SEMINARS AND KEYNOTE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Ms. Penn is a sought-after conference speaker for groups of teachers, librarians, education students, and other professionals who work with children. The fee for these engagements is $3000.00 plus travel expense.

SCHOOL VISITS:
Ms. Penn will donate a selection of her books to the school’s library prior to her visit.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VISITS:
Ms. Penn will review how and why an age-appropriate selection of her books came to be written, what's next, and why writing and research is so exciting. The tour is designed to fuel the child's imagination and help them to create stories of their own.

Kindergarten through Fifth Grades  (older children by arrangement*)
Includes 3 Sessions in one day:

Kindergarten and First Grades:     35 minutes
Topic: The story behind the stories, presented with many visual aids, and a
discussion of books-in-progress appropriate for their age. Question & Answer included in lecture.

Second and Third Grades:     50 minutes
Topic: How stories originate, and the process of story development: research, illustration, and the use of "everyday" events in addition to the imagination. The Writer's Curve is introduced. Q&A

Fourth and Fifth Grades:     90 minutes
Topic: Story origination and development. A discussion of The Writer's Curve: like a writer's web, it helps the child create a structure for writing and helps take the fear out of creating, writing, and rewriting. Q&A

The Writer's Curve: Ms. Penn has simplified her writing method to make it accessible to children. For the second and third graders, she incorporates a brief introduction to The Writer's Curve. A more detailed treatment of The Writer's Curve is included in the presentation for the fourth and fifth grade. This is an interactive presentation. Using the children's own suggestions, Ms. Penn will lead them to create their own story and learn the process of writing, emphasizing the purpose, techniques, and advantages of rewriting. Full or half-day Writing Workshops can also be arranged.

UPPER SCHOOL VISITS:
Topics: Story origination; imagination versus observation; the use of dialogue in story and character development. These gatherings are in an interactive seminar format and are designed to give the students practice in writing, and a "how-to" guide for rewriting their work.

Please allow at least fifteen minutes between the first two sessions, and a longer break (such as lunch) before the next session. Please let Ms. Penn know if she needs to bring lunch. For her presentations she uses a large whiteboard or blackboard (capable of being seen by the entire audience), a small table, and a rocking chair or ergonomic chair. To be surrounded by books in the library is always a preferred location for Ms. Penn.

Fee:   within 50 miles of Olney, Maryland: $900.00
          50-100 miles: $900.00 plus travel expense
          over 100 miles: $1100.00 plus travel expense

*Engagements for children in Grade 6 and up are normally done in the format of writing seminars.

OUT-OF-TOWN SCHOOL VISITS
Being on the road and taking The Writing Penn lecture series to schools out of town is very exciting. The fee for out of town schools within 50 to 100 miles of Olney, Maryland is $900.00 plus travel expense. Over 100 miles from Olney, the fee is $1100.00 per day plus travel expenses. Travel expenses can be shared by several schools in the same area, so it is cost efficient to have Ms. Penn speak at more than one school in your area in the same trip. Please contact Ms. Penn (audrey@audreypenn.com) for further information regarding extended stays in your area.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Due to Ms. Penn's disability, she is unable to sign large numbers of books during her school visit. Small numbers of books brought from home may be signed between lectures, or at her home or hotel overnight and picked up the next day. Ms. Penn prefers to be able to sign books or bookplates at her home and send them to school after her visit.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO POLICY
Photographs are permitted and encouraged during Ms. Penn's visits. Video or digital recording are permitted only for in-school use, and only with prior approval from Ms. Penn. Recording of The Writer's Curve is not permitted.

To contact Audrey about a school visit or a lecture, please click here!