Hello, wonderful bookworms, and welcome to another exciting episode of The Bookbot Theory. I'm your host, Namdata, and today are taking a deep dive into the fascinating world of literary communities, digital platforms, and their incredible role in the realm of book marketing. But of course, we can't do it alone. We have an extraordinary guest with us today
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:07
While I have already introduced you at great length, can you please tell us a bit about your role as a festival director?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:09
My next question is how would you define the primary objectives of literary festivals, especially in the context of promoting books and authors?
Swell Team
@Swell · 0:15
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:08
What are the key ways in which literary festivals contribute to book marketing and the literary community as a whole?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:09
Can you please talk a bit about the role of panel discussions, author readings and book signings in book marketing and literary festivals?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:08
From your perspective, how has the role of literary festivals evolved in recent years? And what trends do you see emerging in the future?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:22
One of the most commonly asked or commonly shared doubt that writers actually have is that should they be participating in Litfests only after this book has released? Or is it advisable to be a part of literary festivals and other communities even before their book releases? What are your thoughts on this?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:08
How do you see the relationship between literary festivals and online book marketing strategies like social media and virtual event?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:07
Are there any challenges or obstacles that authors and publishers should be aware of when participating in literary festivals?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:09
Could you share some insights on how literary festivals can be leveraged as a networking opportunity for authors and industry professionals?
The Bookbot Theory
@Bookbot · 0:12
And that brings us to the last question of this interview. What advice would you give to authors looking to make the most of their participation in literary festivals? From a marketing standpoint?
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 3:37
We're sort of taking a bit of a breather as far as the Girls Summit is concerned due to some challenges. But we'll be back probably next year. So coming to Anki's Women in Literature Festival at Anke, our focus has always been women, gender, the marginalized communities, especially across the Global South. After organizing various events on tech, the SDGs, advocacy, et cetera, I wanted to go back to my roots. So it started with something very personal
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 1:57
It's a one big stop shop where books are sold and authors are discovered and you get to engage with them. And I believe, of course, social media and all these new tech instruments are instrumental of when it comes to book marketing and promotion. But they can never beat the word of mouth. I just think maybe I'm old school, but I think word of mouth is the best form of marketing, which works stupendously here. I hope that makes sense
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 2:19
These festivals play an important role because art and creativity is universal. These are beyond time and space, they are beyond borders. They help unshackle us from hate through dialogue, by inviting and welcoming thoughts and ideas and challenges that may well, very well differ. They may vary, but they may be similar as well. But I think they help bring coherence and harmony. And maybe I'm giving a strange analogy here, I don't know
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 2:22
Book signing, panel discussions, you get discovered making the author and the book and the ideas word accessed by not just the readers, the audience, but also the larger industry participants, other stakeholders. So I think these are great ways to do that
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 3:40
I think it's also important to embrace and embed technology, technologies, technological advancements to make our experiences more immersive, especially if we want to invite and engage newer audiences, gen, alpha and what have you. Their playground is the metaverse and excuse the deliberate pun here, but we should all be well versed in that. Adopt, adapt, create and innovate
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 1:54
You. I say, Why should there be a restriction? I don't think there should be. An author should not participate or should participate. Why should we have all these restrictions? There's so many ways an author can participate regardless of her or his book being published or not. Even if it's not discovery, it's engagement, it's an experience, it's learning for everyone
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 0:50
Most definitely. I think there's an alignment and a relationship. They're all part of a campaign with common goals of raising awareness and promoting the book. Promoting and raising awareness about the author, about her or his perspectives. It's about engaging to get the word out, you know, and of course, to style the product. So, yes, there is a relationship and it also plays a role in influencing social media by creating that hype, that conversation, that narrative that virility
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 0:54
You. So every event has its challenges based on, for example, from where it is being held, which of course is unfortunate. And while upholding the notion of freedom of expression, we should acknowledge that one does come across different constraints. So it is not just the authors, but how stakeholders need to rise above and beyond that. The idea should be to get your message across and it definitely is not easy. But yeah, there are challenges that need to be tackled
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 3:33
One thing I am absolutely, absolutely proud of and celebrated, we have this amazing cross cultural exchange and I'm so proud to say, and so happy to say know Anandke did that we had this opportunity to launch this indopark project, a book of translated works by the visionary and my dear, dear friend Naveen Kishore. He's publisher of Seagull Books
Sabin Muzaffar
@Critoe_Sabin · 1:07
It's all about that. So it's about making it worth their while. Thank you so much. Thank you, namrata. For this amazing opportunity for me to talk about the things I love