Events
Welcome! Do come in to explore the different Author Events and Workshops I can offer you!
“Jane was the most inspiring author and person. She has a unique way of reaching out to children and encouraging them to believe in themselves, particularly those who are low in confidence and need it most. Her presentations and workshop are bubbling with spark and enthusiasm, keeping audiences engaged from the beginning. Her passion for helping others is evident in the way she delivers her sessions. She manages the perfect balance of depth and meaning with humour. She is a genuinely kind, compassionate person and it was such a pleasure getting to know her! We would have her back in a heartbeat. ”
for more testimonies scroll down
I have appeared on panels at Hay and Edinburgh Festivals amongst others. I also love to deliver Author Workshops in schools. For information on availability and costs please email Author’s Aloud not forgetting to put my name in the subject bar.
I am an actor and improviser so as a result my author visits are high energy, interactive and fun but at the same time giving the young people a lot to think about and take home with them.
Teachers do visit my Library to download teachers notes.
Here’s a link to a TV interview I gave to That’s TV East with author Bali Rai about ways to encourage children to read and write.
Festivals: I am happy to do festivals up and down the country and appear as part of a panel or do one of the below talks.
Schools: If you are a school in the London area it is feasible for me to perform an Author Talk in the morning.
However, most schools like me to do additional workshops. Please see below.
Now it’s time to explore my Workshops
Start the day with an interactive author talk
Step 1: Pick a talk for Key Stage 2 and Year 7
Download leaflets for details by clicking on the book covers.
Moon Dog
Animal welfare
Critical thinking
Social Media Influence
Teamwork – Being Kind
How to Fly…
Female Spitfire Pilots- World War 2
Autism-Gangs-Friendship Groups
Making the right choices- Role Models
Empathy- Inner Strength - Female Empowerment
Will You Catch me?
Safeguarding
Restoration Theatre
Nell Gwyn- First Actresses
Plague- Fire Of London
My author talk will finish with a book signing
Independent book shops are always happy to set up a pop-up book shop on a trestle table at your school and sell books to the children for me to sign.
Mix and Match Workshops
First decide what you would like your visit to be made up of.
Half a day:
one of the above talks and a book signing.
A small break to clear props, gather my thoughts and prepare!
Then a high-powered creative writing workshop to a smaller group (60 max aprox 1 hour)
Full day:
As Option A
plus second Creative Writing workshop in the afternoon (60 max aprox 1 hour )
Please note: It’s important all the children taking part see the Author Talk first to get to know me and my work. By splitting up into smaller groups for the Creative Writing Workshop it enables me to give them more focussed attention.
Full Day:
Some Schools opt to have
Author Talks in the morning
Author Talk in the afternoon.
This I am happy to do and comes under the heading of a days’ work.
These are high-powered, lively workshops lasting an hour. If you would like to substitute the hour workshops for less intense half-hour workshops, with even smaller groups this can be discussed.
Writing Workshops
Step 2: Pick your creative writing workshop
My Writing Workshop is a mixture of creative writing and drama games.
It’s part writing and part up on your feet. It’s about creating stories.
It’s about unleashing the inner creativity of each child and exploring their imaginations.
It’s about creating A Room Full of Words.
The aim of my workshop is not to complete a finished piece of work but to leave with a head buzzing full of characters, ideas and tools to write future stories.
Moon Dog Creative Writing Workshop
If you have opted to start your day with a Moon Dog Author Talk this would be the best option to follow for your Creative Writing Workshop.
A fun workshop exploring empathy and animal welfare -where each child will be given a Creative Writing Worksheet with a profile of a rescue dog or cat at the top in order so start exploring the story they want to write.
A Room Full of Words
If you have opted to start you day with a How to Fly with Broken Wings or a Will You Catch Me? Author Talk then this workshop is the best option for you.
Grace in my book A Room Full of Chocolate records the world around her in her Special Blue Book.
'Is this where you write down your special private thoughts and dreams?' said Miss Sams.
I nodded. 'And my stories and plays, Miss,' I whispered.
A dynamic interactive workshop about finding inspiration for writing in everyday objects and the world around us. I will also explore character and plot and what makes an exciting story!
The Gift of Dyslexia Workshop
I am loud and proud about my own dyslexia and view it as a gift - this workshop is to tap into the visual way that dyslexics work to create stories. A workshop to install confidence. I will share with the young people my ideas book; a scrapbook I keep of images that developed into my novels A Room Full of Chocolate and How to Fly with Broken Wings. I also started writing Swimming to the Moon by making a scrapbook pretending I was Bee in my story which helped me develop the character.
If possible, I would like all the young people to have a scrapbook to create their own ideas book.
Please click here to go to my Dyslexia Room to find out more .
“As somebody who works professionally in the world of theatre and television and who has also worked with a lot of child actors, I was enormously struck both by the ambition of Jane Elson’s work with these young people but also by how well the projects have been chosen and how eagerly the students relished the challenge.”
“I so enjoyed hearing Jane Elson speak to children at Charlbury School as part of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival Educational programme.
I felt she had given those children (particularly those with dyslexia and other challenges) a gift and really saw how she changed their perception in the hour she spent with them. I witnessed the dyslexic children go up to her at the end and they seemed liberated. A teacher told me that one in particular would never normally have been brave enough to ask questions let alone go up and talk to someone in front of the class. As a result of good speakers like Jane, we are now growing the educational side of the Festival. Truly inspirational!”
“Jane was our guest of honour at The Moat School for dyslexia’s Founders Day. Dyslexic herself, Jane is a talented author who spoke with intelligence and warmth and most significantly with humour about her first book, ‘’A Room Full of Chocolate’’. She captivated the audience, something of a challenge when you have a church full of pupils with ADHD! We laughed and cried at her experiences growing up with dyslexia; a speech she delivered in a truly self- deprecating manner. My parents reported that Jane was the best guest we had ever had and my only concern was how on earth we would be able to top her the following year. I would highly recommend Jane to you. ”
“I worked with Jane for a year as her publicist whilst I was at Hachette Children’s Books. Jane’s background in acting means she is fantastic at events. Her readings are superb and hold the audience captive. Jane also uses drama games to get the audience thinking about how to create stories. Additionally she is more than capable of thinking on her feet and improvising with the children as required which is really helpful for school events!
Jane’s personal story of overcoming dyslexia to become an author is something which really resonates with her audience. At each of the events I’ve attended with her someone (adult or child!) has come up to her at the end and told her how they were inspired by her talk. We have even had students who traditionally struggle with storytelling and writing engage with Jane and her events. ”