But when dreams get muddled with unrealistic expectations, it leads to big disappointments. And in the case of book marketing, often, instead of understanding reality, good publicists get blamed for things beyond their control. Or shady publicists get hired and scam authors so completely that they make all of us look bad.

Just like in life, all I can control are my efforts. I can get your book in front of as many people as possible, but I can’t control if they like it. That’s the hard truth, right? We can’t predict how a book will be received. This depends on things even farther out of your control than the writing, like the circumstances in the world: COVID or wars, for example.

So what are reasonable expectations for hiring a publicist for your book marketing?

Here are five based on my experience as a publicist, a marketing strategist, an author, and a former book blogger.

What to Expect From a Publicist

1. Hiring a publicist means you don’t have to do all the work yourself.
   
   You’re already busy. You hire a publicist because you don’t want to do all the exhausting legwork yourself.
   
   You’re paying someone like me to send out personalized emails and to follow up several times with individual reviewers, podcasters, producers, or reporters. You’re also paying for strategy sessions and individual coaching.

   
   As a publicist, I do the work for you and can also help with an overall marketing plan and/or specific pieces of a marketing plan, including your author brand, school visits, social media, GEO, and more.
   

2. Hiring a (good) publicist means you get access to up-to-date databases of hundreds of reviewers, podcasters, reporters, editors, etc.
   
   Publicists like me have extensive, up-to-date, and curated contacts. We also know how to connect with new folks in content-specific areas. (Like my client with a book about veganism. I didn’t have vegan podcast contacts at the time, but I did the research and got her on several vegan podcasts.)

   
   Remember to hire someone who is keeping up.
   
   Writers change. Reviewers quit. Producers move jobs. You need a publicist who stays current with what’s happening in the online world. Ask for a few examples of what outlets they will pitch.
   

3. Hiring a publicist means you will get pitched to the best media outlets for your book and your author brand.
   
   You want to be pitched to outlets who actually review books like yours or who are interested in your level, theme, genre, or content.
   
   As a book blogger at Imagination Soup, I felt bad for the YA authors whose publicists were pitching me when I didn’t even review YA books.
   
   Remember that pitching does not mean automatically getting reviews or interviews.

   
   If you don’t have a decent-sized social media following or a robust newsletter (or are already a known author), you’ll be harder to book on bigger outlets, particularly on bigger podcasts.
   

   Big podcasts want someone who will attract listeners because they’re already known and will share the podcast episode with their followers.
   
   Yes, I can pitch you to David Perell’s “How I Write” or the New York Times “The Book Review” podcast, but you’re competing with famous people like David Sedaris and Anne Lamott. So the odds of landing very popular podcast spots are slim. Not because you aren’t a great writer and a wonderful human, but because of the podcasts’ strategy. Podcast hosts want to attract new listeners with big names. Podcast hosts also want the authors they interview to share the episodes across their (large) social media and newsletter channels.

   
   That said, small and medium podcasts can benefit you more than you think. Every time you’re interviewed and mentioned online, it improves your author brand and your chances of getting into the AI answer (GEO). Plus, you might sell some books. So give all podcasts a chance!
   
   And like I mentioned above. Just because I pitch you to a curated list of top-notch contacts, unfortunately, it does not guarantee they will want to review your book or interview you.
   

4. Hiring a publicist gets you strategy.
   
   I can advise you on a comprehensive marketing strategy for your author brand, which includes the following areas: website, newsletters, and social media.
   
   For example, one of my authors didn’t have a website or newsletter, so I helped him start a Substack newsletter, which accomplished both. He now has a landing page and a newsletter…for free. This is the first step to building his author brand for his book and speaking.
   

5. Hiring a publicist may reveal that not all publicists are created equal.
   
   You’ve heard mixed things from your friends. That’s because some unethical publicists use flattery and smoke-and-mirrors to get you to hire them. That feels good. We all want to be loved and admired.
   
   But be aware of manipulation tactics like these. Do you want someone who will tell you what you want to hear? Or someone who will actually get the work done and tell you the truth?
   
   (And most of those over-the-top flattering emails are AI-bot-created.)

   
   I am kind, but I err on the side of bluntness (says my husband), so I will never give clients any BS. That’s just not my style, and it doesn’t align with my integrity.
   
   That’s not to say you can’t have both flattery and competence, but I’ve seen many authors get scammed by flatterers who charge big dollars and get zero results.

   
   The lesson? Ask for referrals. Even better, do your own research and reach out to people you know have worked with the publicist before.

What questions do you have about hiring a publicist?

Finally, I want to say how grateful I am to the exceptional authors who hire me. They want to invest in their marketing and publicity with help to reach reviewers, book podcasts, and improve their author branding.

Thank you to my clients for allowing me to partner with you!

Imagination Soup Consulting offers affordable publicity packages, focusing on 2026 best practices and up-to-date media lists. Get in touch: Melissa at imaginationsoup.net.

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Launch week included a few school visits and a bookstore event.

Then, I got food poisoning.

Followed by a yucky virus that has kicked my butt for weeks. (I’m still sick, actually.)

Needless to say, my momentum feels completely gone.

So now what?

My book isn’t evergreen or backlisted yet, but I wanted to think ahead about my marketing efforts long term.

What should I do to keep up the marketing momentum?

I asked my writers’ coffee group—a brain trust of friends who are incredibly experienced and generous with their advice.

Here’s what they said.

Evergreen & Backlist Book Marketing Tips for Children’s Book Authors

Be sure to connect with communities and organizations outside of the “book world” (so looking beyond bookstores, libraries, and schools). This is something you already did, Melissa, by inviting the Denver Celiacs and Baker Beth Catering to your book launch…so pat on the back for you! These communities will be so excited to share your book through their various channels, meaning your story will have a greater chance of reaching your intended audience.

Brittany Cicchese, Author and Illustrator of Tiny Worlds, and Illustrator of Just in Case and More

I try to pay attention to specific days of the year and then market around them. For example, September 24 is National Punctuation Day. A great day to celebrate on Social Media or at schools with my book, THE DAY PUNCTUATION CAME TO TOWN.

I also think it’s important to remember that with picture books, every five years or so, you have a whole new audience. (Kids who were in first grade when my debut came out are now in 8th grade.) With this kind of mindset, you have the chance to always appeal to new parents, teachers, and readers simply by reusing old content.

Kimberlee Gard, Author of The Compound Noun Treasure Hunt, Snoozapalooza, and More

Repurpose your content. Every podcast interview, blog post, school visit, or review can live in multiple places, in multiple formats, over multiple years. A single interview can become social media posts, video snippets, quote cards, a newsletter feature, and a blog recap.

