Successful "Author Day" School Visits

I’m happy to visit your elementary, middle, or high school to talk about my books,
the writing process, or about my career as a writer and author!
But please contact me as early as possible. Thanks!

If you've never had an "Author Day" before, here are some tips to ensure its success:

*Before I arrive, please familiarize your students with the book I'll be talking about. Also, set up a
display of my books in your library/media center so students can peruse them on their own. If I'll be speaking about Great World War II Activites You Can Build Yourself or Amazing Maya Inventions You Can Build Yourself, consider holding a history contest in which the winning individual/team gets to meet with me briefly in a private session and/or acts as my escort(s).

*Be sure to have your principal send me a confirmation letter/contract (see link to sample contract
below), confirming the schedule details and payment that we’ve agreed upon by phone or email.
Make sure to include directions to your school or, if you're providing transportation,
please provide contact information for the person picking me up. Thanks!

*Please arrange for a book sale. You may order my books directly from the wholesaler or
distributor that sells books to your school library, but this requires significant lead time. You might
find it easier to invite a local bookstore to pre-order/sell the books during my visit.
Many bookstores offer school discounts.

*REMEMBER: IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO ORDER BOOKS TO ENSURE
THEY SHOW UP ON TIME! Please place your order at least one month in advance. Don’t
forget to order extra copies to have on hand, as some students will buy them the day of my visit.
Additional orders will probably trickle in after my visit. I'm happy to autograph any extra books.

*When the books arrive, please fill out an autograph slip for each student, with the correct spelling
of his/her name. These should be inserted into each book so that I don’t make any mistakes when I sit down to autograph them. I will autograph books in the library/media center during a designated period, rather than during class time. You can then distribute the books to the students at your discretion.

*It's a great idea to give students temporary name tags during my visit. Seeing their names helps
me to warmly greet them and to call on them during my presentation.

*Be sure that all teachers are aware of my visit schedule. Please remind them to be attentive and
helpful in the classroom, particularly if there’s a craft involved. Teachers should not consider me a babysitter, and should be prompt in jumping in should any discipline issues come up.
It might be helpful to ask parents to volunteer as class aides if we're including a craft session.

*Kindly arrange for a student or facult member to serve as my escort. His/her job will be to act
as my host while I'm at your school. S/he will greet me when I arrive, introduce me to teachers and
staff, and lead me to the library/media center, classrooms, and adult restroom. Please ensure that
I have at least a fifteen-minute break between each classroom session. Also please make lunch
arrangements (no school lunches in the cafeteria with students, please), either off-site or with
teachers in the Teacher's Lounge.

*For areas requiring air travel, there is a two-day minimum for the visit. I will arrange my air travel,
which will be reimbursed along with meals. If your school is hosting my visit, and splitting my time
with another school, please provide transportation to that school. If I am staying overnight,
please reserve and pay for my hotel. I am happy to have dinner with teachers and/or
librarians on a multi-day visit.

*Lastly, please be sure that all the invoices and other necessary paperwork is completed upon my
arrival, so that you can hand me my check before I leave. Thanks!

Remember, if you really play up "Author Day,"
your students will be excited to see me and we’ll have a great time!

 

JUST FOR YOU: A sample Author Contract,
developed by Toni Buzzeo and Jane Kurtz, authors of
Terrific Connections with Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers