tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post1461715903405948836..comments2023-10-31T10:59:03.023-04:00Comments on INKSPOT Crime Fiction Blog | A Place for Mystery, Mayhem, Writing and Life: Seated to my RightLinda O. Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-65618669059971846922011-03-14T16:36:44.073-04:002011-03-14T16:36:44.073-04:00Hiya, Ms. Molly ... how I wish I had YOU as a mode...Hiya, Ms. Molly ... how I wish I had YOU as a moderator. Sounds like you don't let anyone get away with hogging the show! Thanks for the comments, y'all!Deborah Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575491644343480392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-4919818597597403422011-03-13T15:49:56.417-04:002011-03-13T15:49:56.417-04:00I've moderated a lot of panels in my day and I...I've moderated a lot of panels in my day and I always send out the rules of the game, stressing that I will time answers so that everyone gets equal opportunity to talk. Not everyone believes me, but I've learned that everybody, even a panel hog, has to breathe sometime. I brace myself to watch for it and swoop in with a, "That's interesting. We'll hear more about that later." Most times, I don't have to do that more than once in a panel.<br /><br />I also open the questions from the audience with rules: No opening statements. Ask your question immediately.<br /><br />Talkers may not like me, but listeners seem to appreciate my style.Msmstryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16482398424851486681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-90261564881765598742011-03-04T14:53:41.516-05:002011-03-04T14:53:41.516-05:00I've been lucky with panels. I'm realizing...I've been lucky with panels. I'm realizing how lucky!G.M. Malliethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13805971625496094303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-65993556378389949612011-03-03T21:35:35.550-05:002011-03-03T21:35:35.550-05:00Alan: Omg, suppose I'M on the fish???
Darrell:...Alan: Omg, suppose I'M on the fish???<br />Darrell: Lucky you (Cricket, too) for having good panels so far.<br />Kathleen: I've gotten a couple of those thank-yous ... Feels good.<br />Keith: I agree that conversation is great. How do you do that, though, if the moderator is a cut-and-dried questioner?<br />Beth: I lean more toward your tactic. I also tell the audience what we're going to do, and I think most people like the head's up.<br />Cheers, y'all, and thanks for the comments.Deborah Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575491644343480392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-56949005191008378122011-03-03T18:27:01.606-05:002011-03-03T18:27:01.606-05:00I'm a moderator/panelist for my "Murder i...I'm a moderator/panelist for my "Murder in the Great Outdoors" panel at Left Coast Crime. I know the other panelists think I'm obsessive-compulsive by now, but I sent them a list of 5 questions I plan to cover before opening it up to the audience. I told them I expected them to spend NO MORE than 2 minutes answering each question. And I have no compunction about butting in to say, "Okay, let's hear what the next person has to say now."<br /><br />You know, panelists who hog the stage probably don't realize it, but they're making a bad impression on the audience. They know who's being polite and who isn't, and they won't buy books from snobs.<br /><br />Deborah,<br />Here's hoping your panel goes swimmingly!Beth Groundwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13999372882748655834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-30760168666636245832011-03-03T15:31:47.339-05:002011-03-03T15:31:47.339-05:00I agree, Keith. A good moderator can foster that k...I agree, Keith. A good moderator can foster that kind of organic discussion.<br /><br />My panel experiences have all been fair to great. So far. However I've witnessed panels where one person hogs the mic and one where a panelist kept bringing up their connection with a movie star. I ended up walking out, and I wasn't the only one.<br /><br />Have fun at Sleuthfest, Deb!Cricket McRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786996969148417569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-83843807859224167332011-03-03T13:15:52.251-05:002011-03-03T13:15:52.251-05:00I like panels where there's a conversation amo...I like panels where there's a conversation among panelists, not where each panelist answers the question in turn (boring!).Keith Raffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02926077627965529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-59980366874407016262011-03-03T12:36:24.703-05:002011-03-03T12:36:24.703-05:00Been there! So much depends on the moderator. An...Been there! So much depends on the moderator. And not just for the other authors, but also for those in attendance. I try to always thank moderators who handled a panel well. <br /><br />Good luck on your panel!Kathleen Ernsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009876100214388898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-74664851069233590582011-03-03T11:39:38.006-05:002011-03-03T11:39:38.006-05:00Deb, now you've got me checking to see if I fi...Deb, now you've got me checking to see if I fit one of the Panelist-From-Hell Archetypes... hmmm! I don't think so.<br /><br />I've mostly had pretty good panel experiences, so far (fingers crossed). I have run into the Doesn't-Take-A-Breath-Between- Sentences-Panelist from time to time.Darrell Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08394984700734588887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-60467183639384877342011-03-03T11:10:59.514-05:002011-03-03T11:10:59.514-05:00Hmm. I haven't been on a bad panel. (What'...Hmm. I haven't been on a bad panel. (What's that saying? If you sit down at a poker table and you can't figure out who the fish is, then...)Alan Orloffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695574442723430347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-78122442516166010542011-03-03T10:29:51.614-05:002011-03-03T10:29:51.614-05:00Sue Ann: another author recently told me ''...Sue Ann: another author recently told me ''A good moderator is a thing of beauty.'' Good and strict! Lois: I hate when that happens. Especially as a newbie, you're reluctant to break in when someone is monopolizing, but I think it can be done tactfully, and the audience appreciates it.Deborah Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575491644343480392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-67754879456690847592011-03-03T09:11:17.185-05:002011-03-03T09:11:17.185-05:00I was on a panel once with 5 other authors. No mod...I was on a panel once with 5 other authors. No moderator. We agreed among ourselves that we should each do a quick intro, then get into the discussion. We were all newbie authors, so there were no mega-stars in the group. <br /><br />The person to my right got things started, introducing herself, then giving the title of her book, the publisher, the genre, and when the book came out. I did the same. Then the person to my left started talking. And talked. And talked. And talked. The two remaining panelists followed her lead. By the time they were finished, time was up for the panel. The first author and I never got to speak beyond our quick intros.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-11022059818755627932011-03-03T08:56:51.285-05:002011-03-03T08:56:51.285-05:00I was on a panel once where 1 author took up 2/3 o...I was on a panel once where 1 author took up 2/3 or more of the time with one question, taking non-stop about her book and even reading from it! Yet the moderator said nothing. The rest of us, and the audience, were looking at each other and rolling our eyes. The author was clueless and self-absorbed, but the moderator should have been shot.Sue Ann Jaffarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09984054116933714621noreply@blogger.com