New readers discovering your book in year three (or even month three) haven’t seen any of your launch content.

Recycling isn’t lazy, it’s how you stay visible without burning out. Whenever you create or receive a solid cornerstone piece (articles, interviews, reviews, etc), mine it thoroughly.

Bianca Schulze, Founder of The Children’s Book Review, Author of Who Loves the Dragon? and More

Remember that this is a long game. Launch day is just one day of a career. The human connections you form at bookstores, libraries, and other events should be nurtured, because these are the people who might recommend your book to others and maybe even invite you back to future events.

Jolene Gutierrez, Author of Unbreakable, Too Much, and More

Having a platform on any one or more social media sites is important for visibility, and you should post content regularly, even if it's once every two weeks. Even posting minimally is enough to be present for editors and agents to find you and your work. It's nice for potential publishers to know that you are a real person who regularly engages with the book community in this way.

Dow Phumiruk, Author and Illustrator of Happy Songkran Day & Illustrator of Many Books

Give teachers and librarians a preview of your author visit, whether it's through a bookstore story time, a short virtual visit on World Read Aloud Day, a video clip posted to YouTube or social media, or presenting at a conference or festival. That way, they can get a sense of who you are and what you are like as a speaker, which hopefully leads to them booking you for a paid gig and more exposure and book sales.

Andrea Wang, Newbery Award-winning author of Worthy, Watercress, and More

Get to know your regional sales manager. Occasionally, I would send thank-you notes showing my appreciation for their hard work, sometimes giving them a heads-up when having a book event. Now that National Book Network has merged with Simon and Schuster, I am currently in the process of finding out who has taken over that new job.

Carmela LaVigna Coyle, Author of Anyone Else Awake?, Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots, and More

Gather tips and tricks that will be helpful to you and others. Helping and inspiring other creators, industry experts, and professionals not only re-affirms the knowledge we’ve garnered but also builds positive relationships that we can nurture.

Lauren H. Kerstein, Author of Hope Rode, Home For a While, and More

Thank you, friends!

Here are my takeaways for my future not-sick-as-a-dog self.

It’s a long game, as Jolene said.

I can pick and choose things that work for me at different times of the year and seasons of life.

Thinking creatively and proactively includes recycling content, going outside the book-world box, and considering what educators need in order to book a school visit. Among other things.

I got this. So do you! Onward!

Right after I get another box of tissues…

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Why Authors Need to Understand GEO

The internet landscape is changing at a rapid pace. Most of it (all of it?) isn’t for the better, but a diatribe would take this article into a whole different direction, so I’ll skip that.

All this to say, the biggest internet change that you need to know about that affects your book marketing is GEO, generative engine optimization, aka getting into the AI answer.

“Recent data shows that AI-powered search features now appear in over 60% of Google searches for informational queries,” says Magazine Manager.

If people are reading the AI answer, YOU NEED TO BE IN IT!

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What is GEO?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization.

Basically, it’s the content in the AI answer. (Yes, it’s stolen. Yes, I don’t like it one bit. Yes, much of it is inaccurate.)

Whether or not we approve, unfortunately, the majority of the world is reading AI’s generative engine answers.

Why GEO matters for book marketing

If most people are reading the AI answers, then you want your book titles and author name to be included in the answers. Right?

But first, SEO is dead. SEO is search engine optimization. Anyone who tells you differently hasn’t been keeping up. This is the reality and why my blog went from 400,000 page views a month to 4,000. And so did every other blog, not just mine.

GEO is here to stay. So let’s talk about it.

Where is GEO pulling content from?

• Social media.
  I used to say social media was optional. It’s not anymore because Google and AI are pulling content from social media. Therefore, social media is essential, not only for your author brand and platform, but for GEO.
  
  

  Google is pulling its AI snippets and search results from Instagram posts and reels, TikTok, and Facebook. (Because social media is such a credible source. Oh, shoot. Sorry, getting spicy. Stay on topic, Melissa.)
  
  

  TIP: When you post on social media, be sure you’re writing more than a sentence. Include as many keywords as you can in your social media text to be findable when people Google search something.
  
  Consider what people are searching for, what questions, and what topics, and use those keywords and phrases in your captions.
  
  I’ve tested this social media strategy with my husband’s business and my adaptive riding barn’s business. IT WORKS! (Now I need to do it for my own book.)
  

• Podcasts, blogs, Reddit, Quora, and websites.
  I can’t tell you why Google is ranking some blogs and websites over others, but I can tell you why it’s giving you Reddit and Quora in the answers.
  
  Google “partners” with both companies to train their AI. Call it an unholy alliance or whatever you want, but these sites are coming up in the search results on the first page of Google now. So add your book in the Reddit and Quora in the answers!

How do you get into the AI answers?

• Be mentioned on the Internet in a variety of places.

  The marketing people I follow have found that if you’re mentioned on a podcast, a blog, and social media, you have a better chance of getting into the AI answer. (This is another reason why you should book even small podcasts and/or write guest posts!)

• Make web pages for each book.
  On your author website, “Create a new page for each book, and you copy and paste the content from your Books page into each individual's book page,” says Thomas Umstattd. (Your general “BOOK” page will have thumbnails that go to each book’s unique page.)

  Every book page needs: reviews, ISBN and AISN numbers, publication date, publisher, purchase links, interview links, press releases, and any educator’s guides or resources.

• Optimize your Author Website for AI:

  • On your author website, think about those keywords and the questions your buyers would ask in a browser search. USE those keywords in your page text.

  • FAQs are coming back. (Supposedly.) FAQs are Frequently Asked Questions that AI can pull from. As I mentioned above, think about what questions people are asking AI, use the question and the answer in your FAQ.
    Example: “Question: What is a good book for preschool boys who like cars? Answer: [Insert your car picture book info here.]”

  • Don't forget ALT text on your images — and be as descriptive as possible.

  • On WordPress, use a Yoast SEO plugin and focus on Schema.org metadata options.

• Goodreads Reviews:
  “Goodreads has become incredibly important because Goodreads is one of the only places on the internet that has Schema.org information on books.” - Joanna Penn’s interview with Thomas Umstattd. Read more about using Goodreads here.

Next Steps…

The world of the Internet and book marketing has changed drastically with the rise of AI. You don’t have to use AI. Or like it. But you do need to be aware of it. (And hire a publicist who knows this!)

Understanding GEO will help you decide how you want to navigate your book marketing and author branding in 2026 and beyond.

I’m cheering you on!

Comment below with your thoughts.

