Presentations

Presentations

There aren't many things I enjoy more than writing, but talking about writing comes close! If you're looking for an author to visit your school or community group, I'd be delighted to hear from you.

I am an experienced presenter with years of teaching experience, and enjoy working with students of all ages. I am as comfortable working with small, focused groups as I am with crowded auditoriums (though I always prefer at least five minutes' notice as to which I'm likely to be facing!). Whether it's an informal author talk or a structured writing workshop, my presentations are always both entertaining and educational.

Some standard presentation topics are listed below. Specific content will vary depending on the age, size and needs of the group; I am happy to combine elements of different talks, and to tailor material to suit your individual requirements. Please be sure to discuss your needs with me in the planning stages of your program and before putting together any promotional material for my sessions.

My work includes picture books, illustrated chapter books, and junior fiction aimed variously at ages from 8-14, and I am happy to work with groups across the entire K-7 range. I am also available to conduct writing workshops (both poetry and prose) for older groups, including adults.

You can download a flyer with information about me and my books here.

Please feel free to contact me for more information, or specific booking enquiries. I do not use a booking agency, so please contact me directly: meg[at]megmckinlay.com. Although I'm located in Western Australia, I'm happy to travel interstate and fund some of my own expenses provided that there's enough work to justify those expenses; this can be simple to arrange when schools work together to host visits. Don't hesitate to get in touch just because you think I'm too far away.

Author talk

A general session covering a range of topics related to my work as a children's writer; these are always fun and full of laughs. I talk about my own journey as a writer and the writing process itself, encouraging students to not only engage with books and reading, but also to creatively re-imagine the world around them.

Best suited to: Year 3+

Book talk

A more directed session, focusing on a particular book or books. For kindergarten to upper primary, depending on the book/s to be discussed. I discuss the novel's progression from initial idea to publication, aspects of its evolution during the editing process ('deleted scenes', alternative endings), and work interactively with students exploring aspects such as theme and character.

Best suited to: Year 4+; students will benefit from familiarity with text to be discussed.

Stewing up Stories
An entertaining and interactive presentation exploring the range of ingredients that go into a book. Covers aspects of the writing, editing and publishing processes as well as insider secrets about the stories behind my stories. What do ducks have to do with Barbie dolls? What do penguins have to do with striped pyjamas? See how the most unlikely ingredients can combine to make a rich, flavoursome story stew!

Best suited to: Years 1-4.
From Spark to Story
A workshop or interactive talk focusing on how narratives can be developed from the initial germ of an idea. I draw on my own writing practice and use visual aids to engage students with the idea of generating ideas from images, 'growing' character and plot from the tiniest of beginnings, and encouraging students to open themselves up to the creative possibilities in the world around them.

Best suited to: (Years 4+; content varies according to age-group)
Poetry Workshops
As well as being a children's writer, I am a published poet, whose work has appeared in a range of local and international literary journals. My first collection, Cleanskin, was published in 2007 and you can view samples of my work here. I have taught poetry (both creative writing and textual analysis) for several years at tertiary level and have conducted poetry-writing workshops for primary and high-school students in the Perth metropolitan area. Poetry workshops are highly interactive sessions which make poetry not only accessible but essential and leave students buzzing with the possibilities of language.

I offer a range of workshops, from 'Word Salad' for lower to middle primary school students, in which we play with sound, form and rhythm, through to advanced sessions for Years 10-12, in which students are challenged to creatively transform the everyday by making startling and unexpected connections.

Please note that maximum numbers may apply to workshops and that these may run longer than a standard session. Please contact me to discuss your requirements.