Children's Author Group 14th March 2024 - A Discussion on School Presentations about your books

Children's Author Group 14th March 2024 - A Discussion on School Presentations about your books

Thank you to everyone who attended the Children's Author group of March 2024. We had a lively discussion on School Visits. There were so many excellent comments and ideas that I've collated notes below. If I've missed anything out, then please let me know.

A huge thank you to Paul for once again providing the links.

Our next meeting is on April the 18th at 2.30 pm. We are going to continue today's theme of School Visits as well as talk through the idea of a PYA database for contacts.

As an aside - we discussed the author visit of the previous month too and regular attendee Julie Venner found the article  Beware the Thorn of the Zéphirine Drouhin) about the use of gardens in crime fiction which might be of interest after our discussion of garden metaphors, etc.

Main points from the Children’s Author group meeting. 14/03/24

Social Media – Instagram.

Instagram algorithms are positively affected by the number of engagements you make. Hearts/likes don’t count – making a comment on someone’s post does. Engaging with posts should be daily.

ANOTHER TIP Facebook and Instagram bots do not like copied and pasted remarks in posts. If you do have to copy something and re send– add something, or change a few words.

When posting on Instagram use hashtags’ (trending ones if possible). Things like:  

#Childrensbooks
#ChildrensFiction etc.

QR codes.

Those quirky boxes you can scan that will take the person directly to your website/page. They can be added to pretty much anything. Bookmarks, flyers web pages. Linda has offered to make personal ones if you email her. They can link to Amazon or your websites… let me know.

Mastodon UK

A social media site that is not owned by anyone - it is what is called a Federated Network. It takes a little time to get your head around. I suggest you google and go from there – or ask the oracle that is Paul!

Paul is on Mastodon @wisegreyowl@mastodonaoo.uk

SCHOOL VISITS

Payment for school visits.

A variety of options were discussed.

It was agreed that it will depend on the circumstances and what you are offering to the school.

Schools often have a limited budget so one solution is to ask the school to purchase 5 -10 books for their library.

Ask the school to promote your visit. Send the school a flyer/s and ask them to add the visit to the school website and newsletter. This would give parents the opportunity to pre-order a book.

Working your visit to tie in with the school curriculum – this would help the school to tick those boxes.

Practical ideas – use activities where possible. Could be puppets, a writing exercise – funny poems. Depending of course on the age you’re talking to.

Potential issues with visits

Teachers or classroom assistants should be present throughout the session.

Using technology for the session – Most schools use TEAM not Zoom. Check out any tech details well before your visit.

Who to contact to arrange a visit.

The school office might be able to help by providing an appropriate contact within the school. A librarian, (if they have one) literacy co-ordinator – head teacher.

When emailing, make it clear you are a member of Promoting Yorkshire Authors and provide the website address. www.p.y.a.org. Being a member of PYA is going to add weight to your request. 400 members and counting!

Discussed – the potential for school visits where a few authors would attend the event together. This might be attractive to schools/libraries etc. and would provide support for each other.

DATA BASE

Begin to set up a Yorkshire wide data base for PYA, listing contacts for schools – libraries and Indie Bookshops. Individuals to begin sourcing contacts local to them. Telephone the schools libraries etc. and ask for an appropriate person to email. Once you have a few, send the contact details to linda.jones2703@gmail.com and I’ll begin to collate them. Jane has an old list which she will be updating over the coming few months

 Linda Jones - Deputy Chair, PYA and Chair Children's Author Group