








































Georgia Journal of Literacy 
2023, Vol. 45(1), pp. 62–67 
https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.104 
ISSN: 2833-7611 

Teaching Tips Article  

 
 

 

CONTACT Dr. Tiffany Watson, Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary and Special Education, University of 
North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA; email tiffany.watson@ung.edu. Dr. Nicole Maxwell, Associate Professor, Department 
of Elementary and Special Education, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA; email nicole.maxwell@ung.edu. 
Dr. Danielle E. Hartsfield, Associate Professor, Department of Elementary and Special Education, University of North 
Georgia, Dahlonega, GA; email danielle.hartsfield@ung.edu (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4607-9503). 
 

Tips for Planning a Successful Author Visit 
 
Tiffany Watson 
University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 

Nicole Maxwell 
University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 

Danielle E. Hartsfield 
University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 
 

ABSTRACT 

Author visits are an exciting way to generate students’ interest in reading and writing. 
They offer the opportunity for students to hear directly from an author about the 
process and value of various texts. However, successful author visits require careful 
planning and collaboration. This teaching tip article explains how author visits can 
support learning outcomes, describes the steps involved in planning a visit, and 
identifies possibilities to fund a school or campus visit. 

KEYWORDS 

author visit; 
children's 
literature; literacy 
promotion 

 
n author visit occurs when a writer or illustrator visits a classroom to educate learners 
about their books, writing process, inspirations for writing, etc. Author visits can be 
impactful for K–12 students, such as motivating them to tell their own stories (Booth, 

2018) and generating excitement about reading and writing (Murphy et al., 2014). Meeting an 
author can also be a meaningful experience for college students. Walker and Feldman (2014) 
investigated the effect virtual children’s author visits would have on pre-service teachers (i.e., 
teacher candidates). The researchers had their teacher candidates interview authors virtually as part 
of a college children’s literature course. Using Skype video calls, they found that “teacher 
candidates were able to converse with a children’s author, thus gaining a deeper understanding of 
the use of children’s literature, author’s visits, and technology in their own teaching” (Walker & 
Feldman, 2014, p. 39). Based on the findings of this research, we sought to use an author visit to 
better prepare elementary/special education teacher candidates for teaching with and about 
nonfiction children’s books. 

We created a half-day professional development workshop for candidates enrolled in our 
institution’s elementary/special education program. The workshop focused on the nonfiction genre 
of children’s literature, including types of nonfiction, using nonfiction books to teach the craft of 
writing, and integrating nonfiction across subject areas in the elementary-level curriculum. It was 
led by Patricia Newman, an award-winning author of nonfiction books for children. Our goal in 
implementing this workshop was to help the candidates in our courses develop a stronger 
appreciation of the nonfiction genre and a deeper understanding of pedagogical possibilities for 
nonfiction books. We shared our goals with Ms. Newman, who valued the collaboration and 
designed her presentation accordingly. She said, “My goal is to supplement your classroom 

A 

mailto:tiffany.watson@ung.edu
mailto:nicole.maxwell@ung.edu
mailto:danielle.hartsfield@ung.edu
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4607-9503


Watson, Maxwell, & Hartsfield 63 
 

curriculum, not distract from it. That’s why my visits empower readers of all ages to think about 
the world from different points of view and then make connections to their own lives” (Newman, 
personal communication, January 2, 2023).  

Specific outcomes were for candidates to know why children enjoy reading nonfiction and 
to be able to describe types of nonfiction, as well as to explain approaches and strategies for 
teaching nonfiction text structures and informational writing traits. We also wanted candidates to 
understand various ways to integrate nonfiction across the curriculum. As a result, our candidates 
would be better prepared for leading elementary classrooms of their own. After participating in the 
author visit, one candidate shared: 

I realized that I can use nonfiction to engage reluctant readers and to support curiosity in 
my students. I actually tried using a nonfiction book to engage a reluctant reader in my 
current placement, and it worked! She read the whole thing quickly and was excited to talk 
to me about it! 

