Instititute of Children's Literature

Rx for Writers

Transcripts

"Successful School Visits" with Carol Gorman

Thursday, January 3, 2002

Moderator: is Kristi Holl, Web Editor for the Institute's web site. Kristi is author of 24 juvenile novels and 150+ articles and has taught writing at the Institute of Children's Literature for l5 years.

Carol is our guest speaker, Carol Gorman. Carol Gorman is the author of popular books such as Dork in Disguise, The Miraculous Makeover of Lizard Flanagan, Lizard Flanagan Supermodel??, Jennifer-the-Jerk Is Missing, Chelsey and the Green-Haired Kid, and T.J. and the Pirate Who Wouldn't Go Home.

Names color coded in blue are audience members who had questions.

Interviews are scheduled for Thursday evenings: 8 Eastern, 7 Central, 6 Mountain, and 5 Pacific.

Moderator: Good evening, everyone! I'm Kristi Holl, your moderator for this evening. Tonight we will be discussing "Successful School Visits" with popular author, Carol Gorman. I got several requests last fall to have a speaker discuss school visits and workshops, and I thought immediately of Carol. Years ago, when I experienced some health problems, Carol stepped in and took some of my speeches for me, and I heard nothing but rave reviews of her presentations. So I'm glad tonight to be able to have Carol share some of her expertise with you. Hello, Carol!

Carol: Hi, Kristi and everyone. Glad to be here!

Moderator: First of all, Carol, why do you visit schools?

Carol: There are several reasons. First, it's a great way to keep in touch with readers. It allows me to introduce myself to new readers. I can keep up with what kids are wearing and talking about. School visits also give me a chance to sell books and increase my income.

Moderator: How did you get started with school visits?

Carol: It started with my first book. I received a couple of invitations to schools to talk about it. And more came by word of mouth.

Moderator: What are some other ways to get your name into the right hands so people know you're available to speak?

Carol: You can talk with your local school librarians and public librarians and tell them you're available for school visits. Also, you can talk with other writers and ask if they're busy, and if they've been invited to a school, could they pass along your name.

Moderator: Do publishers arrange for your speaking engagements, or is it mostly up to you?

Carol: I've never had a publisher arrange for a school visit. I've always been approached by teachers and librarians.

Moderator: Should you speak for free at first? If so, for how long?

Carol: It depends. If you're very comfortable speaking to groups--maybe you've taught before--and you like public speaking, you can ask for an honorarium the first time out. However, if you're a bit shy about it all, you might feel more comfortable getting your feet wet by doing a few free visits first.

zoie: What's an honorarium?

Carol: An honorarium is a polite way of saying fee! Ha!

Moderator: Do you speak in your local school system for free even now? If so, why?

Carol: Occasionally, if a teacher friend invites me, I do. But that's pretty rare. I give back to the community in other ways (I sponsor a mystery writing contest for 4th and 5th graders every year that takes a lot of time). But if I do one for free, I don't give a formal presentation. I ask them to come up with questions for a Q & A session. That's a lot of fun, anyway.

SaraJ: Do you speak in both private and public schools? Do they pay the same?

Carol: I've spoken mostly in public school, but a few private. They ask me what my fee is, and I tell them. Then they decide if they can afford me to come.

Moderator: Do you use a contract of your own to spell out terms ahead of time?

Carol: I've only recently started to use one. About six months ago, I asked Sharron McElmeel (McBookwords) if she'd become my booking assistant. She has drawn up a contract that we use now. She's been a huge help in many ways. She talks money with the schools and makes sure that the details are taken care of. That way I don't have to spend time making sure that these little things are going to be done. We ask for a microphone, for instance, and an overhead if I'm giving a writing workshop.

Moderator: What things might go into a contract you'd send to a school or media person who sets up the visit?

Carol: The date and time of the visit. The fee paid. The number of presentations given. Those details that need to be understood on both sides.

JAMES55CLINTON: Is your school audience teachers, parents, kids, or all three?

Carol: Sometimes all three, but mostly kids and teachers. And librarians!

