BOOKING FEATURES AT POETRY EVENTS

Hey, Poets-Looking-to-Tour/Travel!

Because I am often asked how to book a poetry gig, I have put together this comprehensive
How-To-Book-A-Small-Feature.

UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE GIGS

I get asked a lot how to book colleges. It is not easy and takes time, in which most poets who
do get college gigs have an agent who handles it for them. I have an agent who handles my
college gigs. You can contact the schools directly, and you want to reach Campus Activities
Board, Union, or Department. It’s different for every school, but most of them have Events or
Activities in their title, and you want to speak or send a press kit to their director or adviser.
Most of this info is available on the school’s website.

There are agencies all over the internet. Some good and some okay. Look into them and ask
around. They don’t all handle poets and spoken word artists – and the ones that do – don’t
exactly know what to do with them. Do your work.

NOTES ON BOOKING FEATURES AT SMALLER VENUES (e.g. poetry slams, open mics,
living rooms)
Most of the events listed online will book touring or traveling performers, especially if you
have other performers to vouch for you. These recommendations should help in any region of
the country. I also suggest that you plan a tour at least six months in advance. Most events,
especially monthlies, book even further in advance. NOTE: DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF TO
POETRY SLAMS. DISCOVER OTHER VENUES IN NEW REGIONS. YOUR BEST SHOW
MAY HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH WHAT YOU’RE USED TOO LOCALLY.

SEEKING A FEATURE SPOT AT A POETRY EVENT

When writing an email to a slam-master or event organizer, here are some things you may
want to include, especially if you are new to that region’s poetry scene:

• Your Poetry Slam Experience (ex. Local Teams, Nationals, IWPS, WOWPS)
• Past Touring Experience
• PROPER GRAMMAR (Web speek n txt maik u luk unprfsnl)
• Method of Travel
• Who Knows You AND WILL Vouch For Your Stage Presence
• One or Two Sample Poems
• A Bio Image (300 dpi or better)
• Approximately 100 Word Bio
• The Period of Time You Wish to Feature (ex. March 6, 2033 to April 12, 2033)
• One or two easy to click links to audio/video of you performing, or your own website. (ex.
Myspace or LinkedIn, but Facebook is generally not public)

By giving the slam-master/organizer a wide period of time to work with, you are likelier to get
a date to feature.

None of this will guarantee you a spot at a show, but it will help. Most organizers get dozens
of requests a month, and the more popular slams get dozens of requests a week. Be sure to
get to the point very quickly with your message, with minimal bragging, because many slam-
masters will not book someone who gives the impression that they are the end-all-be-all to
spoken word. If you’re introducing yourself to a slam-master, then they probably have never
heard of you and slam-masters know pretty much everybody in the slam poetry scene and
beyond. If they have to ask someone else about you, you are not the end-all-be-all to spoken
word and should act accordingly.
If you’re serious about touring and being a performer who wants gig after gig, then you, like
me, probably realize that Myspace is just not enough. You should seriously consider having a
website. It is an investment you get to build on. The more content and the better it looks, the
better you look. It is also imperative that you do as much research as possible on each show
you intend to book. Is it an open mic, slam, folk music variety show, or other? The more you
know, the less you have to ask. Do double check event info, though. The web might say the
show starts at 8:00pm, but that info may be very old.

Unless you’ve already spent quality time with them, assume the person you are querying for a
gig doesn’t know you at all.

SAMPLE INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE

(Feel free to MadLib this sample for your own use.)

Hello, (insert name here).

My name is Mike McGee and I am a poet from San José, California. I currently
reside in Worcester, MA. Some people may know me on stage as “Mighty” Mike
McGee. We met at (PLACE AND TIME) and spoke about (TOPIC). [OR: We have yet
to meet, but I got your contact information from (SOURCE).]

I am planning a solo tour in your region from (DATE) to (DATE). This will be my
(NUMBERED) tour. My plan is to fly to (CITY) to begin my tour, then drive/take
Greyhound/Amtrak/Airplane to (REQUESTED REGION). My goal is to stay for
(NUMBER OF DAYS) and to book at least (NUMBER) shows in (REQUESTED
REGION). I am currently wide open during this time and willing to take any date you
have available. I will probably use your show as an anchor point if you are to book me.
[OR: I have (SHOW(s) ON DATE(s)) already booked prior to/after yours, and so your
show was next in line.]

You may contact (POET NAME) and (POET NAME) with regard to this request and
they will assure you of my ability to put on a good reading/performance/show.

I see that your slam is held on (DAYS OF THE WEEK), and whether or not you are
able to schedule me into your show, I would be grateful if you could also help me with
contact information for other nearby organizers with shows during that week. Since I
am not familiar with your region of (STATE/PROVINCE), I would greatly appreciate any
recommendations for travel, lodging and food.
Are there any locals who would house me for (LENGTH OF STAY)?
[OR: I am acquainted with (LOCAL PERSON) and they are willing to house me for
(LENGTH OF STAY). I have confirmed this.]
Click here for my personal website: http://www.mikemcgee.net or you can Google
“Mighty Mike McGee” to find various links on the internet, including YouTube.com
videos of my live performances.
If we confirm a date, I will immediately follow your response with an image large
enough for print and web promotion. My bio is below.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.

Truly,
Mike McGee

MIKE McGEE’S BIO

Mike McGee was born with Spina Bifida in Fort Campbell, Kentucky/Tennessee. He
splits his time between coasts and has performed poetry and comedy since 1998.
 In 2003, he won the National Poetry Slam Individual Grand Championship in
Chicago, then in 2006 he won the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship in
Charlotte, North Carolina, becoming the first person to hold both titles. McGee is co-
founder of the spoken word groups Tons of Fun University (T.O.F.U.) and Solomon
Sparrow’s Electric Whale Revival.

“In Search of Midnight: The Mike McGee Handbook of Awesome” is available

through Write Bloody Publishing (http://writebloody.com).

McGee now writes and performs all over the world and he loves it so.

DOs AND DON’Ts

DO put on a good show

DON’T assume the audience came to see you
DO thank the organizer for the gig
DO thank the audience for coming
DO promote the show on your own web outlets
DO ask ahead of time about payment amount and method. Confirm this before walking into
the venue.
DON’T assume you will get into the show for free, but be surprised when you do
DO ask other performers familiar with said region about its scene and scenesters
DON’T beg your audience to buy merchandise. Just ask.

INTERNET PROMOTION
Once you have booked a gig anywhere. Be sure to get every bit of information possible about
the show. Compiling ALL of the correct info is very important to get people to come to your
show.

Create events pages and calendars for your tour/gigs. The more you put up, the better. No
organizer will ever ask you to hold off on promoting their show for them! They can only reach
the people who are willing to come out to there venue. You can reach new people who like
your work, but had no idea you were going to be in their region.

The more you put on the internet, the more others will see that you are touring. There will be
a word of mouth effect. DO NOT bombard people on their sites with your info, but certainly let
poets and performers you know in the destined region of your gig that you are coming. If they
like you, they will help put the word out.

If you know how to design nifty graphics, then it would behoove you to make a logo or simple
image to help put a “face” to your event.

For every poet and performer whose help you seek, you need at least three other “nons” to
help put your name out there into their regional poetry scene.

THE MOST IMPORTANT, KEY ELEMENT TO GETTING OUT THERE

• Be good at what you do!

• DO NOT SUCK!

Good luck and have fun out there!

Truly,
Mike McGee