Encore presentation: WRITERLY WISDOM

 

***I have a number of writing deadlines coming up over the next couple of months so I have decided instead of stepping away from my blog completely to concentrate solely on my writing, I will bring back an encore performance of my WRITERLY WISDOM series from three years ago. WW is 52 glorious posts by authors, agents, and editors from around the country providing writerly wisdom in categories from why even become a writer all the way to how to publish and market your books.
 

There will be two posts loaded per week...Mondays & Wednesdays...so be sure to stop by and check out all the encouraging information given by my lovely writerly friends! I hope you enjoy the encore presentation of my WRITERLY WISDOM series and I will return with shiny, new posts in the fall!***

 

 Getting Schooled About School Visits

by Marcie Colleen

So we’re going to talk about school visits.  But first, let’s quickly squash negativity and acknowledge the elephants in the room.

I am sure you have heard…

1)  Because of stringent budget cuts, schools have very little money to spend on author visits these days. 

2)  Because of the Common Core State Standards, teachers have very little classroom time to devote to special events like author visits.

So we should all just give up the idea of school visits, right? WRONG!

You see, school visits to kidlit authors are like crowd-surfing to a rockstar.  It’s the perfect way to connect with our audience on an intimate level.  In fact, these visits have the power, if done right, to transform even the most reluctant child into a lifelong reader and maybe even a writer.

“Hello, Elephant!”

It is true that with a majority of focus being devoted to the Common Core State Standards, instructional time is scarce.  And, with increased budget constraints, there isn’t a lot of money.

“So then how do you propose we do school visits, Marcie?”

I’m glad you asked. 

Today I give you two tips that will set you on the path to successful school trips.

1)  Make it as easy as possible for the teachers

2)   Give teachers the biggest bang for their buck

Let’s break these both down individually.

Make it as easy as possible for the teachers.  

Yes.  Teachers are overworked and underappreciated.  And although they might really want to bring you into their classroom, sometimes it just seems like way too much for work them.  How can you make it easier?

·       Provide a FREE downloadable Teacher’s Guide or a few lesson plans.  Not only can teachers use these materials to quickly introduce your book to their class, they can also use these materials as a validation for your school visit.  No longer will they have to write a proposal or spend hours in a meeting convincing their department or administration that your book has value.  The Teacher’s Guide or lesson plan packet will do the convincing for them.

·       Create a Pre-Visit Package.  I was recently reading How to Promote Your Children’s Book by Katie Davis.  First off, I highly recommend this e-book.  The chapter on School Visits is very informative.  In it, Davis discusses her “school visits packet” that she provides before the actual visit.  This package includes posters to hang all over the school announcing the upcoming event, “backpack flyers” to send home with the kids, and a handy checklist which lays out what the teacher can do in the 6 weeks leading up to the visit!  Again, we are making it easy for the teachers and in doing so, you will be hyping kids up and getting them (and the teacher) invested in your visit.  This is priceless and well worth the few hours it will take to initially develop these materials.

·       Make your visit affordable.  I said AFFORDABLE, not FREE! That’s right.  I don’t believe you should be doing these visits for free, but you can provide a few options that schools can choose from based on their financial situation.  Skype visits can be a wonderful option and cut down on travel costs.  Having two schools share the cost for a combined workshop at a host location is another option.  Or giving discounts for second school referrals or second day workshops can provide incentive for the school to save money while also garnering you more work.  The key here is to provide options that are fair to both you and the school.

    Give teachers the biggest bang for their buck.  

    

      So, you are not going to do school visits for free which means you have homework to do.  That’s right.  Reading your fabulous picture book to the class of 25 first graders will take all of 5-10 minutes.  Not good enough for a school visit.  Time to get creative.

·       Shadow a successful school presenter. Learn from the best.  Before you baptize yourself with fire, think again.  Are there other authors in your area who you might be able to accompany on a future visit?  Ask them!  I have learned that the kidlit community is very generous.  The worst they can say is no.  And maybe if you can’t actually go to the school with them, you can at least pick their brain to help you plan your own presentation.  Another wonderful resource is Alexis O’Neill’s website.  Alexis is the goddess of school visits!  Learn from her. 

·       Remember it’s a presentation!  Although the “best of the best” make presenting look easy and off-the-cuff, it is a presentation.  Meaning, you have to prepare.  And if you are going into schools and kids are involved, nothing is predictable.  So be armed with a presentation which will serve as your plan to success.  Nothing will take as long as you think it will.  That “introductory speech” about who you are and where your ideas come from that you think will take up the first 15 minutes will only take 3.  Therefore, plan and over plan. 

