Donna L Martin's THE STORY CATCHER: author visits

Monday, June 15, 2015

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR VISIT: PART TWO

Last week I talked about what schools can do to help support authors wanting to visit their students. If you missed it, you can check out my post here. This week I'll talk about what YOU can do as an author to make sure you get invited back to the schools of your choosing.

There are two parts to this post. First, what you need to bring on an author's visit and second, things to keep in mind when you are interacting with a younger audience.

AUTHOR CHECK LIST

1) Copies of your book. (You would be surprised how easy it is to forget this!)
2) Bookmarks or postcards to hand out. (You can always sign one for the child who couldn't buy your book)
3) Plenty of sharpies (Fine point and regular for signing books)
4) Props (I wear a butterfly headband and have plush butterflies to decorate my author table)
5) Banners (Whenever I attend larger school functions or festivals I bring my author banner to help promote by book)
6) Tabletop easels (I use them to draw attention to my book or to hold smaller promotional poster board book covers)
7) Clipboard and newsletter sign up sheet (Most of my fan club members have come from simply putting out a sign up sheet and inviting people to sign up to receive my bi-monthly newsletter)
8) Interactive game or craft (After reading/talking about my book, I do a group activity with the kids to keep them actively involved in my visit)
9) Table cover (I like to add a splash of color to my displays to draw attention to my book)

These are the basics I carry with me to every author visit. I may add more things depending on the type of visit I'm doing but you get the idea. Is there something else YOU just have to include on YOUR author checklist? Tell us in the comments below...

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

1) Really young children (Pre-K thru 1st grade) are eager to TELL you things but may not understand how to ask a proper QUESTION so you may want to save the Q & A for older grades.
2) Use your visit to both entertain and educate your audience. With Common Core as an integral part of every teacher's life nowadays, if you can tie your visit to some areas of Common Core you will be known as the right type of author to invite back.
3) Have a Plan B or even a Plan C in case your assembly time is cut short or your Power Point presentation breaks down.
4) If you're performing a reader's theater be sure to get the teacher's input on the strong readers out of the potential students as to not embarrass the struggling readers.
5) Keep the energy level up and the kids will stay interested. Don't be afraid to be silly.
6) Plan out your entire presentation from how you will tell the kids about yourself to what the focus of that day's visit is, to how to answer potential questions.
7) Remember author visits are supposed to be FUN!

When you fail to plan you run the risk of planning to fail. Stay professional and give your schools a reason to be excited about wanting you to come back for another visit real soon!

Blurb:

Addie comes from a long line of readers or "story catchers" as her family likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her own the wiggly words play tricks on her. She tries different ways to make those words sit still but it will take a little faith for Addie to become the next STORY CATCHER.

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Monday, June 8, 2015

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR VISIT: PART ONE

If you've been an author for long you know all about author visits...why writers do them, how to put one together, what makes one successful. But if you are new to the whole published author side of writing (like I am), you just might overlook some important things to consider when putting together an author visit.

Part One of this two part post will look at what a school can do to ensure authors will be interested in visiting your location and Part Two will cover what every author should remember to do to help full participation in their author visits as well as garnishing that coveted return invitation.

While I'm sure every school would love to have someone like J K Rowling drop by to talk about their books, chances are much better for debut to mid-list authors to be available. Depending on how prepared each school is, even a first time visit from a debut author can be a winning event. Here are some areas to consider when putting together a potential author visit:

THE BENEFITS OF AN AUTHOR VISIT

1) Gives young readers a positive experience with reading

2) Supports Common Core as students study connections within universal themes and topics

3) Creates a foundation encouraging an in depth study of literature

4) Develops a respect for the entire writing process

5) Exposes students to different genres and various authors' works

COVERING THE COST OF THE EVENT

1) Create a simple committee to create a plan to cover author visits

2) Determine the budget available for potential visits and honorariums

3) Research grant opportunities to help cover costs

4) Identify possible community cosponsors

5) Look into possible funding from parent/teacher organizations

DETAILS OF THE AUTHOR VISIT

1) Decide what type of visit. One grade level visit? One entire day author visit? A multiple day with multiple presentations event?

2) Determine where event will be held. Individual classrooms? Auditorium? Somewhere else?

3) Researching possible authors to invite

4) Creating a participation environment from entire school

5) Send out invitations with potential scheduling dates to choose from

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

1) Adequate table and chairs

2) Microphones and sound systems

3) Audiovisual systems

4) Dry erase boards

5) Easels

6) Podium

CREATURE COMFORTS

1) Designated breaks and lunch time for all day and multiple day events

2) Lunch catered?

3) Designated restroom

4) Available beverages such as water, coffee, sodas, etc.

5) Designated escort for getting around school campus

PREPARING THE CHILDREN

1) Display posters announcing upcoming author visit

2) Send home flyers with opportunities to preorder author books for author signing during visit

3) Have a contest which children creating a poster based on one of the author's books

4) Have some children put on a play based on one of the author's books

5) Have a contest where children write their own story using characters from one of the author's books

6) Research the author, check out their website, read their books before the visit

7) Create a school wide welcome banner and have all the kids sign it

8) Send out news release to generate publicity for the event

9) Line up a photographer

SCHEDULING A TYPICAL AUTHOR VISIT

8:00 a.m. Breakfast with the welcome committee and school staff

8:45 a.m. Set up equipment and prepare for first session

9:05 a.m. General assembly to introduce author to school. Presentation of special readings, key to the school, etc.

9:30 a.m. First session with 4th and 5th graders (50 minute session & 10 minute break)

10:30 a.m. Second session with 2nd & 3rd graders (50 minute session & 10 minute break)

11:30 a.m. Lunch break

12:30 p.m. Third session with Kindergarten & 1st graders (40 minutes)

1:10 p.m. Break and book signing

1:45 p.m. Classes visit library to have pictures taken with author

3:00 p.m.

AFTER THE VISIT

1) Make sure honorariums and expense reimbursements are paid out in a timely manner

2) Complete author evaluation papers

3) Send a letter/email of thanks to author for their visit

The success of an author's visit lies in both the school committee and the author themselves. A well thought out event will ensure return visits and everyone involved leaves with a positive experience of exploring the pages of a good book!

Don't forget to come back next week for Part Two of how to have a successful author visit!