Recently, more schools have been asking questions regarding school visits. So I thought I'd answer these questions all in one blog post. (If you and your students are interested in some general questions about me as an author, you'll want to read this FAQ blog post.)
I make every effort to make school visits possible. However, it's always helpful if the school has a flexible schedule.
Do you travel for school visits?
At this point most of my school visits are within driving distance though some require overnight accommodations. As long as a school is willing to pay for travel expenses, we can probably work out an author visit outside of my area of southeastern Pennsylvania and nearby Maryland and Delaware. Flexibility with dates is definitely helpful for nonlocal author visits.
How much notice do you need to book an author visit?
This completely varies. I may or may not be available next month. It depends on personal and professional commitments, including deadlines. I do recommend you book early.
Can you visit my library, book store, Scout group, homeschool group, church, or other group?
I would love to make that happen! Let's chat!
For the 2017-2018 school year, school visit fees are as low as $275 for a single presentation for local groups. See more author visit pricing here. Outside of my local area, fees are a bit more. I try to keep my fees low (and have even been told by schools they are low). If fees are a concern, let me know. I don't want that to stop you from having an author visit.
What age groups do you work with?
Elementary and middle school students are my primary audience, but I've talked to high schoolers and preschoolers, too! I adapt each program for the age of the audience. Some programs are better suited for certain ages though.
Can you provide an evening program for parents? What about training for teachers?Yes! I love talking to parents and teachers, too. As a former teacher, I know many teachers don't feel quite prepared to teach children to write nonfiction. I can help with that with a nonfiction teachers' workshop I've developed specifically for educators.
What are your programs like?
Each program is different, but I put a lot of energy into every one! If you've read the program descriptions and still have questions, I am happy to answer them. If you're curious what educators think of my programs, you'll want to read what they've said about them here. You may also want to check out this newspaper article.
How long are your programs?
It depends on the age of the audience. For kindergarteners and first graders, I prefer to keep the programs to about 30 minutes. Programs for older audiences are typically 45-55 minutes, but I can adjust the programs to your group's needs.
Do you provide writing workshops, too?
I can! I especially like to visit a classroom multiple times as an author-in-residence.
Will you do a book signing while you are here?
That's up to you as the organizer of the event. If you're interested, students preorder books ahead of time.
What can we do to help you with your program?
I love this question because if you want to have your students really excited during an author visit, it takes a bit of preparation beforehand-but not much! Read the books or even just passages from a book to the students. Visit this website with the students. Help the students think of questions in advance of what they really want to know about writing, insects, or whatever. (I've even seen students read questions because they didn't want to forget them!) Try to build excitement with your students in the weeks prior to my arrival. I highly recommend you read author/illustrator Kim Norman's story about two similar schools with completely different outcomes for her author visits.
I love author visits. Really, but there are things you can do to help prevent hiccups in the day. Please have the slideshow all set up before I arrive. I appreciate a microphone, but it needs to be cordless. I move around so much that I'll trip over the cord! My author visits are full of energy, so please allow time for lunch (and a place to sit and eat) in the schedule. And remember, your students will get the most out of the author visit investment if the staff invest some time in preparing the students in advance for it.
How do I book you for an author visit with my school?
Contact me! The best way is to email me at annettemwhipple@gmail.com. After our initial communication, we may find it easier to talk on the phone. That works, too! I look forward to working with you!
I hope you'll still consider an author visit as an investment in your students with me or another author! It's amazing to hear how excited children become after hearing an author's personal story.
