On the day

This is when all the preparation for your author event pays off!  But there are still things you can do to ensure the visit goes smoothly.

On the day

Make sure that there is someone to greet the author when they arrive and offer refreshments. The author may have had to travel several hours to reach the school by the time of your assembly!

It can be helpful to assign a point of contact for the visiting author at the school - someone to look after them during the whole day and ensure they arrive promptly at each presentation etc. Don't abandon them in the staff room...

Check all their presentation materials are available and working.

Ensure that the author's books are available for the children in case they want to buy copies, and that a signing session is facilitated; do you have a table and chair ready for the signing?

Encourage your head teacher to spend a few minutes meeting the author and, if possible, to sit in on part of the session. It can be useful for school leaders to see the impact an author visit can have - especially if you want to plan a future author event.

If possible, try to avoid teachers coming and going during the event, which can be distracting for the author and the children. Show the children that the event matters by remaining present, and focused.

Make sure that time is scheduled for the author to see any work / displays that the children have done in relation to the visit.

The author should receive their payment at the end of the day or the week after their virtual event, unless otherwise discussed.