Upcoming Appearances:
April 27, 2024 — North Texas Teen Book Festival
May 18, 2024 — Gaithersburg Book Festival
Information on School Visits and Events:
Want me to speak at your school, library, or event? I love giving presentations, answering questions, and meeting readers.
My presentations are great for adults and students alike. Here are a few of the topics/formats I offer:
The Publishing Process
Perfect for large audiences up to 500. I take the audience through the entire publishing process — from writing the first draft, to editing, to getting covers, to seeing the book in print for the first time. Q&A at the end.
Writing Workshop
Not a presentation, but a workshop in which I’ll read and critique pages from a creative writing class or group (number of students and pages to be determined). This is a smaller session, with more individual attention.
Worldbuilding Workshop
Perfect for classrooms and groups up to 100. I will take a group through building a fantasy world from scratch, using my top-down method. By the end of the workshop, we will have an entirely new world built that the group can use to write stories in. Audience participation required.
Writing and Editing
Perfect for large audiences up to 500. I focus on the writing process itself: brainstorming ideas, getting words on the page, fighting writer’s block, and revising the story until it shines. Q&A at the end.
Skype Visit
One hour-long Skype visit ideal for book clubs and classrooms. We can talk about my books, writing, or publishing. Q&A at the end.
Please email me at jodi.meadows@gmail.com for rates and availability.
The Fine Print
I will do up to four talks/presentations in one day (after that, I melt into a puddle and must be scraped off the floor), and while it’s not required, I always appreciate if there is a bookseller on site.
When travel is required*, I ask gas/airfare and lodging to be covered, in addition to my regular speaking fees. Since this can become costly, I usually recommend that area schools or libraries go in together for the travel expenses, keeping me there a couple of days so I can visit everyone. Feel free to ask me about discounts if there are two or more schools/libraries in your area interested in having me.
*This is almost always. I live in rural Virginia; not much is close to me.
Testimonials:
“Jodi Meadows is not only a fantastic writer, she’s a fantastic speaker as well. I was incredibly impressed with her ability to engage and connect with an auditorium full of teenagers. Her visit to our school surpassed all our expectations.”
– Bradley Walton, Harrisonburg High School, Harrisonburg, VA
“Jodi came to the library to speak to our teen book club, and they were so excited to meet her! Jodi talked about writing and publishing, and she answered questions about her books. She was a great presenter and fully engaged the group with her humor and her insight. It was the first time many of the teens had met an author, and it was such a positive experience for them. I know it will stick with them a long time.”
– Lizzy Hill, Youth Services Librarian, Staunton Public Library
“Jodi thoroughly engaged students with humor and open discussion. Not only did she share her writing and publishing experiences, but she encouraged students to share their favorite books and authors. Jodi seamlessly blended in with our biggest readers and instantly gained a gaggle of girls fangirling over her work.”
-Laura Potocki, Falls Church High School, Falls Church, VA
“Jodi came to speak with our school at a Literacy event. She was so creative, generous, and approachable as she presented – engaging with the audience, speaking at a level that kept both parents and students interested, and sharing rich details from her writing experience. Her words were an incredible encouragement to our students, and I’m so thankful she came to share!”
– Greta Bucher, English teacher, Montevideo Middle School, Penn Laird, VA