HarperCollins US launches daily Facebook Live program

In the US, HarperCollins has announced the launch of its daily Facebook Live program, which will see authors broadcast live videos to readers and take comments and questions on the social media’s livestreaming service. Starting from 6 June, HarperCollins’ authors, illustrators and employees will stream 15-45 minute Facebook Live sessions, to be hosted on authors’ Facebook pages, as well as the publisher’s Book Studio 16 Facebook page and its other digital channels. The sessions will feature authors discussing their books and taking questions from fans live from a number of locations, including their homes, the HarperCollins offices, bookstore events and others. The programming for each day will have a different theme: Motivational Mondays will focus on self-help and inspiration; Temptation Tuesdays will feature food-related content; Writerly Wednesdays will involve writer workshops with authors; Truthful Thursdays will centre on nonfiction; and Free-for-all-Fridays will provide insights into publishing from HarperCollins’ employees. Lisa Sharkey, senior vice-president and director of creative development, said the goal of the program is ‘to bring writers and their fans closer together’. ‘The beauty of Facebook Live is that we can produce it in our studios or authors can do it themselves directly from a Facebook app on their smartphones,’ said Sharkey. In a comment to the Wall Street Journal, Sharkey responded to the publication’s question of whether this will affect in-store author appearances by stating that the program will not make those visits any less important and that some authors will be streaming from their bookstore events on tour.

Category: International news