·       Always include a hands-on component.  This is where you can slow things down and make a 5 minute activity into a 15 minute activity.  So, develop a craft or a writing assignment (taking into consideration the age of the students) that fits your book.  It’s a wonderful way to take the spotlight off of you, if you have a little stage fright.  I recently attended a bookstore event.  The author was kind of shy, yet she handled the session beautifully.  First, she gave a little background on herself and the creation of her book.  She followed with a reading of the picture book.  And then, she taught a simple craft that tied into the theme of the book.  Suddenly she didn’t have to be “onstage” anymore and was able to sit on the floor and engage with her biggest fans.  In addition, kids and teachers love it when they have something concrete to keep after the visit.

Even if you are not currently published you can start to develop your plan for successful school visits.  Hopefully the tips above will help.  But most importantly, remember…this is school so DO YOUR HOMEWORK and you’ll be crowd-surfing visiting schools in no time!

Marcie Colleen is the Education Consultant for Picture Book Month. She has been in education for 18 years with a bachelor’s degree in Education of English and Language Arts from Oswego State University and a Master’s degree in Educational Theater from New York University.  She is a former New York classroom teacher and has served as a curriculum creator for the Central New York Institute of Aesthetic Education, Syracuse Stage, Tony Randall’s National Actors Theater, and various Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.  She was the Director of Education for TADA! Youth Theater in NYC creating and managing educational programming reaching over 30,000 students and families in the NYC Metro area a year.  Her Teacher’s Guides for picture books and middle grade novels can be found at www.thisismarciecolleen.com.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO PUBLISH A BOOK, Part Ten







I've had fun writing the posts for this series and hope it has helped some of my readers who might have needed some fresh ideas on the ins and outs of  marketing their work. In the last post of this series, I look at some of the other creative options childrens book authors have in getting their books in front of their targeted audience. Some of these might work for you and some won't. It takes a little bit of moxie or gumption or assertiveness or whatever you might want to call it to approach some of these venues about doing a book event...i.e. reading, book signing, party, etc. You might have to help educate individuals on the benefits of allowing you to come into their establishment. Remember, it's not about YOU and YOUR BOOK. It's about THEM and WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM. The easier you make it for them to say YES, the more eager they will be to help you make your event a success. I like to call this my: 

THINKING OUTSIDE THE CRAYON BOX MARKETING LIST

Teacher's guides...Create your own set to post on your website and bring on school visits or hire someone like the talented Marcie Colleen (http://www.thisismarciecolleen.com/) to do it for you.

Hallmark stores...Why not offer to do a reading during the holiday season for free in exchange for being able to hand out bookmarks?

Street fairs...Check your city's website for upcoming events and see if you can participate in any of them.

Farmers markets...Maybe they will allow you to set up a booth or hand out flyers

Gyms...Some facilities have a children's room and some have monthly promotions for their members. Maybe you can work out a deal to do a children's activity during a monthly membership drive?

Airports...Many airports have retail stores in them. Why not see if there is one carrying books and set up a time when you can be available for impulse buys and a book signing?

Art stores...Your book will have illustrations. Why not offer to do a reading and maybe even a coloring contest where you provide your book cover as the pages?

Art museums...Same as above or even have a contest where kids can interpret your book in some other art form? Have a contest, offer some small prizes and then do a reading/book signing afterwards.

Craft stores...Like the art stores or art museums, you could have a craft party where you tie in some simple craft with some aspect of your book. Make simple puppets, make a cool picture frame and color a copy of your book cover to place inside. Do a reading/book signing afterwards.

Church bazaars...Make up a basket for the silent auction, ask for a booth space, offer to provide a simple craft in exchange for handing out your book's swag items         
         
Community youth sporting events...Ask if you can hand out flyers, offer to volunteer a couple hours in exchange for being able to hand out bookmarks at the concession stand.

Coffee shops...If the coffee shop is inside a bookstore or places like Walmart, maybe you can create a giveaway like for every cup sold the customer gets their name added to the drawing. Hand out a two part entry form where they fill out the bottom but keep the top with your book information on it.


Special interests groups...My book resonates with both beginner readers as well as children struggling with learning disabilities like dyslexia. Find professional groups in your city that might allow you to leave information about your book for their clientele.

