Hosting an Author Visit

Plan

Think about your curriculum needs and what type of author might best support your goals. Check with your school librarian, media specialist, or literacy specialist first. Invite them to plan with your team. Also include your school’s administration to make sure you have approval and know your school or district’s policies regarding author visits.

Fund

If your school has funding readily available, then you can skip to the next step! If not, there are many different ways to raise funds for a visit.  

• PTAs (this is also a great way to fund evening or weekend family literacy events)

• Your district’s Family Engagement program (there may be grants or funds for evening or weekend family literacy events)

• Contact your local bookstores to let them know you’re interested in potential author visits

• Consider planning with other schools to pool funding

• Educators Making a Difference Grants through WNDB    

• Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award through AASL   

• SCBWI Amber Brown Grant      

• Innovative Reading Grant through AASL               

• Donors Choose grants                    

• Adopt-a-Classroom.org  

• Local business sponsorship

• The library organization for your state

• Local literacy and writing organizations

• Your state or local arts commission

Be sure to consider financial logistics. For example, does your district require a specific contract, or will your school be able to use the author’s contract? Will you need to involve the literacy or finance department?  Do visiting authors need to be registered as vendors in order to receive payment?  Find out what your school’s budget allows.

Identify 

When you have secured funding for your author visit, find the author you think would be the best fit for your school’s needs. 

• See the list below or search through our profiles to see who might offer the type of programming you’re interested in.  

• You can also contact us to get suggestions for creators that might be a good fit for your program.

Contact

Once you’ve identified the author you’d like to invite to your school, reach out to them with:

• What type of program you’re hoping for (topic of presentation)

• Ideal date ranges (keep in mind holiday and testing schedules)

• In-person or virtual visit

• School day or family evening/weekend event

• Location of your school

• Number of presentations (full day visit of 3-4 presentations, half day visit of 2 presentations, one assembly for an entire grade, one school-wide assembly?) and for which grades

• Request their honorarium and travel expenses 

When you and the author have agreed on specifics for the visit, you will let them know dates, presentation expectations, platform (if virtual), recording agreements (can you make a video recording, are photos allowed?), and payment information (preferably in a contract).  It will also be important to let the author know:

• The schedule of the day, including lunch and transition time so author can prepare between groups

• Logistics for parking and entering the building (where to check in, get a badge, etc.)

• What equipment you have available. 

• The logins for virtual presentations

You will need to find out:

• The author’s  presentation needs (podium, table, microphone, projector, speakers, etc)

• Any health concerns

Prepare

Add the visit to your school calendar and inform all staff as well as organizations like the PTA.  Consider notifying local media as well. 

• READ and discuss the author’s books with students! This will lay the foundation for a deep experience and maximize the time students have with the author.  

• Considering building excitement by creating a Countdown Timeline in the hallway. 

• If you’d like students to have the opportunity to get a signed book, contact your local bookseller to create student book orders, or to arrange same-day book sales so the author can sign them on site, or in advance. Authors can often offer signed bookplates.

• Determine the locations and equipment needs for the author’s presentation.

• If the visit is virtual, make sure to schedule and test using the platform with the author before the visit.

• Have students research the author and/or consult the author’s teacher/student materials.

• Have students develop questions for the author. 

• Promote the visit! Perhaps invite classrooms or art classes to make posters. Notify families through emails, flyers, robocalls, etc. with details about the visit. Create Welcome signs for the author or door displays or other arts and crafts based on the author’s books. 

The Visit

Arrange to have someone greet the author and bring them to their presentation space.  Make sure:

• The author has a secure space to put their coat, bags, etc. and a quiet spot if in the building all day. 

• Technology devices are set up and ready.

• The author has water.

• Teachers have students in place before presentations and stay with their students for the duration.

• The author is notified of any hallway bells or announcements that might occur during the presentation.

• The author knows any useful behavior signals, such as a school wide ‘quiet’ sign.

• Students are reminded of respectful behavior rules and author is properly introduced.

• Students ask their questions.

• Everyone enjoys the presentation!

• The author is thanked and receives payment.  

• Students have the opportunity to follow-up and to write thank-you letters.  

We look forward to partnering with you to share our writing expertise and enthusiasm with your students!