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WILL WEAVER BIOGRAPHY I BOOKS I PRESENTATIONS I BOOK ORDERING Will
Weaver's Author Appearanaces - a talk about how he came to be an author - tips on writing - some actual in-class writing exercises - occasionally he speaks in large school auditoriums - he prefers smaller groups in the library or in a classroom Will Weaver particularly likes to work with teachers. A versatile speaker, he's comfortable speaking with adults or students. Types of Presentations:
*From Fiction to Film,* or how a novel or short story is adapted to film. He shares his own experiences working with Hollywood producers on a CBS television movie, and also his recent successful indie film Sweet Land . He shows film clips and compares and contrasts scenes from my fiction with their film expressions.
*Pathway to Publication,* or the general process of writing and publishing a novel. This includes a step-by-step look at the stages a novel goes through: plot idea, research, rough draft chapters, submitting to an agent, revision (revision, revision!), book contracts, copy editing, book arts (cover and book design), reviews, book launch, etc. Using chalk and a chalkboard or markers and a marking board, he literally draws the pathway of a novel, starting from idea to the various stops along the way as the novel is drafted, agented, submitted, revised, book art, etc., until it's a real novel. He does this free-form on the board, and it makes for a nice visual progression, one that demystifies the matter of writing a book. This latter aspect is important for kids to know; it shows them that writing a book is not a miracle, but a process. Along the way he pauses for all manner of questions; or might stop and read a page or two, or explain how his editor is like the student's teacher and how they work together.
*Techniques of (Really) Good Fiction,* or a very close look at the writing process. What makes for good prose, the can't-stop-reading kind? Will gets down to the sentence level, and takes a close look at imagery, style, voice, tone, etc. He adjusts this presentation according to the audience: beginning adult writers, to lively middle schoolers, to advanced creative writing classes, to summer adult writing workshops.
*One Book, One Community.* This is a wonderful general program, whereby a community chooses a book, gets the entire community to read it, then brings in the author to answer questions and talk about it. Will has done several of these. They take a lot of planning and organizing, but they always turn out well. It's a great way to bring the community together.
*Special Occasions.* Will has recently made keynote speeches at book award ceremonies, dedicated new libraries, etc. These can be tailored to the occasion. *The Motor Novels Car Tour.* In this unique program, Will Weaver takes his race car around to schools (see photos below). He could visit one or two schools a day for 2 or more days, depending on distance and time, and could stop in each school for a 2 hour stop. A press release and article are attached for teachers and librarians who need something to present to their administrators. The 2008 car tours will focus on the “Upper Midwest, including MN, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Will could do tours of up to ten days. In 2009, when the second book comes out, he plans to expand the reach to include Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois. Beyond 2009, he might expand that perimeter to include Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio. Beyond that, probably no unless it was a really big deal. For information on the honorarium for this, please contact Balkin Buddies. Keep in mind that expenses would include gas mileage from his home in Minnesota, hotel if needed, and meals.
For most of his presentations, he encourages lots of Q & A. He likes to have a conversation with his audience, not just give a speech. His goal is to share everything he has learned about writing, publishing, the movies, etc. His motto is: There are no dumb questions. Will tries to emphasize what it takes to write a book, and it's not being gifted, or coming from a family of writers, but mastering fundamentals and then the techniques of fiction writing, which he also talks about, using a lot of sports analogies.
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Mr. Weaver's honorarium should be presented to him at the end of his last presentation on the final day. Generally speaking, his honorarium is $1,500 a day, plus expenses, but may be negotiable. Please call or email Balkin Buddies to discuss. For further information, especially about the expenses (travel, hotel, and meals), click the "Arrange An Appearance" button and see "General Information on the Cost of an Author Appearance" as well as the 'Honorariums' section near the bottom of "How to Plan an Author Appearance."
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