Patty: How often (per month? per week?) do you present? How do you balance it with writing?

Carol: That's a great question! Last year, I spoke 31 days of the school year. Of course, I don't write during those days. But I think it's very worthwhile. You really need to find that balance you mentioned. For instance, lately I've done 3-5 days in a row. That can be very tiring, and when I get home, I need a day or two just to catch up on home chores before getting back to writing. But the visits really charge me! The kids are so enthusiastic! And they love meeting the writer of the book they've just read.

Patty: Does the 31 days of speaking count travel days?

Carol: No, those were just speaking days.

DebO: Do you work with a speech outline for the kids, or note cards, or speak off-the-cuff?

Carol: Mostly, it's from memory. After you've given the same anecdote a number of times, you don't need notes. With every new book, there are new things to talk about. Also, lately I've gone into schools, given a 5-7 minute introduction and then ask for questions. Most of the time they ask about the topics I want to discuss. But if they don't, toward the end of the hour, I say, "I have a few things that I want to be sure and tell you..." and then I talk "at" them for a while to make sure they hear everything I want to say. I love doing presentations this way, because it's much more intimate. I'm talking directly to individual students, and I've gotten a lot of very positive feedback with the Q & A sessions.

Moderator: What happens if, when you get to a school, your media person has arranged more talks than your contract specified, or doesn't have your check ready (even though the contract specified that you would get it at the end of the day)?

Carol: I've taken the very good advice from my friend Kristi Holl on this one! I arrived at a school and saw that they had arranged for FIVE presentations when the agreement was three. So I said, "You may combine groups or delete groups, but remember, we agreed on three presentations." And I got out the letter of agreement. May I add that communication is very, very important. If you're having conversations with the schools ahead of time and they've sent you a schedule (always ask for one!), these surprises aren't as likely to happen.

Moderator: How do you know how much to charge?

Carol: It depends on your experience and the area of the country where you live. I'm in the Midwest. In the late '80s I started out at $350 per day. Of course, it has increased with more books published. Sometimes inner city schools can't afford what other schools can. You need to be flexible and take various things into account. Another thing that enters into the fee is how far away do I need to drive or fly? If I'm going to be traveling a day to the school and a day home, it will cost more than if I can do the whole thing in one day.

Patty: How do you decide how much to charge? More for a whole day than for an evening? Schools, who usually want you for a whole day, have the least financial resources.

Carol: Well, I haven't found that to be the case, so far, at least. Schools generally can find the money or raise the money better than a local library, for instance. I do charge more for a whole day than for an evening. One thing that I do is offer to visit a school in the area if a library asks me to speak in the evening. I can charge the library less if there is a day of school visits included in the day.

SaraJ: Do you get a fee PLUS travel expenses? Or do you have to buy your own ticket or gas out of the fee money?

Carol: Good question. When I tell the contact person my fee, I say "plus expenses." That includes any necessary lodging and mileage or airfare.

Moderator: Are speaking fees and honorariums treated like regular income that you pay taxes on?

Carol: Yes, so it's important to keep track of expenses that aren't reimbursed. For instance, phone calls, postage, etc. I meant to tell you also that I send out--actually Sharron sends out--an author kit ahead of my visit. That includes articles about me, suggested activities to prepare for my visit, a video that was made about me and my books, a list of my published books and honors and awards, a photo for posting, and now I have a read-aloud copy of the pre-publication galleys of my new book that won't be out until May. All of these things help teachers and librarians prepare for my visit. But back to Kristi's question, these are also expenses that you want to keep track of for tax purposes.

Moderator: Do you sell your books at school visits?

Carol: Yes, I offer that, but some schools (really, a very few) don't want to sell them. I offer the name of a wholesaler in my area who will sell the books at a discount, and I offer to bring back any unsold books. So they don't have to pay shipping. It helps everyone out.

Moderator: Do you ever bring your books to sell (buying them for less and selling them for the list price)? Or do the schools arrange to order the books and make the profit themselves?

