Speaking + PD
Good stories
start with
great questions.
Keynotes, professional development for educators, and writing workshops.
Tell me about your eventBring your educators or writers together to explore how stories take shape. I share the questions, experiments, and choices behind my picture books, then invite your group to put ideas to work in the classroom or on the page.
Adam Lehrhaupt
From Broadway to the blank page.
Before I wrote award-winning picture books, I worked on Broadway, toured with David Copperfield, and spent more than fifteen years as an art director. I know the work behind a story—and the fun of discovering one together.
My sessions bring that mix of performance, visual storytelling, and creative problem-solving into the room. We explore the choices behind books like Idea Jar, This Is a Good Story, and Warning: Do Not Open This Book!, then put questions and experiments to work in your classroom, your next draft, or a conversation shaped around your event.
These are a few places we can begin. Any topic can become a keynote, professional development session, or workshop, and we can develop a different focus around your group.
For educators: bring the writer’s process into the classroom.
Professional development for teachers, librarians, and literacy teams who want to help students find ideas, make choices, and grow as writers.
Beyond ‘I don’t know what to write.’
Try playful ways to collect ideas, ask useful questions, and turn a small possibility into the start of a story. We’ll explore how to offer support while leaving room for students to make choices.
What we’ll practice:
Adapt an idea-starting activity for your students and identify questions that help them keep going.
Picture books, seen through a writer’s eyes.
Look closely at how a picture book works: voice, structure, character, and the relationship between words and pictures. We’ll turn those observations into invitations for students to try a craft choice in their own writing.
What we’ll practice:
Choose a craft move in a picture book and build a writing invitation around it.
For writers: find what your story can become.
Writing workshops for picture-book authors and groups interested in the craft of telling a story. New and experienced writers are welcome; we’ll shape the session around your group.
Give readers a reason to turn the page.
Explore how character, pacing, surprise, and page turns work together in a picture book. We’ll look at how a story builds momentum, what the words need to do, and where the illustrations need room.
What we’ll practice:
Examine a story’s movement and identify choices worth testing in the next draft.
Revision with a reason.
A stronger draft often begins with a better question. We’ll look beyond polishing sentences to examine the choices shaping a story, then try purposeful changes to structure, character, or point of view.
What we’ll practice:
Identify a revision priority and use focused questions to explore a different approach.
A keynote, a working session, or room to go deeper.
The format should serve the people in the room. We’ll agree on the focus, length, and level of participation as we plan your event.
Keynotes
Stories and insights from the creative process, shaped around your event’s purpose, with room for curiosity, connection, and a fresh perspective.
Interactive sessions
A focused conference breakout or professional development session that combines examples, conversation, and opportunities to try an idea.
Extended workshops
More time to explore a topic, write, discuss, and test different approaches. We’ll plan the balance around your group’s experience and goals.
Planning a session? Start Here.
Who are these sessions for?
I work with educators, librarians, writers, and conference audiences. The educator sessions focus on writing and the creative process, while the writer sessions focus on picture-book craft. If you have a different audience or idea, tell me about it.
Can you tailor a talk or workshop to our group?
Yes. Tell me who will be there, their experience, and what you’d like them to explore. We’ll shape the topic, format, and participation around your event. You don’t need a finished brief to get in touch.
Where do you speak?
I welcome in-person invitations from schools, libraries, writing organizations, and conferences anywhere, including internationally. Share your location and what you have in mind so we can discuss the possibilities.
How do we get started, and what does it cost?
Reach out now through Book Adam, even if your plans or dates aren’t settled. Share your organization, location, audience, and goals. Costs depend on the program and arrangements requested. We’ll work with you to create a session built around your group.
Speaking + PD
Let’s see what happens next.
Tell me who’s coming, what matters to them, and what you’d like the session to make possible. We’ll build from there.
Start planning your event