It’s Showtime! Tips for Moderating Author Panels

I was starstruck the first time I moderated a panel of writers at a local library. I hadn’t finished the first draft of my first novel, and I’d never met a “real author.” I can’t tell you whether or not I did a good job, because it was all a blur. I was that nervous.

I’ve mostly overcome those nerves, and I still say “yes” when invited to moderate author panels at conferences. I love having the chance to ask authors about their books and creative process. And I’m still starstruck when I meet writers whose work I admire. 

I’ll be moderating panels at Malice Domestic in April and CrimeCONN on May 17. I suppose that’s why I’ve been thinking about how moderators can help authors shine during panel discussions. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned. Maybe you’ll find them helpful, too.

It’s not about us.

A moderator is really a maître d’. Their job is to keep things moving and ensure each author gets to present themselves and their books in a positive light. Introduce yourself and mention your own books once, but remember you’re there to make everyone else look good. I think of the role as “paying it forward” for all the support I’ve received from other authors in the crime fiction community. 

Read the books. 

Of course you’ll read the panelists’ books, right? It’s an especially good practice for at least two reasons. Specific questions about the books are just more interesting. They keep the authors’s and audience’s energy high. Second, almost all the writers you interview appear for free. Reading their books acknowledges that you value their time. 

Reach out in advance. 

To put writers at ease, get in touch a few weeks before the book talk. Ask for a short bio (see below). Invite authors to forward any issues or questions they’d like you to raise during the panel discussion. Send your questions to them in advance.

Handle the intros. 

Having writers introduce themselves is risky. If you have a panel of five writers and each takes only three minutes to introduce themselves, you’ll have lost 15 minutes, probably a third of the panel’s total time. Instead, ask the panelists in advance for their two-sentence or 100-150 word biographies. Read the intros aloud to kick off the discussion.

And then what? 

After introducing the authors, turn the event over to them. Ask each to introduce the story they’re been invited to discuss with the “elevator pitch” version of their book. It gives a brief but solid foundation for the discussion to come. Alternatively, or in addition, ask each author a specific question about their protagonist or a major plot point. (No spoilers!) 

Follow with some general questions that all panelists can answer based on the conference or panel theme—Yes, most have a theme—from what intrigued them most about the book’s setting to what inspired them to write the crime at the heart of your story. 

Prepare more questions than you’ll need. 

It’s hard to predict whether a question will spark an answer of too few words or lead to an intriguing discussion. So prepare more questions than can “fit” into the panel’s time slot. Pro tip: Make sure none of your questions can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Equal time for all. 

Do your best to give everyone equal time. Keep track to ensure each author gets the same number of questions or equal time to tout their work.  

I’ve only had one panelist ever threaten to monopolize the conversation. I waited until they took a breath, then interrupted, asking one of the other panelists, “And what do you think about [fill in the blank]. Yes, I felt rude, but the other authors and the audience were getting restless. If you have a better approach, let me know!

Time flies.

Leave 10 to 15 minutes for audience questions. Just before the Q&A break, ask each author: “What can the audience can expect to see from you next?” 

End with praise & a pitch for good reviews. 

Thank the volunteers who organized the conference and the authors who spoke. Remind the audience where they can purchase the authors’ books and how much good reviews mean.

Are there other tips you’d add—or things you’d avoid— to make moderating a great experience? Let me know!

Mally Becker is the three-time Agatha Award-nominated author of the Revolutionary War mysteries, which include The Turncoat’s Widow, The Counterfeit Wife, and The Paris Mistress. A former attorney, she also teaches mystery writing at The Writers Circle Workshops, interviews authors for the Historical Novel Society’s website, and hikes and kayaks in her spare time. Mally and her husband live in the wilds of New Jersey, where they raised their wonderful son.

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