Carol: I used to sell books myself, but I didn't like having to keep track of sales tax. So I stopped. Some schools take me up on the offer of going through the book wholesaler. And some go through their local bookseller. Occasionally, they'll order directly from the publisher.

Moderator: Is the autographing of books considered one of your presentations, or is it something extra you do?

Carol: It's a pleasure to do and it's NOT one of the presentations. I figure if a person wants to buy a book, I should--and will--gladly sign it!

pilar: How do you arrange to sell your books so you can sign them for kids when the parents aren't there?

Carol: The students are usually sent home with a book order form ahead of time. The kids bring their money for a week or so before I arrive, and I sign the books the day of my visit.

Moderator: You mentioned the press kit sent ahead of time. Do school audiences behave differently if the children are prepared ahead of time? If so, how?

Carol: Oh, my goodness, YES! I can tell the minute I walk into a school if they've read my books. There will be banners up on the wall welcoming me, artwork on the wall bout my books. One school in Omaha in November had the students dress in dorky clothes because they'd just read my Dork in Disguise. They recognize me from my picture and call out to me as I walk into the building. It's great, great fun!

wendymh: Please give an example of a suggested activity to prepare for your visit.

Carol: The students can do artwork, as I mentioned before, or write papers about my story. They might suggest what might happen in a sequel. Some teachers ask students to write a paper about why they'd like to be in my writing workshop. That's another thing that teachers are asking for now: writing workshops.

MBVoelker: What's the lead time for sending the author kit?

Carol: A month gives them plenty of time, I think, particularly if they've been reading the books ahead of that.

MBVoelker: I know that it's customary to sell your books during a school visit. Would it also be possible/desirable to sell things like small blank books, little pamphlets of writing exercises, and/or other items designed to encourage students to try their hands at writing? Assuming that you can either source or create such things inexpensively. Would it be appropriate to sell supply kits if your book is a nonfiction craft book? How much "commercialism" is too much?

Carol: Well, I prefer to stick to selling the books. I don't want to look as if I'm trying to make lots of money on the kids.

Moderator: Do schools request specific presentations, or do you choose what you'll talk about?

Carol: I usually ask what they'd like from me. They generally ask for suggestions, and I give them some ideas. The most popular presentation is a generic one: how I got started writing, where I get ideas, some anecdotes about real-life experiences that went into my books. By the way, students LOVE to hear anecdotes and stories! This generic presentation answers the questions I'm asked most often. But I can design a talk about anything that has to do with writing and publishing. I've talked about using experiences from life in writing, and I've talked about what makes a good cover illustration. Then the writing workshops are about specific topics relating to fiction and nonfiction: opening hooks, voice, characterization through dialogue. That sort of thing.

Moderator: What kinds of presentations do you personally give for various age groups?

Carol: Again, it depends on what they're interested in hearing. For young children, I start out asking, "If I asked you to write a story, what would your story be about?" They say, my dog, my pet hamster, monsters, etc. and I say, "See? You're writing about things you know about. Things you're interested in. And that's what professional writers do, too." Then I talk about the things in my life that I've used in my books. For older children, I talk more about the writing process.

Moderator: What's the difference between giving a presentation and giving a workshop?

Carol: In a presentation, I stand up in front of them and talk "at" them and "with" them in Q& A sessions. In a writing workshop, only 30 or so students are present, and I first show them examples of excellent writing on the overhead. I've typed up dozens of great examples of hooks or dialogue or whatever, and it's more informal. We discuss what makes these examples so GOOD and what the writer did to create this piece of writing. After the students have examined maybe 15-20 examples, I ask them to write. You'd be amazed at the terrific writing in these workshops! The key is finding master-level examples to teach them what they're stretching for.

wendymh: Do you always read from your books during a presentation?

Carol: I don't usually read unless I'm asked to do that. As an audience member at a writer's lecture, I never want to hear them read. I can do that, myself! :) I want to hear them talk about writing.

Granny Janny: Do you need the writer's permission to use these examples (in the workshop) or do you use your own?

Carol: Because I'm using these in short bits and I'm teaching, I don't need permission. They're not "published" in my workshop, and I do give them credit when I present them.