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So how can my clients, or any children’s book creators, successfully work with their publisher’s publicist to maximize efforts and strategies for a book launch?

One of my favorite industry people (who I just recently met in person at NCTE!!), Amy Storey, the Marketing and Publicity Director at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, shares a VERY thorough response to this question.

I asked her permission to post the entirety of her reply. (She said yes.)

Here’s what Amy says:

What your publicist can do for you:

• Provide you with a copy of your publicity plan (see below).

• Give you a press release and other materials.

• Provide extra bookmarks, postcards, posters, and/or other promo items they may have produced for the book. Same for activity kits and teachers’ guides.

• Send out review copies to key contacts.

• Provide social media and newsletter graphics.

• Provide media support if you’re booking your own appearances.

• Provide signing support at major conferences such as ALA, NCTE, NCSS, etc.

Some tips for authors:

• Provide an early Excel spreadsheet of your key personal contacts for your publicist and sales team (with email and mailing addresses). These are people who know you well and want to help support your book:

  • Media

  • Booksellers

  • Online influencers

  • Important librarians and educators

  • Bloggers

  • Festivals

  • SCBWI friends

• Reach out early to get a sense of the publicity plan for the book.

  • If the plan is a standard plan (i.e., sending the book out for trade reviews and to the standard list of reviewers, influencers) but your book has strong news and seasonal hooks along with indie bookstore and school appeal, consider hiring a freelance publicist to fill in the gaps. That could include additional media outreach, speaking engagements, festivals, and/or school visits tied to bookstores.

• Coordinate any travel plans or outreach with your publicist beforehand so you’re not stepping on toes. The publicist may have better contacts, too.

• Stay in touch with your publicist, but understand that they are extremely busy with multiple titles, authors, and illustrators, and they may not get back to you immediately.

• Don’t be deflated if your publicist hasn’t arranged bookstore appearances. These are very hard to do successfully and often only work if a school visit is tied in or you’re a name who will draw a crowd. Or it’s your local store for a coordinated book launch with family and friends.

Thank you, Amy!

I’ll add a few extra tips for working with your publicist…

• Be organized with your email messages. Summarize questions in one email per week with bullet points or a numbered list. Keep emails brief and to the point.

• Ask for what you want, but don’t expect to get everything.

• Be nice and easy to work with. You don’t have to be a doormat, but you can still ask for what you want with kindness and professionalism.

If you’re wondering what a supplemental publicist like me does for clients, generally speaking, I coach clients on branding, social media, newsletters, and websites, and I solicit extra book reviews and podcast interviews. Reach out if you’re interested in learning more—melissa at imaginationsoup . net.

What questions do you have?

Would you add anything to our advice list?

Leave a comment

You just want a chance.

So how can you attract attention so that you get the opportunity to tell people about your AMAZING book? (That they might buy if only they knew about it?!)

I’ve asked some of my creative author friends for their best ideas.

Get ready to be inspired…

Carmela LaVigna Coyle

Carmela’s Idea: A Superhero Name Poster!

“Once they find their superhero name, I engage them in conversation, and that’s when they notice the other books on my table. But also, I think in general the sign drew them into [the bookstore’s] cubby to look around a bit.”

Carmela loves other extras, too.

She adds, “Making and giving away mini daisy crowns for kids to place on their teddy bears or other stuffies has definitely drawn people in and improved sales at events.”

Find out more about Carmela on her website.

Stan Yan

Stan’s Idea: A Retractable Pull-up Banner!

“If I see them pause to read it or look at it, it’s my opening to engage them and ask if they’re graphic novel or comics readers (or want to be if they say no).”

Stan uses buildasign.com to make his banner.

Connect with Stan on his website.

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Mary Boone

Mary’s Idea: Bug Snacks & Stickers!

“My middle-grade book, BUGS FOR BREAKFAST (Chicago Review Press), is about entomophagy – the practice of eating insects. Nothing gets kids – and adults – talking like the opportunity to try crickets and/or grasshoppers for themselves. I hand out I ATE A BUG stickers to those willing to sample.”

Mary’s Idea: A Fish Game!

“My informational fiction picture book, SCHOOL OF FISH (Albert Whitman), is based on the popular Salmon in the Classroom program. I made a magnetic fishing game to support it. Kids come up and fish for a question.”

“The felt fish have paperclips in their mouths and questions on the backs of them. Correct answers earn participants a Swedish fish and/or a FRIEND OF FISH sticker.”

“I also have some fish photo props that kids (and adults) love to pose with. I mean … who doesn’t want a selfie kissing a salmon?”

Note from Melissa: I’m raising my hand to eat bugs and get a salmon selfie. How about you?

Connect with Mary Boone on her website.

Ann Suk Wang

Ann’s Idea: A Spinner with Prizes!

Ann says, “The thing that brings kids to my table is usually the spinner. It’s a bright wheel with prizes on it, and who doesn’t like freebies!?”

“On the spinner, I usually include candy, stickers, and toys that relate to my book as much as possible. While the kids are spinning the wheel, I have visuals for the parents (like the interactive poster). I also give away bookmarks to all. And if you top that with a smile and a welcoming, generous spirit, it all works together to draw people in for at least a conversation.”

Learn more about Ann on her website.

Alexandra Diaz

Alexandra’s Idea: Buy 4 Books, Get 1 Tote

Alexandra explains, “I have the totes on display and offer a deal where they get a free tote if they buy four books.”

“I’ve noticed that you have to say hello and talk to anyone who makes eye contact with you or your table.”

Find out more about Alexandra on her website.

Annette Whipple

Ann’s Idea: Lots of Physical Objects

“I’ve had soil samples. Spiders. A stuffed (giant) bee. A realistic stuffed animal owl. Shark tooth.”

“When I show Edna, Jr. (shown above) to visitors of all ages, I suggest they count her legs and let me know if they notice anything unusual. They typically note that the spider has ten legs. I then use a spread in Scurry! The Truth About Spiders (because it’s easier to see) that it’s actually eight legs and two arms called palps.”

“For younger children, I have Wilbur, my life-size stuffed owl. They love to gently pet his belly. If they’re interested, I point out his talons or discuss his size or that he’s very close to the size of a real great horned owl. This often leads into how I got to hold an owl even larger than Wilder when I was researching owls and met with my expert. (I show the author photo from Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls if they seem interested.)”

“I also like to have trivia! I place true or false statements in envelopes with the topic labeled on the envelope. It gets audiences of all ages involved. Though they are general-knowledge topics, the answers are found in my books.”

“The important thing is to engage and not treat each person as a potential sale. Engage in conversation before mentioning your book!”

