | | for those who ask for them. Creating a handout to go |
| handout I created for one book talk was actually the | | | | with your book talk shows that you did your |
| outline of my talk. I bulleted the points and left space | | | | homework and cared about your audience. |
| beneath them for people to take notes, a technique | | | | Believe me, the audience will notice. |