Patty: Do you try to talk about all--or several--of your books in one presentation, or do you create a presentation around only one book?

Carol: I also use my own writing. I usually talk about several of my books. I tell stories about them and how they came to be written. Mostly, I focus on the most recent books or "about to be released" books.

pilar: What's the ideal size group you like to work with? Classroom? Auditorium?

Carol: I don't limit the size of the group because I DO limit myself to three presentations in a day. (It's very tiring to do more.) So I've spoken to 650 in an auditorium. Of course, that's not ideal! I'd like to speak to about 100-200 at a time.

MBVoelker: How does a high school visit differ from an elementary school visit? How do you engage the interest of older students who attend because they have to instead of because they choose to?

Carol: Oh, very good question! Again, anecdotes draw in even the "coolest" high school student. I make it as human as possible. And again, if they've read my books, they're much more likely to buy into my visit. Actually, some of my best audiences have been 10-12th graders! How the teachers prepare the students makes all the difference!

Patty: How long does a typical presentation last?

Carol: Usually a class hour. So 40-50 minutes. I might shorten it for very young children. I've gone for an hour and 15 minutes if there are lots of questions.

wendymh: When you speak, do you hand out fliers or bookmarks with information about your books so there can be orders at a later time?

Carol: Hmm. Well, no, I don't do that. Students can arrange with the school for later book orders. Sometimes because young students want an autograph, I ask the school to make a bookmark. I will sign the master, and they can make hundreds of copies. That way students who can't afford to buy a signed book can get an autograph.

MBVoelker: Are costumes a useful presentation tool for writers of historical, multicultural, and/or speculative fiction? How about props? Is there a difference for different age groups?

Carol: Oh, costumes, etc., would be wonderful for this type of fiction! Props, too. Any kind of visuals would be good. I bring along a very large photo of an original cover illustration, and I talk about what makes an effective cover. I love it when teachers dress up. One teacher dressed up as a pirate to introduce me after they'd read my book T.J. and the Pirate Who Wouldn't Go Home.

Patty: After the talk, if classes write you thank you notes, do you answer each one individually--or send one to the whole class?

Carol: I send one to the whole class. It would take just too much time to write individual letters to students. But I do try and speak in the letter to specific students who have asked questions I'm answering.

zoie: Would it be useless to visit a school if your books aren't published yet?

Carol: No, because you could talk about the book that is about to be published. But it wouldn't be as valuable to the school to have you before reading your book.

Patty: What do you do if a school asks you to present, but can't pay your whole fee? Do you have a sliding scale, or do you say no?

Carol: I suggest that they can partner with another school to bring me to their town. Or they can share me with the local library. And a lot of corporations are willing to sponsor an author visit. There's a bank in my area that brings big-name writers here every year. It's great PR for them.

MBVoelker: How does a presentation for a nonfiction book differ from a presentation for a fiction book?

Carol: I've written two nonfiction books, but I've never done a presentation just on nonfiction. However, I've heard nonfiction book authors speak. They frequently will bring slides and talk about their research.

wendymh: What do you feel the most important message should be in a school visit? To encourage the love of reading?

Carol: You said it! To encourage a love of reading. And I might add, writing. So often, a teacher will write me after a visit and say that her students are so fired up about writing now! I think when they see a "real person" who writes, they realize they can do it, too!

Moderator: Can you request audio-visual equipment to be ready for you to use?

Carol: Yes, I always need an overhead for workshops. They're always set up for me and ready.

Moderator: Do you bring your own microphone system with you? So many schools don't have an adequate one, and speaking in echoing gyms can really strain your voice.

Carol: I don't own a microphone. But I ask for it ahead of time. If the school doesn't have one, they have time to ask another school if they can borrow one.

Moderator: How early do you arrive for your presentations? What all needs to be done before you are actually ready to speak to the kids?

Carol: I like to arrive 30-45 minutes ahead of time. I tell the contact person that I'll arrive early, so I don't catch them off guard! It's good to go in a bit early, get set up, meet the teachers, find the bathrooms, and maybe even tour the school first. Then I can have something to say about their school at the beginning of my presentation.