Find more about Annette on her website.

Wow. I’m inspired and found lots of new ideas here! How about you?

ACTION: Think about your book and its topics. What interactive element could you add to your book event table?

Thank you to each amazing author who shared their clever and fun ideas with us.

Which idea do you like best?

What did you brainstorm adding to your book event?

Leave a comment!

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1. When do I start a newsletter? (Especially if I don’t have a book yet.)

2. What do I write about?

Let’s talk about it.

But first, we need to start at the beginning of writing a newsletter.

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Who Is Your Newsletter Reader?

Many kidlit creators write newsletters for other creators.

Some write newsletters for their book buyers: teachers, librarians, and parents.

So who will be (or already is) your audience?

Think about this, but you don’t have to decide yet. Because your content might help you decide.

Also, you might also decide to have two newsletters like Kate Messner does — one for other authors & illustrators and one for educators.

ACTION: Think about your audience. Who is it? What do they do professionally? What ages are they? What are their hobbies?

What Is Your Content? (aka. What Will You Write About?)

Brainstorm Your Content Pillars

I explained in my workshop that your content can be grouped into pillars or buckets. These are large categories about which you will write.

Mine for Imagination Soup are:

• children’s books

• literacy: reading & writing

• raising readers

• playful learning

My content pillars for this consulting newsletter are:

• book marketing

• school visits

ACTION: To figure out your own content pillars, answer these questions:

1. What work experience do you have?

2. What life experience do you have?

3. What are you most passionate about?

4. What do you want to be known for?

5. What do people ask you to help them with? (Like how I got the idea for this newsletter you’re currently reading.)

6. What are your books about? (Even if you’re pre-published. Think about genre, topic, theme.)

ACTION: Determine your big content pillars. (art, nature, play, etc.)

Brainstorm the Sub-Categories & Topics for Your Pillars

For each content pillar, you’ll have lots of sub-categories.

For Imagination Soup’s topic of children’s books, I have the following sub-content pillars:

• picture books

• early readers

• chapter books

• middle grade

For each of the above sub-categories, I have even more sub-categories. (Do you see where I’m going with this?)

For example, middle grade books have the sub-topics of new releases, genres, ages, topics, and themes.

Here’s a very abbreviated outline of my children’s books content pillar.

1. Children’s Books

   1. Middle Grade

      1. New Releases

      2. Genres

         1. Mystery

         2. Fantasy

         3. Historical Fiction

      3. Age and grade

         1. 4th

         2. 5th

         3. 6th

      4. Topic

         1. Read alouds

         2. Book club books

         3. AAPI books

         4. Mental health books

      5. Theme

         1. Grief

         2. Friendship

ACTION: Make an outline of your content pillars and sub-topics.

You’ve Got the Content Pillars, Now What?

Now you 1) define your audience going forward, and 2) use the content outline you made to create an editorial calendar!

Who would want to read about your content? That is your audience! Decide who it will be.

As far as your content, you could rotate one content topic per newsletter or include more than one topic in each newsletter. Play around with it and see what resonates with your audience.

How do you know what people are responding to? Look at analytics to see what people are opening and clicking. Ask friends. Survey readers. Tweak as needed.

Are you sending once a week, biweekly, or once a quarter?

ACTION: Whatever your publishing schedule, make a plan for the next 3 newsletters! This is your editorial content calendar.

But What If I’m Prepublished?

I heard this over and over this weekend.

When is the right time to start a newsletter?

What if you don’t have a book deal yet?

My answer is that it depends.

If you have a lot of content from what you brainstormed above, and you’re clear about your audience, then start now.

But if you’re not sure about your content or your audience. Wait until you are closer to publication. While you wait, start brainstorming what you could share that is of VALUE to your audience.

Yes, Your Newsletter Needs to Be Valuable

Your newsletter needs to be of value to your readers.

Not your schedule. Not your accolades. You can certainly include those, but you should have something else of value.

Your newsletter should INFORM, INSPIRE, or ENTERTAIN. (Or a combination.)

Examples:

ENTERTAIN: Bob Shea

INSPIRE: Alex Elle

INFORM: Read By Example

INSPIRE & INFORM: Suleika Jaouad

Be of value. Then you’ll earn the right to ask for a book sale or a school visit. And, you’ll grow your newsletter organically!

ACTION: Ask yourself, will or are readers feeling inspired, educated, or entertained when they read your newsletter? If not, clarify your purpose for your newsletter. Write for that purpose and for your defined audience.

Now you should have the following:

• audience

• purpose & value

• content pillars & sub-topics

• the beginning of a content editorial calendar

Newsletters are a valuable way to build community, help people know, like, and trust you, and to communicate with your fans directly. I HIGHLY recommend you give them a try!

Are you feeling like you have more clarity going forward?

Leave me a comment and let me know!

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Happy writing.

Love,

Melissa
Imagination Soup Consulting
Melissa @ imaginationsoup.net

Abby White

Abby was kind enough to chat with me over Zoom to share everything about her event. But first, let me just plug her and her new book because authors who are reciprocal and generous deserve all our support, right?

Abby’s new young adult book is D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. (8/5/25, Levine Querido). It’s on my TBR. Have you read it yet? Go get it!

Follow Abby on Instagram, X, Bluesky, and her “After Dear Abby” Substack.

A Bookstore Pick-Your-Path Adventure

Back to the bookstore event.

As a debut author, Abby started considering her options for bookstore events.

In her research and ideation, she heard about this idea from a friend who gave original credit to Sean K. Jensen, a sports journalist and author of the Middle School Rules book series. He’d been doing this approach for years with fancy slides.

Abby started out simple. She used two pieces of colored paper: green and blue.

The colored papers were how she gave the audience choices for what she talked about during the event.

For example, she asked the audience to pick 1) green if they wanted her to talk about the themes in the book and why she chose them, or 2) blue if they wanted to talk about how she became an author.

If the response was lackluster, she would say, “I can’t hear you,” and encourage the audience to be louder.

Choice! Interactivity! Engagement!

Of course, Abby included transitions that introduced the different choices. Some of those choice pairings were things like:

• Challenges she faced while writing or surprises she faced while writing.

• Her main character, D.J., moving to a new town or being in 8th grade.

• Queer identity or Jewish identity.

• How she incorporated humor into the story or parts in the book that are sad and difficult.

She was ready to talk about all these topics, but gave the audience the choice of which ones she focused on. Genius, really.

Then, she ended the bookstore experience by reading an excerpt from her new book.

Abby says this way of doing an event lightened up the audience and made it very interactive.

