Author talks in schools: how, what, why

Let's get authors in front of our kids as much as possible.

When you’re teaching a text, there really is no better way to engage the students in their reading than by giving them a chance to have an encounter with the author themselves.

This could be a letter or message on social media, or better yet, an author visit to your school or library.

I’ve seen this kind of incursion completely turn around a childs’ experience of understanding and appreciating the books they are reading. I’ve seen squeals of delight as authors enter the building. I’ve seen tears. From the students and the authors. It’s all very exciting and wholesome and rewarding.

An author visit doesn’t have to be tied to the curriculum, of course. You could also get an author into your school for Children’s Book Week, for your Book Club or Writers Club, or just because. When I was growing up in country WA, I never imagined it was possible to become an author, or have any kind of creative career, because you can’t be what you can’t see. Let’s show young people that storytelling matters. That it can enrich their lives in myriad ways.

Putting authors in front of kids has been one of the best parts of my work in school libraries. But I’ve given several talks at education conferences where teachers and librarians are reluctant to give it a go for a number of reasons. Namely, because it all just seems too hard to organise.

Back in 2019 when I was the resident columnist for Books + Publishing, my first column was about this exact topic.

Engaging with a book is a powerful and crucial experience for every young person. However, the extra step of being able to meet or speak with the storytellers and creators themselves adds another element that can make all the difference. We need to continue providing the opportunities for authors to do just that.

Most children’s writers I know love doing school visits and in fact, it’s how a lot of them make most of their income. They are keen to do what it takes to make it happen! All they need is a little enthusiasm from teachers or librarians to make it a reality.

With that in mind, I thought I’d put together a little guide with some true and false information about having an author visit, and a list of some of the best visiting authors I’ve seen.

Note: Why am I qualified to write this? I’ve spent nearly 11 years organising author talks for schools I’ve worked in, putting together events for the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and I have programmed MWF Schools since 2022. I certainly don’t know everything, and there will be exceptions to all of the below, but over the years I have learned a few things about what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to author talks. I also have some experience as a visiting author myself—and I’ll be honest about mistakes I think I have made, and how it could have gone better.

✔Everyone can afford an author talk (with a few workarounds)

Author talks can be expensive, especially if you book them through a speakers agency (more on that below). It’s important to remember that your typical children’s author makes very little off their actual books, so speaking engagements are a way for them to get adequately compensated for their work. And if you work at a private school, or another institution with a healthy budget, what better way to spend it!

However, if you’re at a small public, specialised, or disadvantaged school, and think you’d never be able to afford a visiting author: that’s not completely true. No author is under any guarantee to say yes, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if they’d consider a smaller fee for a needy school. As an author who does school visits myself, as well as someone who knows how tricky finances can be in certain schools, this is something I am open to taking into account.

Will Kostakis

Another option is to fundraise or seek outside support. There are programs out there which help get creative people into schools. Speak to your local MP. Contact a large business that might be willing to fork out the cash for goodwill, a shout out, or a pat on the back (I have had success with places like Woolworths before). Ask a nearby bookshop or library if there is any way they could help. At a school I worked at recently, our local library (across the road) used to finance an author talk for my book club every year, and we even got to pick the author ourselves!

It never hurts to ask. I know it’s a lot of effort, and you are busy. But I can promise it’ll be worth it when you see little faces light up as they get to meet a real life author.

✘ You have to contact an author through their publisher or speaking agent

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say “I wouldn’t know how to contact an author”. Just… message them on Instagram? Or Facebook, or any other social media they might use publicly. Find the contact page on their website, or their email address which may be listed. It’s really not too tricky in this day and age!

Some authors prefer you go through their publicist or agent. And that’s fine! They will send you those details if that’s their preference, or if you Google it you can easily find it yourself. Some of the biggest agencies in Victoria include Booked Out, Lamont and Creative Net. Other states will have their own. If you’re looking for an author publicist, they can usually be found on the publisher website, or by emailing the generic address of the publisher and enquiring.

If an author has a speaking agent, it means you might have to pay a bit extra to get them in. Some authors are willing to forgo that fee and organise it with you directly, if you ask them. Some aren’t. And that’s okay!

Just don’t let the excuse of not knowing how to find them stop you from making it happen. There’s always a way!