Moderator: When you arrive, is everything set up for you and ready to go?

Carol: Not always. But that's why it's good to get there early and make sure everything is ready.

SaraJ: I live where there is bad weather sometimes. What happens if your weather prevents you making it to your school visit? Or maybe you get sick that day? Do you schedule a "back up" day just in case?

Carol: Sometimes the school will ask for a "snow date." I don't think weather has kept me from a school visit yet, but it certainly will at some point! My husband had to have cancer surgery, and I had to back out of a school visit in November. I hope we'll reschedule. I think schools are used to being flexible about sickness and weather.

Moderator: Do you also do "extra" things, like lunch with the Student Council, meet with the Reading Club, etc. for the price of the honorarium?

Carol: Yes, I do these extras you mention as long as they're not presentations. I'm happy to mingle with students and teachers and talk informally with them.

Moderator: You mentioned dividing presentations between two or three schools during one day. Do you make that choice (the division of time), or do the schools arrange that themselves?

Carol: They sometimes ask if I'm willing to travel between schools during the day. Because that's the only way some schools can afford an author visit, I'm happy to do it.

JAMES55CLINTON: Have you experimented with newer equipment than overheads? Like computer presentations?

Carol: I want to use PowerPoint in the near future. I'm getting a new computer tomorrow (!) that will allow me to try that.

Moderator: Have you ever had any big surprises when you arrived at your school to speak, anything you totally weren't expecting? If so, how did you handle it?

Carol: Fortunately, I haven't had any bad surprises! (Yet!) Again, it really helps to communicate as much as possible ahead of time. I've had nice surprises, like the kids dressing like dorks!

Moderator: Are there any books or publications an author could study for school or writing workshops?

Carol: I haven't read these, but the titles were given to me as good possibilities: If You're Trying to Teach Kids To Write, You Gotta Have This Book! by Margorie Frank and 25 Mini-Lessons for Teaching Writing by Adele Fiderer.

Patty: Terrific Connections by Jane Kurtz is also helpful.

wendymh: Have you appeared on CSpan or BookTV to do a presentation in front of children?

Carol: No, but I'd love to do that! Book TV is about nonfiction.

wendymh: What do you do differently in teaching writing to students during a school visit as compared to teaching a writing workshop to adults?

Carol: There is very little difference! I think the very best way to teach writing is to use models. Some I write, others are written by other writers. But I use models for students and adults. Sometimes the examples I use for adults aren't appropriate for students.

SaraJ: If you're someone who is scared to death in front of an audience, but would like to learn to give these talks, what do you recommend doing to overcome this fear of speaking? Any tips?

Carol: Do you have a video camera? You can practice with that. Or give talks to your friends. Or try Toastmasters.

SaraJ: Can picture book writers give presentations too? Do they need to bring the illustrator along?

Carol: It's not necessary to bring the illustrator along. Frequently the illustrator won't live anywhere near you. But you can talk about the book, talk to the children about the subject in the book and how you came to write it. Get young children involved.

Moderator: I'm sorry to have to stop now, but we're out of time. Thank you so much for coming tonight, Carol, and giving us such a well rounded view of how to conduct successful school visits. We appreciate it!

Carol: It was great fun! Thank you so much for having me, Kristi! The questions from everyone were terrific!

Moderator: Do come back in two weeks on January 17 when Connie Heckert will speak on "What's So Special About SCBWI?" For the past two years, Connie Heckert has been the Iowa Regional Advisor for SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). Connie will share the advantages of joining SCBWI (either as a full member or an associate), how it enables you to stay in the loop in the publishing field, and why your membership dues are an important investment in your career in writing for children. Connie will discuss local/regional/state/national conferences and how you can best become involved. Networking is important, and there's no better place to start than with fellow children's writers! Whether you have never joined, or you've been a member for years, join us January 17 to find out how you can reap even more benefits from this excellent organization. And now, good night, everyone!

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