author visits

Writing Workshops

Jennifer has been teaching writing for two decades – as a middle school teacher, author, and current faculty member in Vermont College of Fine Arts’ Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. She has held classes and workshops through the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Writers’ League of Texas, Northern Arizona University’s Summer Writing Institute, and other forums. Jennifer enjoys teaching a range of topics – including developing characters, prewriting and planning a story, story structure, scene craft, dialogue, writer self-care, and more. To arrange for a (virtual or in-person) presentation, class, or workshop, please fill out the contact form.

School Visit Presentations

Each of Jennifer’s presentations are grounded in her individual, often funny experiences and demonstrate how writers draw from real life when creating characters and stories.

She also reinforces key English/Language Arts lessons – including the steps involved in writing (from concept to finished product), the structure and elements of fiction, developing compelling characters, and the importance of planning, revision, and receiving feedback.

Time for Q&A is built-in, and readings or book signings can be included upon request.

All presentations are geared toward 4th through 8th grades but have been successfully adapted for younger and older students.

Word Play the Worser Way – In Jennifer’s latest novel, [Worser], the protagonist “collects” words in his own lexicon and does wordplay exercises. In this presentation, Jennifer demonstrates the importance and power of words and then leads students through various activities that stretch the imagination and allow them to think outside the box. Students will discover that words can be used for fun and self-expression as well as academics. This presentation reinforces curriculum standards for making inferences, making connections, identifying parts of speech, understanding word components, using homonyms, and other aspects of language deciphering and flexible thinking skills.

The Secret Identities of Writers – It’s not a secret, but few people may realize that writing books does not just involve typing at a computer. In fact, authors must use several other skills in order to create their stories. In this humorous and eye-opening presentation, Jennifer demonstrates how the steps in the writing process correspond to other well-known talents and abilities. Students will find out how writers are also part spy, part movie director, part explorer, part athlete, part professional musician, part sculptor, and part surgeon – discovering that the act of writing is far more dynamic than it may appear. This presentation reinforces the curriculum writing standards on gathering information, planning and outlining, revising and proofreading, and obtaining editorial feedback.

Missions and Motives – In this age of skimming headlines and getting news from tweets, readers too often overlook the importance of analyzing written material and questioning text. But it’s not enough to know what happened, one also needs to understand why it happened. In this interactive, quiz-show-style presentation, Jennifer will first reveal the motives and mechanisms in her own story, and then guide students in analyzing other iconic works of fiction – from classics like Peter Pan to contemporary tales like The Hunger Games or Star Wars. Students will see how, on a superficial level, stories can appear to be about one thing, but are actually about much more. Students will also discover how reading more deeply and asking questions will make them better readers and thinkers – and may even prevent misunderstandings in life. This presentation reinforces curriculum standards for making inferences, making connections, evaluating and questioning text, identifying narrative elements, summarizing plot, and understanding how authors use language to influence readers’ perceptions.

Virtual

The above presentations can be shared via Zoom, Google Meet, and other online platforms. Jennifer usually schedules a follow-up Q&A for a later date – typically the next day or two – to allow time for reflection.

Jennifer also offers shorter virtual presentations in the form of extended Q&As for a reduced fee. Questions can be asked by the students themselves, or by an educator, or via audio or chat box with an educator moderating. Jennifer is happy to discuss her books, writing process, journey to becoming a published author, favorite reads, writing as a life skill (even if it isn’t a career), food, music, her dog – practically anything. She can even lead groups in some fun word games. (Best for ages 8 and up.)

Writing workshops work best when they take place over several days or weeks, allowing students to write in between visits. Having some virtual follow-up visits (or all visits online) can often make scheduling easier. If you are interested in a multi-visit workshop, please message Jennifer via the contact form.

For Educators and Librarians

For over a decade, Jennifer has given presentations, appeared on panels, and done classroom demonstrations at national and regional educator and librarian conferences including the National Council of Teachers of English Convention (NCTE), the International Literacy Association Conference (ILA), and the Texas Library Association Annual Conference (TLA). Topics have included humor, activating the love of reading, words and wordplay, family themes, social equity, and connecting with character – to name just a few. As an educator, Jennifer is always happy to share her knowledge of and experiences in writing, as well as suggest ways her books can be used in classrooms and libraries. To speak with Jennifer about an appearance or consultation, please fill out the contact form.

For Book Groups

Jennifer also offers 20-minute, virtual Q&A visits at a discounted rate for groups who have read one of her books. To inquire about a booking, please fill out the contact form.