Outcomes like this one are what we hoped to achieve through the author visit.  
 
Planning an Author Visit 
Preparing for our author visit with Patricia Newman involved making multiple decisions. These 
decisions are outlined step-by-step in Table 1 and described throughout the rest of this section. 
First, we had to determine a date for Ms. Newman to come and how to accommodate the large 
number of teacher candidates that would attend her presentation. We decided to separate our 
students into two groups so that the half-day professional development workshop could be offered 
twice in the same day, one in the morning at one location and another in the afternoon at a different 
location. This was necessary for finding a space with enough capacity for everyone, but also to 
allow for a more personalized experience that made the interactive activities more manageable. 
 
Table 1: Steps for Planning an Author Visit 

Step 1 Reflect on the standards and units in your grade level or course to decide what 
type of literature and which author would align best with your needs. 

Step 2 Identify a date and time for the visit. 

Step 3 Determine the size of the audience and secure space. 

Step 4 Contact the author and schedule the visit. 

Step 5 Discuss details of the presentation and coordinating necessary materials with 
the author. 

 
Through a virtual meeting with Ms. Newman, we were able to discuss what the 

presentation would look like and begin coordinating her travel plans. We talked about how Ms. 
Newman’s visit could connect to the objectives of the content literacy and children’s literature 
courses our teacher candidates were taking at the time of the scheduled author visit. For example, 
Ms. Newman’s suggestion to explain the different types of nonfiction during her workshop directly 
supported one of the main objectives of the children’s literature course, which examines formats 
and genres of youth literature.  

As professors, we discussed how best to prepare our teacher candidates for Ms. Newman’s 
visit. We wanted to make certain that candidates had exposure to at least a couple of her books 
before the workshop was held. This involved scheduling them in our course calendars prior to the 



64 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

visit and deciding which ones fit best with our courses. In their children’s literature course, 
candidates were asked to read Newman’s 2018 Sibert Honor book, Sea Otter Heroes: The 
Predators that Saved an Ecosystem. They were introduced to Newman’s (2004) book, Jingle the 
Brass, in the content literacy course through a model lesson demonstrating how to use it as a 
mentor text when teaching informational writing to elementary students. 

An additional virtual meeting took place between the three of us and Ms. Newman within 
a couple of weeks of the scheduled workshop. The purpose was to finalize details in terms of what 
materials we needed to have with us and what she would need as a presenter. A major part of 
making the workshop meaningful and interactive was to have enough nonfiction books for the 
teacher candidates to explore to gain a better understanding of the possibilities associated with 
what Ms. Newman was teaching them. This required us to pull books from our personal and public 
libraries and to coordinate with one another to ensure we had nonfiction books that fell into the 
specific categories Ms. Newman would be referencing when presenting to the teacher candidates 
(see Stewart & Correia, 2021, for details about the five categories of nonfiction). 

While we designed this author visit for teacher candidates at the university level, we believe 
K–12 teachers could follow a similar path in planning their own author visit. Among the factors to 
consider when developing a plan would be to reflect on your standards and units in your grade 
level and decide what type of literature and which author would align best with your needs. If you 
are not sure where to start finding potential authors, there are websites available that provide 
information about authors who are willing to do school visits. For example, the Society of 
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators at scbwi.org/speakers-bureau allows you to search based 
on author’s name, student age level, and topic. Additionally, publishing companies’ websites may 
offer information on author visits, and many published authors have their own websites, which can 
provide useful information regarding having the author come to your school for a visit. You can 
even seek recommendations from your school’s media specialist. 

Once you have determined which author is coming, you should consider when and how 
you can integrate some of the author’s work into your classroom prior to the author visit. Providing 
students with the opportunity to interact with the author’s work prior to meeting them can make 
the visit more meaningful. Collaborating with your school’s media specialist to integrate the 
author’s texts could also prove beneficial. 

Funding is certainly something to consider, including how much you might need and where 
you can obtain it. There are many options available if you take the time to search. In fact, some 
possibilities are included in the next section to help you get started in your search.  
 
