One of the greatest perks of being a writer is being able to offer talks and workshops in schools to share my writer’s journey and creative process with others in the hopes that they too, will be tempted down this assured path to penury. (I’m kidding of course. Some authors, like J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan, have done very well for themselves).
I love speaking and meeting with young children and teenagers (middle school to high school), in particular those with writerly aspirations, and using my published works as springboards to help them discover, as I have, the joys and perils of fearless and authentic creativity. My previous face-to-face talks have included:
- Writing from Memory (and Making It Flash!) where I introduce students to my as-of-yet-incomplete journey to publication of my memoir-based middle grade novel and explore flash fiction as a useful, creative diversion.
- What You Can Do with Your Phone – Make Good Art where I introduce students to ways of using their smartphones to make good art – art that is personal to them – with my published creative works as real-life examples.
I strive to be engaging, supportive, interesting, fun and most of all, authentic, because, as any children’s writer will tell you, you can’t pull the wool over their extremely sharp and extremely discerning eyes. Don’t take my word for it though. You can read testimonials from teachers and students here.
While my talks are usually conducted face-to-face and an hour long, I am acutely aware that teachers and librarians are pulled in many different directions, so I am happy to accommodate and to be flexible to meet your teaching goals and needs. Do get in touch if you’d like me to visit your school!
Maureen Tai 