Writers in the Storm

A blog about writing

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January 17, 2025

Writing Activities and Other Fun for Author School Visits

by Ellen Buikema

Author visits are very rewarding for everyone involved. The teaching staff have nonstop stress, much like parents do, and appreciate the visit. The staff is entertained, or at the very least have some down time, and the students like interacting with the author.

Students of all ages enjoy meeting writers. Be ready for all kinds of interesting and sometimes personal questions, such as: How old are you? Are you rich?

As authors, we can educate, entertain, become better known as writers, and sometimes receive funds.

For me, what worked best was personal contact with teachers and school librarians. Check your local school district and ask about author visits. Keep in mind that security is an issue and you may need to be vetted by the district before being allowed access to the classrooms.

Social media can be helpful. Search for teachers who work with students that are at the reading level for your books. This can lead to long distance—Skype or Zoom—visits which are a lot of fun.

Compensation

Be flexible. Some schools don't have the budget for a big fee, but can promote you and your books before the visit to students and their parents. That way you can sell your books on the day of your visit.

Equipment

Make sure the school has the equipment you need for your talks. But be prepared to have to go without. Technology is fantastic, until it isn’t. Let the teachers know how you'd like the classrooms set up. But be flexible. Keep in mind that sometimes more than one classroom will share the space for your visit.

Not all schools have the same level of technology. Be a good scout—be prepared for anything. You may end up using a board and markers, one never knows.

Book information

Be sure to send a list, with recommended reading ages and cost, a few weeks before your visit, so your contact at the school has time to send it out to families.

Instead of merely reading from your story, try incorporating a few of the following ideas if you’d like.

Children have fleeting attention spans, so take this into account. Generally, the younger the child, the shorter the attention. What works for fifth graders will not translate well for kindergarten.

Pre-K and Kinder

Very young students do well with bright, cheerful voices that allow for lots of interruptions. They love an exuberant story told with lots of emotion and gestures. Illustrations work very well for them. If you have the capability to show your illustrated book on a large screen while reading the story you’ll keep your audience captivated.

First and Second Grades

I’ve had good fortune with poetry, specifically rhyming poetry, with the early grades. Try having the students help you come up with rhyming words and make up a logical, or nonsensical poem with the rhyming words.

Third Grade and up

The rule of three

For older students, breaking up your time into three segments is helpful. You talk for the first third, have the students work in small groups for second third, and everyone gets back together to share their projects/ideas for the last segment. Note that this method works very well for adults while giving talks at conferences.

This is a great method to introduce ways to write stories.

Chat with the teachers ahead of time to find out what you can add to their Language Arts time.

Aside from reading aloud to the students, teaching short lessons on writing, and using the rule of three: talk, small group work, big group share, you might try something different—particularly for the younger students. Puppets.

Sock Puppet Tim

The inspiration for Tim arrived when our eldest child, then eight-years-old, came home from school requesting a puppet she needed to bring to school … the very next day.

My very creative husband sewed a puppet together for her. I was in graduate school during the evenings and missed the puppet construction. And so, Tim was born. Although, he didn’t receive his name until thirty or so years later when he was needed as a sidekick for a video. A story for another day.

Tim has a wacky personality and voice.

Here’s a short script I wrote for a presentation on YouTube. In a classroom of younger students, something similar can be used with a teacher asking the puppet, in this case Sock Puppet Tim, questions on a particular topic. This script is about sharing.

Sock Puppet Tim Speaks About Sharing

Tim, why do kids have trouble sharing toys?  (VO) voice over

  • Well, toys are very important to kids.
  • What if someone said you had to share your car and didn’t say when the car would be back? How does that make you feel?

I don’t think I’d like to share my car unless it was very important. Good point, Tim. (VO)

Parents and kids all need to learn how to share. What can parents, teachers, and babysitters do to help kids have an easier time sharing? (VO)

  • Adult could say, “It’s your friend’s turn to play with the toy in five minutes.”
  • It’s easier to give the toy to someone else when you know you have more time.

