10 NOVEMBER 2019 http://www.writers-online.co.ukS
ociety of Authors President Philip
Pullman said recently: ‘Very few
authors write books in order to
provide examples of “fronted
adverbials”: we write in order to
delight, to move, to entertain, to console. To
give pleasure.’ He was commenting on the
presentation of more than one hundred Reading
for Pleasure Awards by SoA members to the
schools they visit, to celebrate those schools’
commitment to children’s reading.
Visiting your young readers can be an
incredibly rewarding experience and a great
opportunity for direct contact with your
audience. But before you brush up your
performance and dust down your PowerPoint
presentation, make sure you’ve thought through
all the boring practicalities.
Schools are often inexperienced at arranging
events and they’re under a great deal of financial
pressure. Many of the problems we advise our
members on stem from easily avoided confusion
around expectations and expenses.
So, before you commit to a booking, don’t
forget to think through the following:Can you do it?
It’s easy to say yes to a gig – but is the visit
feasible or financially viable given that
you may lose more than a working day in
travel and preparation? Have you signed an
exclusivity clause with a literature festival
that would prevent a school talk in the
same area (we don’t recommend this, but it
happens regularly)?
How far away is the school, what time do
you have to arrive, and how much will it
cost to get there? For example, will a hotel be
offered if you need to stay overnight to arrive
in time for a morning assembly? Can you
charge for a taxi from the train station if the
school is too far from any bus route? Who
needs to approve your expenses and are there
any limitations?
If travelling by car we suggest that
you specify that you charge the HMRC-
recommended mileage rate of 45p a mile well
as any additional parking costs (don’t expect
that you will be given designated parking). If
a school baulks at costs, or it’s not worth your
travelling for a single session, discuss whether
there are other schools in the area that may
want to share a visit along with related costs.What are you required to do?
Does the school know your work? This might
seem too obvious a question to ask, but don’t
assume anything. Check that schools know what
age you write or illustrate for and whether the
pupils are likely to be familiar with your titles.
Talking YA to a mixed age assembly is not easy- nor is addressing year 7s who have never heard
of you.
Discuss, ideally by phone, what the school
is looking for in an event: for example, is it
to tie-in with the curriculum or to energise
reluctant readers? What number of talks will
you do in a day to what age-group and what
size of audience? Confirm what art or technical
equipment you (and pupils) are going to need.
Ask whether any pupils have any special
needs or problems of which you should be
aware. Work out whether you are going to need
lunch or breaks away from staff and pupils to
prepare for your next session. If so, make those
requirements clear to your hosts.
Fees and payment
If there’s a fee involved, after agreeing your rate
confirm whether VAT applies if you’re VAT
registered, your payment terms, and where to
send your invoice (this might not be the teacher
or librarian booking you). Stipulate how and
when you are to be paid – ensure you are to
be paid as a freelancer and not off-the-roll as
salaried staff, as it can be extremely difficult to
recover tax once it has been deducted.
The ‘beast from the east’ snowed off many
World Book Day visits in March 2018, so it is
wise for your terms and conditions to address
cancellation fees and timings. With unavoidable
circumstances we’d suggest rearranging the date
and being reimbursed for pre-paid expenses; but
for cancellations within the school’s control you
ought to be reimbursed any incurred expenses
and paid in full if the event is cancelled within
six weeks (50% if the event is cancelled earlier).
And if it’s you who needs to cancel, we
would recommend that a fee is not charged
and that you reimburse the school if they have
pre-paid expenses.Paperwork
Take a mobile number for your contact so that
you can call them if there are any problems, but
make sure you’ve worked out exactly what you
should bring before you set off. Waving yourbook jacket photo to prove
who you are at reception
won’t suffice if staff expect to see your passport
and Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificate.
Many schools erroneously think DBS
clearance is essential, but it’s not required for
one-off supervised visits; only for regular and
frequent visits to schools. However, public
liability insurance is usually required by schools/
local education authorities. Individual policies
can be expensive, but group policies – like the
one offered to Society of Authors members –
should give you everything you need.Book sales
Not all schools will allow books to be sold and
this can be a deal-breaker for some authors.
Check that your visit will not clash with a
school book fair and confirm whether you or an
independent bookseller will sell books.
If it’s you, it’s worth asking whether a member
of staff can help with sales, to free you up to
sign the books. Some schools will be happy to
circulate promotional material in advance or
book order forms post-event.Media
If you do not want to be photographed or
recorded during a talk then stipulate this at the
outset as well as before your session(s). Many
children get distracted if they know they are
being recorded or photographed, so this is not
unreasonable. You may also want to check if
local press are going to be present. Hopefully,
the school will be courteous enough to tell you
this anyway.
Most visits run smoothly, but it is wise to
issue some terms and conditions or a letter of
agreement in advance.
You can find a range of more detailed relevant
advice (including advice on setting fees and
guidance for schools) in the Guides section of
the SoA website.Jo McCrum, head of Groups at the Society of Authors,
coordinates the SoA Children’s Writers and Illustrators
Group, and offers a guide to school visitsSchool visitor
Find out what the SoA could do for
you at http://www.societyofauthors.org
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