Recently I was asked if I would do a school visit as an author. "A school visit? Ahh . . . I don't know. What would I say? What would I do?" So visit or not, that is indeed the question.
Now, I know many authors who have done school visits. I've sat there next to my kids and grand kids and soaked up all the information, listened to their stories, and laughed at their jokes. Some have been in an assembly setting while others have been in a single classroom or the library. The setting didn't seem to make a difference at all. The kids loved it, and so did the parents (and grand parents). But for me, I've never really thought about it. What on earth could I share? Yes, I have created a picture book slide show to help kids learn how to write picture books, but a personal visit--whoa! So how do I do that?
A few things I've gleaned from my internet search include: make the presentation exciting; include things that surprised you when you were researching your book; share little known facts; talk about the revision process; let the kids ask questions; and, just have fun.
That's a big job! And, it takes a lot of preparation. So that is my new goal--create a school program that would last 30 minutes without the questions and answers. Make sure it has something in it that will let the kids have fun while they are learning. And, lastly, gear up my courage. It's a good thing that the requested visit will be after Turkey Day. Whew!
Now, I know many authors who have done school visits. I've sat there next to my kids and grand kids and soaked up all the information, listened to their stories, and laughed at their jokes. Some have been in an assembly setting while others have been in a single classroom or the library. The setting didn't seem to make a difference at all. The kids loved it, and so did the parents (and grand parents). But for me, I've never really thought about it. What on earth could I share? Yes, I have created a picture book slide show to help kids learn how to write picture books, but a personal visit--whoa! So how do I do that?
A few things I've gleaned from my internet search include: make the presentation exciting; include things that surprised you when you were researching your book; share little known facts; talk about the revision process; let the kids ask questions; and, just have fun.
That's a big job! And, it takes a lot of preparation. So that is my new goal--create a school program that would last 30 minutes without the questions and answers. Make sure it has something in it that will let the kids have fun while they are learning. And, lastly, gear up my courage. It's a good thing that the requested visit will be after Turkey Day. Whew!
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