School Visits
June 17th, 2007 by Don P.Here are guidelines for making our author day enjoyable and effective in promoting reading.
GENERAL. Please send any tickets or ticket info, travel instructions, and lodging details well in advance. An advance copy of my schedule would also be appreciated. I do not require a contract or signed agreement. If paperwork is required by your school, please fill out all forms before asking me to sign.
PRESENTATIONS. I normally present to grades K–5, and can present to higher grades on request. Audiences can be any size, without cramming too many people into one room (it’s a fire hazard). One to four grades at a time works best. In general, my presentations are a mix of storytelling, dialogue with the students, and lively question and answer. Besides assemblies, I can present to individual classes, young authors, students engaged in reader’s theater or storytelling, or other small groups.
SETUP. For assemblies, microphone must be attached to a stand or be wireless – I cannot read with a mic in hand. Projection equipment is not necessary. For all elementary grades, please seat students on the floor, not on chairs or benches, and never at tables.
TAPING. I’m fine with taping as long as it’s not resold commercially. Also, I would like a copy.
SCHEDULE. Please allow at least 15 minutes of unscheduled time between my presentations, and a half hour before the first one for me to check the room and set up. Extra time in the day can be used for autographing, presentations by students, and so on. For a lunch break, please allow at least one hour, not including any travel time.
STUDENT PREPARATION. To help me provide maximum benefit from my visit, I recommend that the students be made familiar with my books ahead of time. Ideally, each student should (1) hear or read one or more of my books and (2) complete an individual or class project based on them. You might also introduce students to my Web site.
BOOK SALES. I recommend that my books be offered for sale to the students. Schools handling their own sales should send an order form home to parents before my visit, so that I know the quantity to bring.
PUBLICITY. I encourage you to publicize my visit through local media (including newspapers, magazines), and I’m happy to grant interviews. You might also consider recommending one or more of my books for your state or regional reading award.
TIPS FOR SCHOOLS
Selling books for an author visit not only supports the author but also enhances the value of the visit for your students. A book autographed by an author seen in person is a constant reminder of the excitement of reading.
An initial set of books should be ordered at least two months in advance of my visit. These books should be circulated among the teachers to read to students. This kind of preparation is essential to the success of an author visit. At least half the value of the visit comes from the students’ anticipation of seeing an author whose books they have heard or read. And you can do few things worse to an author than put him or her in front of a “cold” audience!
Books should be presold. It is not enough just to announce to students that the books will be available on that day! It is almost always parents who buy picture books, not students! Create an order form that includes the following:
Announcement of the visit
Titles, brief descriptions, and prices
Fill-in lines for purchaser’s name and classroom
Fill-in line for who to autograph to (not how to autograph!)
This form should be sent home to parents for them to send back with payment before the day of my visit. However, there should be extra books on hand for sale on that day and after.