Ready to Bring an Author to Your School? Here’s Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making It Happen!
If you’re ready to bring an author to your school but aren’t sure how to book an author visit, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re a teacher, librarian, or PTA member, this ultimate guide will walk you through every step of booking and promoting an author visit—from choosing the perfect author to making sure the impact lasts long after the visit.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
- Clearly identify your goals and match them to the perfect author.
- Find authors through directories, recommendations, and social media.
- Make initial contact with clear and specific information.
- Secure buy-in from your school stakeholders.
- Promote the visit enthusiastically to build anticipation.
- Streamline booking details and logistics.
- Follow-up to maximize long-term impact.
🎯 Step 1: How to Book an Author Visit by Identifying the Right Author for Your School
First things first—choosing an author isn’t like picking a Netflix movie. You can’t just close your eyes and point (unless you love chaos, which I admittedly do, but now’s not the time). Pinpoint your objectives:
- Curriculum Alignment: Think about what your students need—whether it’s SEL (social-emotional learning), STEM, literacy, or creativity. The right author will bring your goals to life in a way that clicks with your classroom.
- Grade Levels: Make sure the author’s content matches your students’ age and interests. An author who connects with the kids at their level will keep them engaged and excited.
- Presentation Style: Authors come in all flavors—assemblies, workshops, classroom Q&As—so pick one who fits your school’s vibe and structure.
Pro Tip: Look for authors who have glowing testimonials and solid school-visit experience. This means they’ve got the skills to make your visit awesome and stress-free!
🌐 Step 2: Find and Research Potential Authors
Now that you’ve got a clear idea of what you’re looking for, it’s time to channel your inner detective (no trench coat required, though a snazzy hat wouldn’t hurt). Here’s how to dive into finding the perfect author for your school visit:
- Professional Directories: Start with the SCBWI Author Directory, Author Visit Central, or Contact an Author. These sites are a goldmine for vetted authors who specialize in school visits.
- Social Media: Get social! Search hashtags like #AuthorVisit and #SchoolVisits to find authors who are already engaging with schools.
- Recommendations: Don’t be afraid to ask around—fellow librarians, teachers, or your favorite local bookshop’s kid-lit expert can have great suggestions.
When you’re checking out potential authors, ask yourself a few key questions:
- Website Quality: Does their website make booking easy? Is it visually engaging and informative?
- Social Proof: Look for testimonials, blog posts, podcasts or stories of past school visits—this tells you if they’re the real deal and a good fit for your students.
Happy author-hunting! Let your detective work begin.
🗓️ Step 3: Making Initial Contact & Getting Quotes
When you’re ready to start, making initial contact with authors is crucial. Here’s how to do it—and make sure you’ve got all the info you need when you’re figuring out how to book an author visit:
- Include: Let the author know the basics—requested dates, school demographics, and what you hope to achieve. This helps them understand exactly what you’re looking for.
- Ask About: Don’t forget to ask about availability, fees, content details, and any tech needs they might have (because no one wants a tech failure during a big visit).
Many authors have a simple form for requesting a booking on their sites. For instance, here’s a link to my book Adam for a school visit form. But if the author you like doesn’t have a form, here’s a simple email template to get the ball rolling:
“Dear [Awesome Author], we’d love to host you at [Your School] on [Proposed Date]. We’re aiming to inspire [Grades] around [Topic]. Can you send availability and pricing details?”
Easy, right? Just a few key details, and you’re off to the races!
💡 Step 4: Getting Buy-In from Teachers, Admin, and PTA
Time to rally your crew—think Avengers Assemble, but with fewer explosions and more spreadsheets! To get everyone on board with the author visit, highlight the benefits, address concerns, and make sure you’re all clear on the logistics of how to book an author visit without stress. Getting buy-in for your author visit is key, and here’s how to do it:
- Highlight Benefits: Show everyone how this author visit will light a fire under your students—boosting engagement, literacy, and creativity. When they see the potential impact, they’ll be all in.
- Address Concerns: Be upfront about budget, logistics, and keeping class disruptions to a minimum. Transparency is key, and it’ll make everyone feel more comfortable with the process.
- Pro Tip: A good testimonial or two from other schools can really seal the deal. Nothing beats real-life success stories to get everyone on board.
With the right pitch, your team will be ready to make the author visit happen!
📣 Step 5: Promoting the Visit Within Your School Community
Once you’ve figured out how to book an author visit, it’s time to promote it within your school community. Make the announcement fun and exciting to get everyone talking! Promotion is your friend—lean into it like kids lean into recess—full throttle, maybe even with a little screaming!
- Student Involvement: Get the kids excited with posters, announcements, and teaser videos. The more they’re involved, the more hype you’ll build.
- Communication: Spread the word far and wide using newsletters, social media, and your school website. Keep everyone in the loop, and the excitement will snowball.
- Community Engagement: Don’t forget to bring in parents and local businesses. When the whole community gets behind it, the buzz is undeniable.
