kristin o'donnell tubb
author of books for middle grade readers
how to make an author visit affordable
Authors must charge an honorarium and request travel reimbursements in order to make a school visit financially viable on their end. Consider the follow options on how to fund an author visit at your school!
Engage your PTA/PTO!
Ask your PTA/PTO to fund your next author visit.
Sell tickets!
Charge your students $1-$2 apiece to join in the fun!
Contact your state humanities commission!
Humanties councils will often cover the cost of the author FOR you. Contact them to see if programs like this exist in your state.
Ditto your state or local arts commission!
Arts commissions will also cover author visit costs. Contact them to see if your school qualifies! In Tennessee, you can apply for a grant to invite me and other authors/illustrators to your school for FREE through the Tennessee Arts Commission's Teaching Artists Roster! Click here for more info!
Check out SCBWI's Amber Brown Fund!
This grant is solely for the purpose of paying for authors to visit schools. Apply for one!
Pool with other area schools!
Coordinate a visit with several schools in your district to split the travel costs. I can often lower my per-hour honorarium, too, if I know I'll be visiting several schools in one area.
Ask your local public library to chip in!
Oftentimes a public library has grants and funding for things like author visits. Ask! It often involves an event at the library, too, which is wonderful!
Ask your local university to chip in!
Ditto the above; I'll happily chat with university writing students as part of a district visit.
Sell my books!
Any school that presells 50+ copies of my books will receive a discounted or WAIVED rate. I will set up book sales either myself or through a local bookstore. My goal is ALWAYS to chat books with readers, so if my books are made available, I'm able to be more flexible on the honorarium. (Travel fees still apply. Darn gasoline!)
Opt for a Virtual visit!
I will do a FREE 30-minute virtual Q&A with any group of readers who have read one or more of my books. It's a great way to tie up a classroom read-aloud unit! I also have multiple virtual presentations available that are wonderful alternatives to an in-person visit, at a lower rate. Click here for an overview!