Why I do author visits to school for free.
Normally I will turn up to schools and deliver my free author visits full on in person. I really enjoy it. It’s something I hope might lead a few students to read more, to take their writing and reading development more seriously. And of course there’s the buzz I get from being in front of a hall full of students.
A typical visit will mean at least one of these big presentations to a full year group - anything from 80 to 250 students- seated in a school hall or theatre. I’ll take them through a tour of how I, a kid who lacked confidence in writing at school, became an author, how I wrote the book and then stretch their thinking with some tips for their writing and ideas for achieving their future dreams.
Often, I’ll be asked to take a writing master class and I link this to the book by leading a session in writing remembrance poetry. I’ve found myself welling up with tears on so many occasions as the responses have been so profound.
I add extra zest by producing a range of interesting WW1 artefacts that feature in the book. There are usually plenty of jaws dropping and eyes popping when I whip out a Mills Bomb (grenade) and a Lee Enfield Rifle! Both deactivated by the way!
This week I contributed to the Northampton Academy Literary Festival with a virtual visit. I’ve attached a snippet of that video to this post. Hopefully it’ll still work some magic and I’ll hear that some of their students have been inspired to read a bit more. If that’s the case, mission accomplished.
For me, an ex head teacher, there’s nothing more important than raising literacy skills. These are the door openers and key turners. The oil that lubricates the future potential for every child. This is why I’ll happily visit secondary schools. Everyone that works in a school is there to change lives for the better. When you make a difference to a child’s life, you never unmake it, and that is a huge reward.
If you know a school that might like a visit, pass on my details.
If you’d like a book, visit https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magpie-Gary-Toward/dp/1786930080/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8