Many of our authors and illustrators have activity sheets and teacher’s guide available to you. Search the author (you can use search box on the right side of this screen ->) and contact them directly via their contact form to get the activities and guides.
With the assistance of the Ontario Arts Council, The Writers’ Union of Canada funds author visits to Ontario elementary and secondary schools. The Union subsidizes a portion of the author’s reading fee and travel and accommodation costs.
For more information: https://www.writersunion.ca/ontario-writers-schools
The Writers’ Union of Canada offers funding to hosts for authors to read in public venues across Canada through two programs:
Writers’ Union Member. $250 virtual visit or $400 in-person, plus travel. $700 for a day with two visits (two schools can share). Travel costs waived in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and the townships.
Erin writes YA science fiction and fantasy middle grade books. With multiple awards, she’s considered one of Canada’s rising stars: Quill and Quire calls her “a new master,” and the CBC says she’s “so close to YA superstardom she can probably taste it.” As a presenter she’s down-to-earth and funny, working to give students real answers and emotional honesty.
CCBC Book Awards: TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award nominee
“I’ve had many novelists visit my classes over the years, but I can honestly say I’ve never seen one connect so well with a teenaged audience. —A.J. Blauer, Acting Head of Literary Arts, Canterbury High School (Ottawa, Ontario)
Free Virtual Visits!
I do free 10-15 minute virtual visits with classes or clubs who are reading one of my books. There’s no presentation, so I’m counting on the teacher or moderator to run a short, informal conversation or a Q&A
Audience: Any small group
Timing: 10 to 15 minutes
For upper elementary and middle schools: How to Fail
A funny presentation on how I became an author by failing every step of the way. (Step one: don’t have a dream.)
I’ll give your students a peek behind the scenes of my creative process — research, writing, editing, and more — but the heart of the presentation is grit, growth, and being a little easier on yourself.
Audience: Targeted at grades 5 – 9. Single classes or whole-school gatherings.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 30-40 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 45-60 minutes.
For middle schools, high schools: How to Fall off a Roof
Neuroscientists have a question: when you’re falling to your death, does time really slow down? Being scientists, they’ve tested this by dropping volunteers from a great height. Any guesses on what they learned?
This presentation uses that answer — and other insights from modern neuroscience — to introduce new ways to think about how details and pacing change the emotional intensity of a scene.
Audience: Targetted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Works as a workshop for single classes, but can also be run as a presentation for a gym-ful.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
For upper elementary and middle schools: Sort of Simon
Simon Sort of Says is my newest middle grade book.
This presentation takes your readers behind the scenes of writing this book — and creativity generally — starting from “where do your get your ideas” and covering everything from an ordinary writing day to the big phone call day where something amazing happens.
This presentation works for both classes who have read or are reading Simon, and for classes who are just curious about books, writing, and creativity.
Content note: there is a school shooting in the backstory — not on the page — of Simon Sort of Says. That comes up in the backstory — not at the heart — of this presentation.
Audience: Targetted at grades 5 – 9. Single classes or whole-school gatherings.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 30-40 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 45-60 minutes.
Writing Workshop: How to Walk Across a Room
This highly interactive, on-your-feet workshop draws on improv exercises and group brainstorming to help students make characters come to life on the page.
This workshop is at its absolute best as a series of short workshops and writing exercises that build on each other over the course of several writing days. Some of these can be teacher-run — I have sharable lesson plans. Contact me if you’re interested.
Audience: Targeted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Best for single classes.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
Writing Workshop: How to Fall off a Roof
Neuroscientists have a question: when you’re falling to your death, does time really slow down? Being scientists, they’ve tested this by dropping volunteers from a great height. Any guesses on what they learned?
This workshop uses that answer — and other insights from modern neuroscience — to introduce new ways to think about how details and pacing change the emotional intensity of a scene.
Jam-packed with weird science and fun examples, this workshop is the least interactive one I do, and can also be a presentation to a gym-ful.
Audience: Targetted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Works as a workshop for single classes, but can also be run as a presentation for a gym-ful.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
Writer in Residence options
Want to take it up a notch? These workshops add together to create a great program for a writer in residence. Think every day for a week, or twice a month for a semester, or even more.
This is my absolute favourite thing to do — it’s a game changer for me, for the kids, and for the teachers I work with.
Contact Erin to book a visit.