FABULOUS, right?

I’m totally borrowing this idea.

What about you?

Does this inspire you to do anything different or new at your bookstore events?

Thank you to Abby and Sean for this interactive idea!

And cheers to your book marketing success!

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Love,

Melissa
melissa at imaginationsoup.net
Imagination Soup Consulting

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Some authors have successful book launches without offering preorder gifts.

Some authors offer exciting preorder gifts, and it doesn’t move the needle on sales.

So is it necessary for children’s book authors and illustrators?

Here’s the inconvenient truth about marketing. There is no direct path to success. And most strategies have an ambiguous return on investment.

Some preorder campaigns provide momentum for book sales.

And some don’t.

You must decide if it is interesting to you and worth your (limited) time and energy.

If you decide to try a preorder campaign, remember that your goal is to connect and serve readers. Not to become a billionaire. Or burn yourself out.

Think about your options (listed below) and decide if you want to try one or two.

Ready? Let’s talk about ways to get preorders!

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Ask for Preorders in Your Newsletter

1. Ask for the preorder.
   Just ask for what you want.
   “Would you consider preordering my new book?" Preorders can make a huge difference to a book’s success.”
   “If you like _____ book, then you’ll love my book, _____. It’s _____ meets _____. “

   “Thank you for believing in me and believing in this story. Here’s the preorder link.”

   “Thanks for asking how you can support me. Please preorder the book here.”
   If you have signed copies at a local bookstore, ask that people preorder there.

2. Ask readers and friends to spread the word to their friends.

3. Share your live events that people can attend, where they can buy or preorder the book.

4. Not a preorder ask, but you also can ask folks to mark your book as “want to read” on Goodreads and review it on Amazon.
   For this, please give all the information and links to make it easy. Adding step-by-step directions for how to write a review is also helpful.
   For example: “Go to xyz link. Then scroll down to the reviews. On the left-hand side, click on “Write a customer review.” Write and publish. Thank you in advance!”

Offer Gifts for Preorders

Many authors offer free or low-cost opportunities or gifts in exchange for preorders.

These gifts can help motivate preorders.

Think about what you can give in exchange for preorders of your book. (That doesn’t cost a fortune.)

The photo above is what SimonKids made for Jashar Awan’s 2026 picture book, Loops. Stickers and a magnet! (These are not for preorders per se, but could be if he were paying for them himself.)

For Tova’s Sweet Solution, my April 2026 book, I am also considering stickers. Why? Because large stickers on water bottles and notebooks are free advertising!

Preorder gift/incentive ideas:

• Signed bookplates (or signed white shipping labels)

• Coloring pages

• Bookmarks

• Entry in a giveaway of books

• Stickers

• Magnet

• Craft instructions

• Writing or drawing prompts

• Poster of your art or a quote from the book

• Free or low-cost Zoom Q&A, writing lesson, or book club discussion (See how Suleika Jaouad did this for The Book of Alchemy.)

• A free school visit (Josh Funk did this for his September 2026 release!)

  

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Ask for Preorders with School Visits

Ask schools to preorder your book during your book launch months. I’ve seen this work very successfully. Schedule these launch author visits over several months to make it manageable.

Why would you want to do this?

Because if you’re getting 50 preorders x 50 school visits, that’s 2500 books during a set time frame. You bet that will move the needle! Even if you only do 20 school visits with 20 preorders each, that’s still 400 books sold.

This strategy worked last year for writer Scott Reington with his middle grade book, The Last Dragon on Mars. He landed on the New York Times bestseller list and stayed there for months. (His book is remarkably good, which is also essential.)

Scott told me in an Instagram message, “I did visits starting September 18th with an October 1st launch. Visits from September 18th to December 2nd had sales funneling to launch week. Either as preorders or postorders. I’ve done an even wider range with past launches, too, but didn’t do it in this case because summer is kind of a wash with schools.

If you ask schools to preorder 25-75 books, it moves the needle when you’re thinking about earning out your advance. I’m not saying you’ll be a bestseller, but you are moving the needle.

(Well-known authors like Katherine Applegate can ask for upwards of 100 books per school visit. And she gets it, too, according to my bookstore contact here in Denver.)

Do you try to get preorders?

What’s your current strategy?

Leave a comment and share! Let’s crowdsource even more ideas.

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Want to transform your school visits from basic to engaging and inspirational—so librarians tell each other how great you are?

Message me, melissa at imaginationsoup.net, to schedule a free 20-minute discovery meeting!

Today, I’m going to share some fun, out-of-the-box book launch ideas. Since it can be fun to add some sparkles of creative magic to your book launches, I’m sharing ideas from other kidlit authors that I hope will spark new ideas for your own book launches.

I’m going to let my friend, Nell Cross Beckerman, start us off today with her gentle wisdom about book launches. Here’s what she says…

“The common advice of ‘pick one or two things that you can control that will make you happy and do those’ is a good one! Don't totally give up out of overwhelm, but don't feel like you have to hustle endlessly (because there really is no end!)”

BEFORE THE LAUNCH

1. Consider your preferences, energy, and intuition.

2. Set a goal for HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL after your book launch. Do you want to feel proud? Energized? Satisfied?

3. Then, decide what to do for your launch based on the above considerations. Remember, you don’t have to do it all!

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1. Social Media

Author ASMR

Check out this sensory reel from One Dark Ally.

Book & Snack Pairing

Here’s a book/snack pairing reel from Rebecca of Boodle Bug Books.

Bench Advert (Photoshopped)

Barney Saltzberg made a fake bench ad. He also did a bus.

2. Live Launch Events

“For DEEP WATER, I found an actual Olympic gold medalist swimmer to be “in conversation with” at my local bookstore for launch. I got to wear her medal!

For my next book in verse, GLORY BE, I’m going to be teaching a creative writing workshop to kids at that same bookstore, and they will be making shape poems like I have in my verse books!”

- Jamie Sumner

“Build in some fun and audience participation. I always want the experience to be An Event for my young audience.

Mary Had a Little Jam, my most recent book with the amazing Vanessa Brantley-Newton, was launched at Best of Books (my indie). For this event, Best of Books partnered with a local music store. The owner of the music store played live music while families filled the bookstore, purchased copies of my book, and settled in for story time.

After my presentation and reading, I led the crowd in singing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” We then hummed the nursery rhyme. After that, the kids and I challenged the musician to play it on his guitar. For our finale, I passed out dozens of kazoos to the kids in the crowd, and we had our very own little jam session.