Promoting your author visit should feel as fun as the event itself—make it loud and proud!
✅ Step 6: Streamlining the Booking Process
We all love logistics, right? Yeah, didn’t think so. But trust me, getting organized now will save you from major headaches later:
- Designate a Coordinator: Assign one person to be the point of contact. Fewer cooks in the kitchen means fewer mix-ups. They don’t need to know all the steps in how to book an author visit. They just need to be the primary point of contact.
- Confirm Details: Double-check the dates, times, and any tech needs—better to be over-prepared than scrambling last minute.
- Prepare Materials: Make sure you’ve got everything ready—projectors, microphones, and, of course, coffee. Because let’s be real, everyone needs coffee.
Streamlining the booking process now will make the whole visit go off without a hitch!
🌟 Step 7: Ensuring Long-Term Impact of Your Author Visit
After the author visit, follow-up activities will ensure that your students remember the experience. You want to make the most of the time you’ve spent on learning how to book an author visit. An author visit shouldn’t be a one-and-done deal. Think of it like your favorite binge-watch—you want it to linger, but without the guilt!
- Follow-Up Activities: Keep the momentum going with fun projects, reflection sessions, and related readings. It’ll help students connect with the visit long after the author leaves.
- Feedback Collection: Grab testimonials from both students and teachers. Real feedback will not only help you improve future visits but also show off the visit’s impact.
- Share Success: Show the world how amazing the visit was by highlighting student work and reactions on social media and in newsletters. This keeps the excitement alive and encourages others to book their own author visits!
By ensuring long-term impact, you’re turning one event into an ongoing source of inspiration!
🛠️ Downloadable Resource
Grab your copy of the Complete Author Visit Promotion and Booking Kit for FREE when you sign up for my newsletter. It includes email templates, promotional flyers, and logistical checklists to make your life blissfully simple.
🔖 Call to Action (CTA)
Ready to rock your next author visit? Download your Comprehensive Author Visit free kit by joining my newsletter, and don’t forget to check out these helpful posts:
- How to Plan an Unforgettable Author Visit: Step-by-step tips to help you organize a seamless, memorable author visit that leaves a lasting impact on students and educators alike.
- What to Expect During an Author Visit: A sneak peek into what happens during an author visit, from student interactions to Q&As—everything you need to know to prepare!
- Maximizing the ROI of Author School Visits: Discover how to make the most out of your investment by leveraging author visits to enhance student engagement, literacy, and creativity.
- How to Fund an Author Visit: Explore creative and practical funding solutions to help make author visits a reality, even with a tight budget.
Questions? I’m just an email away. Here’s my handy dandy contact Adam form. Let’s make magic happen!
❓ FAQ: Your Burning How to Book an Author Visit Questions Answered
How far in advance should we book an author visit?
Ideally, aim for 6–12 months ahead to snag your top-choice dates and authors. That said, if you need more time, book further in advance. I’ve book up to 18months early.
What if we have limited funding?
There are lots of opportunities for lower cost visits. Book together with another school. Try to find a virtual or local author to be your new BFF. Need help with funding? Check out my post on How to Fund an Author Visit to explore creative funding options that will make booking an author visit even easier.
Can we record the visit?
Always check with the author beforehand—every author has their own policies. We spend a lot of time creating programs that are unique and educational. We just ask that you respect that.
How do we manage book sales/signings?
Coordinate directly with authors, a local book store (I try to always suggest using your local indie store) or publishers ahead of time.
What happens if an author cancels?
While this has never happened to me, emergencies do happen. Discuss cancellation policies during booking, and keep a Plan B handy (like extra donuts for disappointed kids).
Are virtual visits effective?
Absolutely! They’re budget-friendly and tech-savvy students enjoy the interactive experience. However, nothing quite compares to the energy and personal connection of an in-person visit, where students can engage face-to-face, ask spontaneous questions, and build lasting memories. While virtual visits have their perks, an in-person visit truly brings the experience to life in a way that leaves a bigger impact on both students and educators.
How can we ensure student engagement?
To make sure your students are fully engaged, start by reading the author’s books together in class. Have students come up with a few questions based on what they read, so they’re prepared to interact with the author. This pre-visit prep will spark excitement and make the experience feel more personal and engaging. For more tips on how to make your visit unforgettable, check out How to Plan an Unforgettable Author Visit.
Can parents get involved?
Absolutely. Parents are excellent helpers (and sometimes even bring snacks). As the saying goes, more hands make light work.
Where can I find additional planning resources?
Download my Comprehensive Author Visit Kit by signing up for my newsletter. It has everything you’ll need for planning and hosting an author visit they’ll never forget.
Conclusion:
And there you have it—your step-by-step guide on how to book an author visit and turn it into a memorable experience for both students and educators. With the right preparation, promotion, and follow-through, you’ll ensure your author visit is a success that lasts long after the author leaves. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, start planning, and book an author visit that your school will talk about for years to come! And remember, every great visit starts with that first step—learning how to book an author visit with confidence!