Radio stations...Offer a coloring prize pack to the first ten people to call in. Oriental Trading (www.orientaltrading.com) has a great selection of inexpensive items for prize packs. Don't forget to include your bookmark and business card.


You Tube online video contest...Have a contest where kids act out your story or tell why they like your book. Post the top five on your website and promote others through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. to vote on their favorite. Winner gets a prize pack including an autographed book.

Book pairing on website or Amazon...If you have more than one book, see if you can bundle them together and offer a discount for the package. Create a collection of 3 or 4 short stories or maybe a short Ebook on how kids can become writers and offer as a freebie with every purchase through your website.


Mail Chimp Newsletter...If you haven't set up a link for visitors to subscribe to your blog, do it now! I use Mail Chimp (www.mailchimp.com). Not only is it simple to use, it offers an easy newsletter template where you can keep in touch with your subscribers.

Fast food restaurants...Where do you see a lot of kids? McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys! Why not chat with the manager and offer to host a little party at their place? It can be a tea party, an ice cream party, a coloring party, etc. They supply the food and maybe offer something like a free cone or drink to the first 50 kids to come in on that day.


Local kids events...Check your city's online website for local kids events. Make contact with whoever is in charge and see if you can participate. Some of them will allow you to join for free if you offer some kind of door prize or incentive they can give away. It's how I've gotten into the Children's Festival of Reading for the past three years for FREE and been in front of 15,000 people each year!

Daycares...Think of the number one place you will find kids outside of school? Daycare and afterschool visits can really boost the opportunities to get your books in front of your targeted audience. Suggest acting out your story, coloring contest, and don't forget the flyers going home to parents announcing your upcoming visit. Offer a way to preorder your book so you can sign them the day of your event.


Cub Scouts...Look online for the different badges cub scouts can earn. Create a 90 minute "lesson" where scouts can participate to earn their badge. Call your local organizational leader and offer to visit any pack in the area who would like a free author visit. Break up your "lesson" into three parts...part one is where you read your book to them and answer questions, part two is where you do your main activity (scouts could have completed other parts of the badge requirements prior to your arrival) and part three is where YOU present the scouts who have completed all the requirements with their activity badge (provided by the den leader). Send flyers home prior with pre-order info and hand out bookmarks, autograph sold books, etc. after the event.

Girl Scouts...Same as the Cub Scout lesson details listed above.


Festivals...Neighboring towns might have festivals where the cost of gas might put you in front of hundreds of potential readers of your book.

Civic organizations...Think of how your book might tie into their interests. Since my book is about learning disabilities like dyslexia or struggling beginner readers, I will look for those groups and see how I might be able to participate in some of their events. Maybe they will allow my bookmarks to be handed out at their meetings. Maybe they will promote my book on their company blog or website. The worst they can say is no.


School carnivals...Don't forget the annual school carnivals, health fairs, book fairs, etc. where you can possibly have a booth or at least hand out flyers about your book.




There are literally thousands of opportunities out there to market your book. If you can be creative in your stories, then surely you can be creative in the ways you promote them?




Let me know if you have tried any of these ideas before? What worked? What didn't? What do I need to add to this list? Comment below...








WRITERLY WISDOM: Marcie Colleen

It's time once again for WRITERLY WISDOM where every Wednesday we will sneak a peek into the world of writing and publication. There's only two more guest authors visiting in this series and today's post is from the fabulous Marcie Colleen. Take it away Marcie...

Getting Schooled About School Visits

by Marcie Colleen

So we’re going to talk about school visits.  But first, let’s quickly squash negativity and acknowledge the elephants in the room.

I am sure you have heard…

1)  Because of stringent budget cuts, schools have very little money to spend on author visits these days. 

2)  Because of the Common Core State Standards, teachers have very little classroom time to devote to special events like author visits.

So we should all just give up the idea of school visits, right? WRONG!

You see, school visits to kidlit authors are like crowd-surfing to a rockstar.  It’s the perfect way to connect with our audience on an intimate level.  In fact, these visits have the power, if done right, to transform even the most reluctant child into a lifelong reader and maybe even a writer.

“Hello, Elephant!”

It is true that with a majority of focus being devoted to the Common Core State Standards, instructional time is scarce.  And, with increased budget constraints, there isn’t a lot of money.

“So then how do you propose we do school visits, Marcie?”

I’m glad you asked. 

Today I give you two tips that will set you on the path to successful school trips.