I followed this with a sticker activity that tied in with the book (fun and no mess!), and Best of Books handed out Mary Had a Little Jam-themed cookies made by a local baker. I also signed a lot of books.

Not only was the actual launch party good for building attention about the book, but Best of Books and I created posts before and after the event on social media. In addition, Best of Books made a festive-looking flyer that advertised my story time and posted it on their store window. For weeks, everyone who walked into the store couldn’t help but see the flyer with my book cover on it.

My next book is called Pizzasaurus. I predict a fierce and fabulous prehistoric pizza party will be taking place at Best of Books in the very near future.”

- Tammi Sauer

“My second picture book, TO CATCH A GHOST, is about a girl named Sam who is new at school and doesn't have anything to bring to show-and-tell, so she decides to catch a ghost.

I wanted to see if I could capture the show-and-tell spirit at my book launch party, so I put together a live show-and-tell with some local author friends, including hula hooping, dog tricks, origami frogs, music, and clog dancing.

Then I invited all the kids to "catch a ghost" on the page for the finale. As I asked them what their ghost looked like, their hobbies, their wants and dreams, kid volunteers came up to draw each item. By the end, we had "caught" an amazing ghost together!

I also like to offer unique experiences at bookstore events, like recently I brought a little basketball hoop to a book festival so kids could catch ghost basketballs in the net. It was a fun way to support the bookstore and create a good experience for kids (and me too, as it can be uncomfortable to sit behind a table).”

- Rachel Michelle Wilson

“Giant cardboard cutouts of my characters are a book launch dream, but unfortunately, not in my budget. With some out-of-the-box thinking, I was still able to create a standout display without the standout budget.

My book has a medieval theme and focuses on the letter P, so I purchased a $15 cardboard castle and a $20 5-foot letter P pool inflatable. The castle is easy to set up and tear down, and it travels nicely in its original box. I have received compliments from booksellers who mentioned that "Many authors bring just the book. It makes a difference," and praise from seasoned authors at festivals. With some out-of-the-box thinking, you can stand out, too.”

- Brittany Pomales

“Make community connections.

With my book Too Much! An Overwhelming Day, I'd reached out to local occupational therapists to vet my back matter and my caregivers'/teachers' guide, and then maintained those connections. Two occupational therapists attended and gave presentations at my book launch, and two years later, I'm still working with occupational therapists for some of the public library programming I do.”

- Jolene Gutierrez

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3. Creative Resources On Your Website

“Follow the fun! For me, creative play is the antidote to perfectionism, so the phrase "follow the fun" is my guiding light when making a book. For some reason, it took me forever to realize I could apply that same principle to book marketing.

When planning an event, social media post, etc, I ask myself, "How can I make this fun for me and for others?"

For example, I thought it would be hilarious to make a PFF (Pee Friends Forever) club, which supports one of the themes of my HOW TO PEE YOUR PANTS: being there for each other through our most embarrassing moments. I had a blast writing the official certificate copy that anyone can download from my website, color, and sign.

"Now that you've heeded nature's call, you are called to something even greater: becoming an official member of the PFF Club. By signing your name below, you agree to be a PFF to those in need forevermore."

Reader responses have been incredible, including pee pants stories and comments like, "You've started a pee pants revolution!" Or the little girl who, after her friend peed their pants, said, "But did you do it the right way?" which made them both laugh. Or the boy who said to his friend, "We've all been there," after witnessing an accident. I can only hope to spark some laughs and great conversations, but the revolution is really all the kids. I can provide the fun, but they are the ones who transform fun into meaning as long as we give them the space to shine.”

- Rachel Michelle Wilson

A Quick Moment of Reflection

Don’t leave yet. Stop for a minute of reflection.

• What did you notice about these ideas?

• What resonated with you or inspired you?

• What will you take away from reading this?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Thank you to all the wonderful authors who generously shared their ideas!

Did you know that…

…I coach authors on how to transform their school visits from basic to interactive and inspirational?
…I can take book publicity off your plate and coach you on growing your author brand?

Message me (melissa @ imaginationsoup.net) to schedule a free 20-minute discovery meeting!

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Not your content, but the body language, voice intonation, and body blocking?

Let’s get into that today.

But first, let’s talk about nerves…

Some of you have told me that you get so nervous the night before, you can't sleep. And some of you are so nervous during the presentation that you disassociate or feel like you forgot a lot of your material.

So what can you do?

The day before, pack what you need, and don't think about it again. (Easier said than done, I know.) Prepare and let it go.

The night before, distract yourself with something funny or heartwarming. This is not the time to practice your speech. You're either ready or you're not. This is the time to compartmentalize and distract.

The moments before your presentation, here's what I want you to try:

• Reframe the experience to FUN & KIDS. ​
  It's NOT about you or your performance. (A performative outlook leads to cortisol.) Instead, remember that it's about inspiring and connecting with the kids! (And having fun!)

• Get embodied.​
  Shake out your body. Do pushups. Do something to get you IN to your body and out of your head.

• Increase your oxytocin.​
  Don't think about your script (or your performance.) Instead, watch sweet videos that will give your body a surge of calm.
  Watch video shorts that will give you a boost of this anti-stress hormone.
  Here's a playlist to get you started:
  

• Connect with the kids.​
  I've watched many, many school visits this year. Most presenters fiddled around with their tech or stood in the front watching while the kids filed in. I suggest talking to the kids before you start. Why? It reminds you of who you're there for--them. It's starting that connection. Talking to the kids takes you out of your worrying mind and back to the purpose of your visit in the first place--the kids.

• Increase your dopamine.
  ​Say OUT LOUD, "I'm excited, I'm excited, I'm excited." It works. Anxiety and excitement are closely related, so why not shift our mindsets to excitement!?

​Do you have open body language?

I watched an entire school visit presentation where the kidlit creator had one arm crossed over the other, holding a mic in one hand and a clicker in the other. It was textbook closed, negative body language.

We want to make our body language open and inviting! In other words, it's important to think about NOT crossing your arms or holding your clicker across your body.

I wonder-- should we bring our own lav mic or headset to plug into a school's system? Let me know if you have tried this. I will report back when I test this out!

What else should you be doing?

Block your body. Move slowly around the stage and in the audience. Hold for a few minutes, don't pace. Then, move again.

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What are your hands doing?

Use SLOW and deliberate functional hand gestures.

For example, indicate up and down when you say up and down, hold up three fingers when you say three, and so forth.

If you're not using your hands or holding a mic, keep a neutral posture, hands at your sides. Even for your clicker hand.

​

Well, clearly this is the head, shoulders, knees and toes newsletter, and it's getting too long.

