Indie Life: Engaging the Classroom

One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as an author is the opportunity to go back to school. No, it’s not what you think. I’m not breaking open the textbooks, but I have been invited to speak to students about writing or reading in general.

Last year, I was invited to help close out Right to Read Week at an elementary in southern Ohio. In the morning, we did some random dancing whenever someone said the word “book”. We transformed classes into character development workshops.

With the kindergartners, I got to share one of my childhood favorites, A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer (so awesome, “What? A boy has fed a fish too much”…never get tired of it).

And one of my favorite memories of the day was when the winners of the story contest ate lunch with me. Yep, I was the prize. Oh yeah, talk about an ego boost. We munched on smuggled in McDonalds and Subway in the library (yes, we ate in the library, I felt like such a bad girl) while the young writers regaled me with their stories…all hamster-themed for the contest. I was in heaven.

So many times I think indie authors focus on virtual book tours and book signings. We don’t always see the opportunities in front of us. Teachers and librarians are struggling for programs that inspire the next generation of readers and writers. You can be that for them.

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