1)  Make it as easy as possible for the teachers

2)   Give teachers the biggest bang for their buck

Let’s break these both down individually.

Make it as easy as possible for the teachers.  

Yes.  Teachers are overworked and underappreciated.  And although they might really want to bring you into their classroom, sometimes it just seems like way too much for work them.  How can you make it easier?

·       Provide a FREE downloadable Teacher’s Guide or a few lesson plans.  Not only can teachers use these materials to quickly introduce your book to their class, they can also use these materials as a validation for your school visit.  No longer will they have to write a proposal or spend hours in a meeting convincing their department or administration that your book has value.  The Teacher’s Guide or lesson plan packet will do the convincing for them.

·       Create a Pre-Visit Package.  I was recently reading How to Promote Your Children’s Book by Katie Davis.  First off, I highly recommend this e-book.  The chapter on School Visits is very informative.  In it, Davis discusses her “school visits packet” that she provides before the actual visit.  This package includes posters to hang all over the school announcing the upcoming event, “backpack flyers” to send home with the kids, and a handy checklist which lays out what the teacher can do in the 6 weeks leading up to the visit!  Again, we are making it easy for the teachers and in doing so, you will be hyping kids up and getting them (and the teacher) invested in your visit.  This is priceless and well worth the few hours it will take to initially develop these materials.

·       Make your visit affordable.  I said AFFORDABLE, not FREE! That’s right.  I don’t believe you should be doing these visits for free, but you can provide a few options that schools can choose from based on their financial situation.  Skype visits can be a wonderful option and cut down on travel costs.  Having two schools share the cost for a combined workshop at a host location is another option.  Or giving discounts for second school referrals or second day workshops can provide incentive for the school to save money while also garnering you more work.  The key here is to provide options that are fair to both you and the school.

    Give teachers the biggest bang for their buck.  

    

      So, you are not going to do school visits for free which means you have homework to do.  That’s right.  Reading your fabulous picture book to the class of 25 first graders will take all of 5-10 minutes.  Not good enough for a school visit.  Time to get creative.

·       Shadow a successful school presenter. Learn from the best.  Before you baptize yourself with fire, think again.  Are there other authors in your area who you might be able to accompany on a future visit?  Ask them!  I have learned that the kidlit community is very generous.  The worst they can say is no.  And maybe if you can’t actually go to the school with them, you can at least pick their brain to help you plan your own presentation.  Another wonderful resource is Alexis O’Neill’s website.  Alexis is the goddess of school visits!  Learn from her. 

·       Remember it’s a presentation!  Although the “best of the best” make presenting look easy and off-the-cuff, it is a presentation.  Meaning, you have to prepare.  And if you are going into schools and kids are involved, nothing is predictable.  So be armed with a presentation which will serve as your plan to success.  Nothing will take as long as you think it will.  That “introductory speech” about who you are and where your ideas come from that you think will take up the first 15 minutes will only take 3.  Therefore, plan and over plan. 

·       Always include a hands-on component.  This is where you can slow things down and make a 5 minute activity into a 15 minute activity.  So, develop a craft or a writing assignment (taking into consideration the age of the students) that fits your book.  It’s a wonderful way to take the spotlight off of you, if you have a little stage fright.  I recently attended a bookstore event.  The author was kind of shy, yet she handled the session beautifully.  First, she gave a little background on herself and the creation of her book.  She followed with a reading of the picture book.  And then, she taught a simple craft that tied into the theme of the book.  Suddenly she didn’t have to be “onstage” anymore and was able to sit on the floor and engage with her biggest fans.  In addition, kids and teachers love it when they have something concrete to keep after the visit.

Even if you are not currently published you can start to develop your plan for successful school visits.  Hopefully the tips above will help.  But most importantly, remember…this is school so DO YOUR HOMEWORK and you’ll be crowd-surfing visiting schools in no time!

Marcie Colleen is the Education Consultant for Picture Book Month. She has been in education for 18 years with a bachelor’s degree in Education of English and Language Arts from Oswego State University and a Master’s degree in Educational Theater from New York University.  She is a former New York classroom teacher and has served as a curriculum creator for the Central New York Institute of Aesthetic Education, Syracuse Stage, Tony Randall’s National Actors Theater, and various Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.  She was the Director of Education for TADA! Youth Theater in NYC creating and managing educational programming reaching over 30,000 students and families in the NYC Metro area a year.  Her Teacher’s Guides for picture books and middle grade novels can be found at www.thisismarciecolleen.com.