Funding an Author Visit 
When planning an author visit, locating funds is a foremost consideration. We were fortunate that 
an internal grant from our university funded Ms. Newman’s honorarium and travel, and we were 
even able to purchase copies of her books to share with teacher candidates during her visit. While 
not all institutions offer such financial support, other grant opportunities are available to educators. 
Table 2 summarizes some of these possibilities.  

Nonprofit groups are one potential source of funding. Professional organizations for 
educators sometimes offer grants and awards to support classroom or school-wide projects. For 
example, the Georgia Council of Teachers of English offers mini-grants of up to $500 for educators 
planning projects that will directly impact the literacy experiences of K–12 students. Other 
nonprofits also provide support. The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi offers grants of up to $2,500 
specifically for literacy projects. While one must be a member of this honor society to apply, 

https://www.scbwi.org/speakers-bureau/


Watson, Maxwell, & Hartsfield 65 
 

educators could collaborate on an application with a university-based chapter if they are not 
members themselves. Many Georgia colleges and universities have chapters, including the 
University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, University of West Georgia, and the University 
of North Georgia.  

In addition, philanthropic organizations provide funding for educators. The Dollar General 
Literacy Foundation has a variety of grants; the Youth Literacy Grant may be especially 
appropriate for educators who wish to spark students’ excitement about reading and writing with 
an author visit. Educators who teach children from low-income families are eligible to apply for a 
McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation grant. This grant, which provides up to $10,000 
annually and is renewable for a second year, is intended to fund both in-class and extracurricular 
enrichment opportunities. Believe in Reading, which is supported by the Steve and Loree Potash 
Family Foundation, also provides grants to schools serving children with exceptional needs. 
Another possibility is the Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program, which provides up to $2,000 to 
educators who facilitate innovative projects directly impacting students’ learning.  

Sponsorships are another avenue for author visit funding. Barnes and Noble provides 
sponsorships to schools at the local level; inquiries about sponsorships may be directed to store 
managers. Local businesses may also be willing to provide financial assistance.  
 
Table 2: Grant Opportunities for Literacy Projects 

Organization Website  

Barnes and Noble  barnesandnobleinc.com/about-bn/sponsorships-
charitable-donations  

Believe in Reading  believeinreading.org/grant-guidelines  

Dollar General Literacy Foundation  dgliteracy.org/grant-programs/  

Georgia Council of Teachers of 
English  wildapricot.org/GCTE-Teacher-Minigrants  

Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi  phikappaphi.org/grants-awards/literacy  

McCarthey Dressman Education 
Foundation  

mccartheydressman.org/academic-enrichment-
grants/  

Voya Unsung Heroes Awards 
Program  apply.scholarsapply.org/unsungheroes/  

 
Conclusion 
During Ms. Newman’s visit, the three of us were able to observe our teacher candidates working 
with the books and engaging in discussions about how they could be used in classrooms. We 
distributed a post-survey asking them to rate their comfort levels with nonfiction texts and share 
what they learned. Although we did not receive a significant number of responses, the ones we 
received demonstrated that the author visit was beneficial. We were also able to engage in informal 
conversations with candidates after the visit, and these also showed that the candidates had enjoyed 
it and learned from it. One student said the visit allowed him to “see all the different ways that 

https://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/about-bn/sponsorships-charitable-donations/
https://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/about-bn/sponsorships-charitable-donations/
https://believeinreading.org/grant-guidelines/
https://www.dgliteracy.org/grant-programs/
https://gcte.wildapricot.org/GCTE-Teacher-Minigrants
https://www.phikappaphi.org/grants-awards/literacy
https://mccartheydressman.org/academic-enrichment-grants/
https://mccartheydressman.org/academic-enrichment-grants/
https://apply.scholarsapply.org/unsungheroes/


66 Georgia Journal of Literacy 45(1)  
 

nonfiction can be used in the classroom,” and after the visit, he understood, “that nonfiction has a 
place in the classroom that should never be taken away.” Another student echoed her peer’s 
statement in claiming that the visit helped her “gain a greater perspective on the benefits of 
including nonfiction literature in the classroom.” Specifically, she stated that she knows now that 
nonfiction allows students to “make real-world connections and apply critical thinking skills.” 