In a future newsletter, I'll share some tips about face, eyes, and voice.

Speaking to kids is speaking. You are a speaker. And in good news, speaking is an art that can be learned and improved upon.

If you need more speaking tips, get a speech coach. (Yes, those exist.) Join Toastmasters. Join the National Speakers Association. Watch YouTube videos. Practice with friends. Video yourself and study what you can improve. Hire me!

​​

What tips were the most helpful?

What is one new thing you will try? (Comment and let me know!)

​
Warm wishes,

Melissa

​Imagination Soup Consulting

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I’ll go first.

When I first got sick in my 40s (I was sick for about a decade), a nutritionist recommended that I eat an Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet.

It was hard. And boring. But I felt a bit better!

(It would take years to find out that the root of my health issues was from mold in our house. If you want to read more about that, you can go here.)

Eventually, I found a food blog whose recipes I loved: Defined Dish. I subscribed to her newsletter and bought her first cookbook.

When she announced a new cookbook, I preordered it four months in advance. And I did the same when she released the third cookbook.

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Why did I buy her book months in advance? Because I was already a fan and would buy anything she wrote!

Now it’s your turn.

What Makes You Preorder a Book?

When did you preorder a book from someone you didn’t know?

And more importantly, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT IT?

I wonder how many of you will say that you heard about a book from the creator’s newsletter. My guess is 75% of you.

Can you guess my point?

Newsletters Are Essential!

A newsletter is one of the MOST valuable things you can do as a creator who wants to be known and sell books. (And even book school visits!)

Your newsletter is direct communication with folks who are already your fans. You get to send them emails because they asked you to.

And you own it, unlike social media or any search engines that can hide your content.

Many authors and illustrators I work with resist writing newsletters.

I get it. It’s hard to do one more thing. And also, what do you say?

So if you don’t write a newsletter already, I want you to at least consider how important it is to your branding and book marketing.

If you do write a newsletter, pat yourself on the back. Go, you! Then, keep reading. I hope to give you a few new ideas.

So, What Should You Write?

First of all, please don't send a newsletter if you have nothing to say.

Wasting people's time isn't how you want to communicate.

Start by listing all the topics around which 1) you’re an expert and 2) relate to your books. These are called your content pillars.

Maybe it’s education, writing, or books. Or maybe it’s SEL, science, or poetry.

Now that you have your content pillars, decide if your newsletter will inspire, educate, or both.

You will earn the right to promote your books, events, or other opportunities by first giving your readers something valuable to read--content!

But Wait! Who Is Your Reader?

Now, I want you to create an audience avatar.

In other words, brainstorm WHO is the typical person reading your newsletter. What do they like? What is their age? Give them a name! And think of them every time you write. Write like you're talking to them!

Make a Plan.

Try planning your newsletter content for the next few months.

I have a spreadsheet for Imagination Soup with columns for my content pillars (picture books, middle grade books, etc). In every newsletter, I generally share content related to each pillar.

For this consulting newsletter, I have a messy Google Doc where I write down marketing topics that come up with clients or the needs I see in the kidlit space.

How will you organize your content calendar? Get it started today!

Formatting and Subject Lines

Subject lines could be an entire newsletter because they're complicated.

Think about what would make someone open your newsletter. Be interesting or at least clear about what the topic is.

Use headers. Headers break up the newsletter visually, and that helps.

Write in a variety of sentence lengths. (Short, medium, and long.)

Look at this newsletter. I'm writing in SHORT paragraphs. (It's easier to read/skim.) Use me as an example.

If you’re writing on Substack, long-form content is king. Don't just take my word for it, though. Look at the best Substack newsletters you follow. They’re probably 3000 words, not 300.

If you’re using another newsletter provider, formats, styles, and lengths vary, but again, remember to provide something worth your readers’ time. Don’t send a newsletter of 200 words.

Don't Reinvent the Wheel

Take note of what you like in the newsletters. Look at headlines, the lengths of the sentences and paragraphs, the voice, and the topics. Then apply those broad concepts to your own newsletter.

Being curious and noticing what works for others is one of the best ways to learn and grow in anything, it's why we have mentor texts for our writing!

Apply, Reflect, Tweak, Repeat

Assess and reflect every month. Take stock of your newsletter analytics, the responses you get, and your gut feeling. Then tweak what isn’t working. Try new things.

(Or keep it if it’s working.)

Anywhere above 50% opens is where you want to be. I prefer 65-70% personally. If you're not getting above 50% opens, you need to reevaluate what you're doing and at least cull your cold subscribers.

Make Your Newsetter a Creative Adventure!

Happy writing!

Melissa

Warm wishes,

Melissa
​Imagination Soup Consulting​

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MELISSA...

"Melissa has been the most insightful and encouraging advocate for my books. She coached me on everything from how to engage schools for author visits, how to translate the themes in my stories to fun activities, and even how to better read and perform at events! I'm forever grateful!!!"
- Saki Tanaka, picture book author & illustrator

I talked about how to make your school visit engaging, common pitfalls to avoid, and tweaks to level up your school visits.

If you don’t already subscribe to Sarah's newsletter, I highly recommend it. It’s one of my favorites because it’s always packed with great information.

Marketing Tips from a Bookstore Event Manager

The other day, I spoke with my friend who is a bookstore's social media and events manager. Do you want to know the inside scoop she told me?

• The more you cross-promote your bookstore events, the more she will, too.

• Entitled authors who are rude to bookstore employees will not get invited back.

• Some kidlit creators forget that weekday storytime events at bookstores are for preschool-age children. (School-age children are in school during that time.) Plan accordingly.

• Events at libraries can’t require that anyone buy a book, at least in Colorado. However, you can have a bookstore table selling your books for attendees who are interested.

​
THE BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM OUR CHAT: Reciprocity matters. Kindness matters. (I know you already know this!)

Wishing you a happy spring!

Your friend,

​
Melissa
Imagination Soup Consulting

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Make a list.

Your list might include a website, newsletter, social media, in-person events, giveaways, collaborations, guest essays, and podcasts.

But how effective are your efforts?

I know I said in a previous newsletter that doing a little bit of everything can add up to positive results, but I'm seeing people continue to make efforts THAT ARE NOT WORKING.

We don't want to waste our valuable time doing something ineffective. We all would rather be writing or hiking or reading a book, right?

So, how do you figure out what isn't working?

First, Analyze

Everything online has analytics, whether it's your newsletter, your website, or your social media. (If you don’t know how to figure out your analytics, search for a tutorial on YouTube, Bing, or DuckDuckGo.)

Look at your analytics.

Low engagement = not working.

