Author Visits Checklist

Here's a quick reminder of the main points to remember when organising your author visit.

Physical events checklist:

1. Remember to book your author/illustrator in well advance; many authors are booked up months or even years ahead. Provide specific date(s) when you would like the author to attend.  Agree three or four authors in case you can't get your first choice. 

2.  Decide if you want the author to visit specific year groups, or the whole school, as that will affect who you invite.

3. Plan the author visit into your teaching schedule. Ensure that books are available to pupils, including the author's latest books, and that children have access to author information such as biographies before the event.

4. Place your order for books for the event well in advance - at least two weeks - from a local bookseller, school supplier, school library service or publisher. Have you ordered extra copies for the school / class library?

5. Communicate with the author about the type of session(s) you are expecting and what you would like the author to cover in terms of curriculum / subject areas.

6. Once you and the author are happy with the events planned, give the author a detailed schedule of the day including pupils' age, size of groups and breaks.

7. Publicise the event using posters and displays of pupils' work.

8. Check in advance that travel arrangements, lunch etc are organised.

9.  Ensure that someone is ready to greet the author and offer them refreshments when they arrive, and that the author's schedule is shared with the staff.

10. Try to organise follow-up sessions with the children, either around creative writing or to discuss the author's book(s)

11. Don't forget to pay your author for their event in a timely way, either on the day or according to the terms on their invoice.

Virtual events checklist:

1. Remember to book your author/illustrator in well advance; many authors are booked up months or even years ahead. Provide specific times and date(s) for the online event.  Agree three or four authors in case you can't get your first choice. 

2.  Decide which age groups you want the author to talk to - you might want to introduce some smaller groups to the author's schedule, which can make online events a little cosier, as well as your classroom groups.

3. Plan the author visit into your teaching schedule. Ensure that books are available to pupils, including the author's latest books, and that children have access to author information such as biographies before the event. You might want to plan some questions beforehand.

4. Place your order for books for the event well in advance - at least two weeks - from a local bookseller, school supplier, school library service or publisher. Have you ordered extra copies for the school / class library? Most authors will sign bookplates and send these to the school for children who have bought books.  If you prefer to order books after the author's event, ensure that parents/carers have the information on the day of the event or the following day. 

5. Communicate with the author about the type of session(s) you are expecting and what you would like the author to cover in terms of curriculum / subject areas.

6. Once you and the author are happy with the events planned, give the author a detailed schedule including pupils' age, size of groups and timings.

7. Publicise the event using posters and displays of pupils' work.

8. Try to organise a follow-up session(s) with the children, either around creative writing or to discuss the author's book(s)

9. Don't forget to pay your author for their event in a timely way, either on the day or according to the terms on their invoice.