Menu:
Developing a Career As a Freelance Storyteller
by Cynthia Orr
Like Xena the Warrior Princess, librarians have many skills - and some of these can lend themselves to a freelance career. Storytelling is one of the most likely candidates: since it involves a public performance, it must be scheduled in advance. This makes it a good fit for someone balancing work and family; simply schedule the babysitter immediately upon receiving a booking!
Libraries and other organizations do use freelancers for storytelling and other programs. Just because you’ve been a successful storyteller in a library setting, however, doesn’t mean you’ll be successful as a freelancer. Never underestimate the power of the institution behind you. I once knew a librarian whose story times at the library were very heavily attended. She knew many mothers and fathers and caregivers in the community on a first-name basis, and occasionally performed at birthday parties and other small events after work. She was a good storyteller, and received many compliments.
She made the mistake of believing that it was her skill alone that filled the sessions at the library, and quit her job to begin a freelance career. She was quite surprised when her sessions at a local fine arts center had low attendance. It turned out that parents had brought their children to her story times in the library because they were sponsored by the library, and because they were free. They were not willing to pay for her sessions when she was no longer with the library, and quickly transferred their allegiance to her replacement.
You can be a successful freelance storyteller, but you will either have to be better than the local librarians, or offer a different kind of program.
So, assuming that you are a spectacular storyteller, how do you go about developing a freelance career?
- Take care of business. You’ll need business cards, a varied
repertoire of programs, a brochure, invoices, and a standard
contract. You are going into business for yourself, and you need to
take a businesslike approach.
- Remember that you are a professional. This is something that sets
you apart from the local freelance clown. Locate as many
storytelling and performing organizations as you can and join them.
Take classes, read extensively, and keep up professionally. Join ALA
and your state organization and attend conferences. You should be an
expert in storytelling, so offer to speak and write on the subject.
The librarians who attend your sessions and read your articles are
potential customers. List your credentials and memberships on your
brochure.
- Develop a marketing plan, and remember that selling your services
is just as important as delivering a great show. Tailor your
programs to the needs of the community. And if there isn’t enough
need in the community to keep you busy, widen your sights to other
areas. It seems obvious, but selling is about delivering something
the customer needs (not, as many salespeople seem to think, about
why you’re a good guy and need to make a sale).
Tailoring your program includes understanding that something that works great with 15 kids might be a disaster if the venue is expecting to have 100 kids. And again, this has to be about the customers having a great experience — the librarians who hired you, the parents who are pleased, and especially the kids - who should have a wonderful, safe time. A program including a pinata might be great for a private birthday party, but a disaster with 200 kids at a library.
- Evaluate your competition and observe the needs of your potential
customers. One way to do this is to go to as many area library
summer reading programs as you can to see what kinds of freelancers
they have booked and what kinds of programs their own staff produce.
Find out far in advance what the theme of their next summer reading program is going to be, in every library you see as a potential customer. If the theme is "the sea," for instance, think about developing programs about pirates or sea chanties. Most libraries have their regular staff handle routine story times, but summer reading programs are a big deal, and they often use freelancers to supplement their staff for these programs.
Most area libraries tend to pick the same summer reading theme, but not always. Be sure to check the yellow pages or state library directory to find library systems in your area. Often several independent library systems exist in the same county or city, and they each book their own programs. Even different branches of the same system sometimes book their own programs independently. Many states have a statewide theme, so think of how often you could repeat the same program across the state if you plan well.
Make sure the local children's librarians know - well in advance — what programs you offer and how much they will cost. This may be easier than it seems, since librarians are very helpful people. Introduce yourself to as many as you can and they'll tell you the going price and what they need. Typically, summer reading programs are booked in March, with the theme picked earlier than that.
- Branch out from storytelling in order to offer something unique. Some of the most successful programs I've seen use skills that most children's librarians don't have. I've hired magicians, jugglers, singers, balloon twisters, clowns and ventriloquists. If you can, for instance, develop a magic program that fits the theme of the summer, you have a good chance of getting bookings. Maybe there's a magician in your neighborhood who is well-known and already does this. If so, think of something else instead. Can you juggle?
The key to success as a freelancer is to be prepared, know the market and the competition, be good at what you do, deliver a program that meets the need at a price the market will bear, and then get out there and sell. If they like you, they'll not only call you again and again, they’ll sing your praises to their colleagues.
Cynthia Orr is Collection Manager for the Cleveland Public Library and has over 30 years of public library experience in the areas of collection development, public service and management. She is a frequent speaker on the topic of readers' advisory service, and was the co-founder of a web-based resource called BookBrowser, which was recently sold to Barnes & Noble.com.