Prior to the author visit, teacher candidates experienced two of Patricia Newman’s books 
in their college courses. They saw a model of using nonfiction mentor texts to teach informational 
writing using Jingle the Brass (Newman, 2004), and they read Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators 
That Saved an Ecosystem (2017) as a book club assignment. Ms. Newman noted the value of this 
practice: “The most meaningful author events establish a genuine connection between me and your 
students. One way to fuel this connection is by reading my books with students and integrating 
them into your curriculum” (Newman, personal communication, January 2, 2023). To advance that 
connection, it is valuable to have students continue working with the author’s works after the visit. 
Based on the timeline for our grant proposal and candidates’ course calendars, some had already 
completed assignments that would have allowed them to directly implement tips that Ms. Newman 
provided. Coordinating an opportunity for application of learning after the author visit would likely 
produce more long-term impact on candidates’ instructional strategies.  

While planning an author visit, consider your space and resource availability. If you have 
a specific author in mind for the visit, their website may provide valuable information for planning 
the visit. Patricia Newman has a frequently-asked question page and video to support educators in 
scheduling author visits (Newman, 2023). Ms. Newman was intentional in making her visit 
interactive. Teacher candidates reviewed a wide variety of nonfiction styles across children’s 
books. They browsed about 30 books in small groups. This format was very effective in helping 
our students understand the content of her presentation more deeply. Gathering the books for this 
component took forethought. We used our personal and public libraries as resources to gather more 
than enough nonfiction texts for the visit. Our first professional development session took place in 
an auditorium. Teacher candidates were in rows and did not have tables. In our second session, 
candidates were in an amphitheater-style room with tables on each level. This was much more 
conducive to collaboration and efficient transitions.  

Collaboration was key throughout the process of implementing an author visit. Working as 
a team allowed us to discuss the objectives of this professional development opportunity from a 
variety of perspectives, as we teach different candidates in different courses. Communication with 
the author helped facilitate planning important components, including the necessary materials. 
Careful collaborative planning led to a successful event that met our goal to help teacher candidates 
develop a stronger appreciation of nonfiction literature and a deeper understanding of pedagogical 
possibilities for nonfiction books.  
 

References 
Booth, H. (2018). Awesome author visits. School Library Journal, 64(9), 36–39.  
Murphy, P. J., Goldsmith-Conley, E., & Newell, D. L. (2014). The anatomy of a successful author 

visit. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 42(3), 26–31. 
Newman, P. (2017). Sea otter heroes: The predators that saved an ecosystem. Millbrook Press. 
Newman, P. (2023). Author visits: Tips for funding and planning. https://www.patriciamnewman

.com/author-visit-programs/author-visit-faqs/ 
Newman, P. (2004). Jingle the brass (M. Chesworth, Illus.). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 

https://www.patriciamnewman.com/author-visit-programs/author-visit-faqs
https://www.patriciamnewman.com/author-visit-programs/author-visit-faqs


Watson, Maxwell, & Hartsfield 67 
 

Stewart, M., & Correia, M. (2021). Five kinds of nonfiction: Enriching reading and writing with 
children’s books. Stenhouse.  

Walker, S. L., & Feldman, J. (2014). A puzzling association: How an educator and an author 
influenced teacher candidates. The Reading Professor, 35(1), 35–39. https://scholar.stjohns
.edu/thereadingprofessor/vol35/iss1/10 

 
 
Received: January 5, 2023 | Accepted: March 2, 2023 | Published: April 3, 2023 

https://scholar.stjohns.edu/thereadingprofessor/vol35/iss1/10
https://scholar.stjohns.edu/thereadingprofessor/vol35/iss1/10

	Planning an Author Visit
	Table 1: Steps for Planning an Author Visit

	Funding an Author Visit
	Table 2: Grant Opportunities for Literacy Projects

	Conclusion
	References