Tim, what do you do when someone really can’t let go of a toy? Should you take the toy away and give it to another person? (VO)

  • Oh, that’s a bad idea. That will only make the child sad and maybe cry.
  • It teaches the kids it is okay to do what you want if you are bigger and stronger. I think this might be how bullying starts. Kids learn how to bully. They are not born that way.
  • Adult could say, “Here is a different toy. See if your friend will trade.” That works for me! One time I really wanted my friend’s cool red car. It was really fast. She wouldn’t give it to me. Tim was sad.

What did you do Tim? (VO)

  • Well, I had a purple and blue car. I showed it to her and asked if we could trade. She said yes. Made Tim happy!

Wow, Tim, you know your stuff. How did you get so smart? (VO)

  • Well, I may just be a sock puppet, but I pay attention. Sharing is in Ellen’s book. See, this one here. Good stuff in here.
  • Gotta go.
  • If anyone has questions for Tim, go to www.ellenbuikema.com  Find me there and ask me questions. I answer. Ellen types. I have no hands or feet!! Typing with nose hurts too much.
  • Bye Bye.
  • I love YouTube!

School visits are wonderful opportunities to get the word out, market your books, as well as practice working an audience. Public speaking is an artform that benefits from practice. The students and staff are a great audience. Enjoy!

Have you ever gone to schools for author visits? If so, what worked for you? Do you use the rule of three for presentations?

* * * * * *

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image is a photo sent from a classroom teacher in Vermont of our Author Skype event.

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11 comments on “Writing Activities and Other Fun for Author School Visits”

  1. Great thoughts, Ellen.

    Schools are important!

    I haven't taken my work to schools yet, but I plan to. I think it's a wonderful opportunity for all the right reasons, especially 'wonder' inspiring it in the young as well as taping into their own.

    As a former law enforcement officer, I did a stint as "Safety Pup" and "Deputy Friendly'. Dressing up in an elaborate costume was fun...even for the adults. A great way to engage with younger audiences.

    Now, it seems, I may have to design a space 'whale' costume. That'll be fun!!

    1. Hi Jennifer,

      I was always amazed how quickly the students took to Sock Puppet Tim, the staff too!

      Puppets can get across important information in a non-threatening way, as I'm sure you did with Safety Pup.

      Best of luck with your space whale! That will be cool.

  2. Great tips, Ellen. I love Tim! I have done a few presentations and readings for schools. Keeping them involved is a challenge at times but give them someone less intimidating than an adult (a puppet or character or interactive book even) makes that process much easier.

    1. Hi Lynette,

      Tim loves you right back!

      I hear you about keeping students involved. Classroom visits with one to two classes (sometimes the teachers double up the kids) is easily manageable. A full auditorium is another story!

  3. The last school visit I had, I was not allowed to sell my books. Also, the library had a contract with their book supplier so that my books could not be sold during Book Fair events. A disappointment, but I did sell 50 online later. 😉

    1. Hi Jeris,

      The schools use Scholastic. My Charlie Chameleon books and likely yours, would be a good fit for them--best guess. If you don't have a relationship with Scholastic you cannot sell during school book fairs, more is the pity.

      I'll bet many of those online sales were from the parents of students, or the students themselves, after your presentation.

      Congratulations!

  4. I've thought about school visits, but haven't known how to go about it, or what to talk about.
    My books are YA or adult, and so I wouldn't want to go to a primary school, but I think 13 years and up would suit me. I used to be a teacher of 11+, so am used to that age group.
    Your post has given me some ideas. I might just go ahead and contact my local school.

    1. That sounds like a fantastic idea! Please let us know how all works out with your local school.
      Cheers, and best of good fortune!

    1. So sorry to hear that on several fronts, Denise!

      If you'd like, in the next school year try Skype or another form of virtual meeting.

      The top image is a snapshot of the Skype meeting I had with a classroom in Vermont. It was a lot of fun for all of us involved.

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