Be honest with yourself. This is not a value judgment on you as a person; this is just a critical look at what strategies are not as effective as others. It's okay to say that something isn't working.

If you're getting two likes on a post and they're from your sister and your best friend, DON'T POST THAT KIND OF CONTENT AGAIN.

(Note: I have 34,000 Facebook fans but get super low engagement, so I generally don't bother with FB anymore unless it's shared from Instagram. I know from experience that Facebook ads = success. I have said NO to Facebook efforts for now, except for one ad that I'm currently running.)

Here's a screenshot of Instagram analytics. What does this tell me?

Posts did better than reels, and my strong opinion on picture books did the best.

Likewise, I can analyze my (Kit) newsletter opens and clickthroughs, my website analytics, and my Facebook analytics.

Here's a screenshot of my most recent Imagination Soup newsletter analytics. If I study this and other past newsletters, I know that whatever I share first gets the most clicks. In this case, it was summer-themed books.

My least clicked (not shown) were my social media handles and a nonfiction text features scavenger hunt.

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Say No to What Isn’t Working

Can you stop doing anything?

Can I?

Yes, since most of my book list roundups created on Canva weren't very high-performing, I will stop doing those --or do them less.

In my newsletter, the scavenger hunt activity didn't do well, so I'll limit sharing activities in the future.

What can you stop doing?

Say no to something, and then...

Say YES to New, Creative Ideas

Now that you said no to something, try something new! Get creative with one new idea.

First, study what other people are doing, SAVE those ideas, and brainstorm how to adapt them. (Steal like an artist!) (Go outside of your kidlit niche, too.)
​
I have a file of bookmarked ideas on Instagram called "Reels I Like" to give me new post and reel formatting ideas and inspiration when I need it.

Maybe you decide to add a new kind of reel next week.

(By the way, Instagram has a new free editing reels app that's a lot like CapCut called EDITS. I've been playing around with it, and it has more fonts and extensive editing options.)

Maybe you start writing a newsletter with new mentor text ideas for educators. (Aka. your target audience.)

Or maybe you decide to improve your photography across all platforms.

Whatever it is, I'm already excited to see how creative you can be!

One last thing to say YES to doing...

I want you to add a call to action on everything.

Ask people to take action and see if it changes your results. I predict it will. Because how will people know what you want if you don't ask!?

​Examples of a call to action (CTA): ​
​Newsletter: Please share this newsletter with your friends. They can subscribe here.
​Social Media: Click the link in my bio to grab the free activities.
​Website: Educators, sign up for my newsletter to receive occasional activity ideas and author news!

Sound good?

Reassess your marketing, say no, and say yes. Be creative!

You got this! I'm cheering you on!

Comment and let me know what topics you would like me to write about in the future. (See how I did that CTA there?)​

Warm wishes,

Melissa
Imagination Soup Consulting

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What would you put in that blank--what is your overarching school visit goal?

Seek First to...?

I would suggest that you use the word INSPIRE.

SEEK FIRST TO INSPIRE.

Are you inspiring kids?

Or boring them?

As you know, I’ve been watching many different authors at their school visits and I’m seeing quite a few boring and uninspiring school visits.

Here is my recommendation to my coaching clients and to you:
​Don't focus on your life story. (Me, me, me.)

DO focus on engaging & inspiring! (Kids, kids, kids.)

Ask yourself, what are kids getting out of your presentation? How are you inspiring more...

• reading

• storytelling/writing

• interest in your book

• knowledge about a topic?

​
​In other words, when kids leave your school visit, what is their takeaway? Do they feel excited to write their own stories? Do they understand themselves as readers in a new way? Are they inspired to read your book?

The student takeaways need to be more than the jobs you had in your twenties or that you wanted to be a baseball player when you were little.

But how do you know if you're inspiring kids or if they're leaving with a meaningful takeaway? ASK a few students before they leave, or ask a teacher to tell you. Use a feedback form to get testimonials and feedback from educators.

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Feedback Form Questions:

• Name/title/school/email

• What did you like about the presentation?

• What did students take away from the visit? How did it impact them?

• Was there anything I could improve or change?

• Would you give permission for me to use your feedback publicly?

• Would you like to be added to my email list?
  ​

If you need to reassess, reflect on what you want to do better, and then change your program accordingly.

Speaking of reflecting, you don't have to keep doing things that aren’t working. In the next newsletter, I'll share how to analyze your marketing efforts so you can say NO to some things.

Sound good?

You got this! I'm cheering you on!

Warm wishes,

Melissa
Imagination Soup Consulting

P.S. You can hire me to do what no other publicist does--support you with an integrated publicity/marketing program that includes marketing and strategies on your school visits, branding, website, newsletter, and social media.

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Many author visits focus on how the author came up with the book idea or a childhood-to-present-day timeline. Maybe even how hard it was to become an author. 40 minutes of this.

Uh, no.

Kids don’t want to hear your life story for 40 minutes. Maybe five or ten. (Or zero?!) Not 40. The backstory of your book, while interesting to avid fans, shouldn’t take up too much time either. (Although both can be launching points for teaching something else.)

What are better, more engaging ideas for your school visit?

• Interactive games and activities around your book(s)’s theme or topic (SEL, science, nature, curiosity)

• Interactive writing craft activity (ideation, character creation, sequential storytelling)

• Readers theater (add puppets and costumes)

• Storytime with participation (search and find, call and response)

Remember your goal. (Do you have a goal?)

Yes, you do.

Your goal is an OUTCOME of inspiring or educating or both. You want the kids to leave thinking something new about themselves as a reader or writer, right? Focus on doing that.

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Blocking a School Visit

I’ve seen school visit presentations where the author or illustrator talks at the students for 45 minutes. Sure, some kids stay engaged, but most don’t. So what’s a better choice?

Plan your presentation in short blocks of 2 - 10 minutes. You can mix and match the blocks depending on your learning goals and presentation preferences. Kids will stay engaged and leave with solid learning outcomes.

Here’s an example:

Block 1: Ask a hook question
(raise hands or thumbs up, side, down)

Block 2: Read aloud your story + interactivity
(search and find, call and response, ask questions)

Block 3: Interactive Activity
(drawing, quiz, storytelling activity)

Block 4: Game

Block 5: Movement Break

Block 6: Interactive Activity

Block 6: Q& A

Make sense?

Want personalized coaching to improve your school visits? Reach out to me for 1:1 coaching. I was a teacher for a decade and also trained teachers in best practices, so I can help you take your presentation to the next level!

Cheering you on!

Melissa
Imagination Soup Consulting

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