Physical & Virtual Visits
One of my favourite things about being an author is meeting my readers. I visit schools worldwide, both in person and virtually, and I often take part in literature festivals, library events and workshops. So if you’d like to know where I’ll be popping up next, or are interested in booking me for an event, you’re in the right place.
School visits are fun, informative, and can have a hugely positive impact on your pupils. Interacting with a real-life author can not only energise their love of reading, but help to demystify the writing process by showing them that authors are real people too.
I offer entertaining author talks, several highly interactive creative writing workshops, and engaging virtual visits that are ideal for children ages 7-13. For full information, including fees and expenses, please click the button below. You might also want to check out the teacher’s notes based on The Train to Impossible Places, as well as additional activities and materials on my Extras page.
Author talks
NEW – Once Upon a Murder
Learn how my fairytale whodunnit, The Beanstalk Murder, puts a witchy twist on the world of Jack & the Beanstalk; how the book came to life in an old Cardiff stable yard; and how to cast some authentic Welsh spells! (Results not guaranteed.)
I then invite pupils to turn detective, and re-imagine some favourite fairytales as murder mysteries – choose your victim, nominate a detective, and follow the clues to the solution! The event concludes with a Q&A, book sale and signing session.
Duration: 45 – 55 minutes.
Maximum audience size: 1000 pupils.
Telling Impossible Tales
What’s your favourite bedtime story? Cast your mind back – I bet you can think of one. In Telling Impossible Tales, I reveal how The Train To Impossible Places started life as a bedtime story, and explain how it grew into a bestselling book. We take a whirlwind tour through the characters, worlds and storyline, before I invite the audience to brainstorm some brand new adventures with me.
This is a fun, funny and engaging session that encourages children to think about their own creativity, and gives them the confidence and inspiration they need to take the next step in developing their ideas. It culminates in a 10 minute Q&A, and is followed by a book sale and signing session.
Duration: 45 – 55 minutes.
Maximum audience size: 1000 pupils.
Creative Writing Workshops
Workshop #1: A Trio of Tricks to Tell Your Tale
We all love stories, but what really makes them tick? And how can we tell our own? This highly interactive workshop explores the three key building blocks of any good story and lets pupils put them into practice straight away. I’ll encourage them to ask questions and share ideas throughout, and they’ll finish the session with the beginnings of their own stories, and the tools they need to take them further. This is great for supercharging their creative writing skills. Maximum group size: 40 pupils. Duration: 45-55 minutes.
Workshop #2: Building Better Worlds
All my books involve strange and magical worlds, and this interactive workshop shows children how to create their very own. Together, we’ll use arts and crafts to explore the importance of setting in storytelling, as pupils create illustrated postcards of their newly created worlds. This is a fairly informal session, ideal for younger age groups, including lower KS2 and upper KS1. Maximum group size: 40 pupils. Duration: 45-55 minutes.
Workshop #3: Making Good Stories Better
“All good writing is rewriting.” This workshop demystifies the editing process, with visual examples of my own work, so children can see just how much I get wrong the first time around, and how I go about fixing it. We’ll discuss how to give and receive feedback, and the best ways to make their own stories clearer and more effective. This session can be tailored for older age groups, up to KS3 and 4. Maximum group size: 40 pupils. Duration: 45-55 minutes.
Virtual events
Virtual Author Talks
These are live online versions of my popular author talks, Once Upon a Murder and Telling Impossible Tales, each lasting 45 minutes. The sessions are specially tailored for virtual classrooms and include readings, visual aids and creative writing prompts. Both sessions end with a Q&A.
Virtual Q&A
This is a short, informal session, perfect for classes that have read any of my books together. I give a live online reading, followed by a question and answer session, during which the children can quiz me about whatever they like. This session lasts 30 minutes.
Feedback from Schools
“Thank you for talking to our children yesterday. They have come out inspired and wanting to write stories.”
“I liked how he showed us how to write our own stories with no restrictions, this allowed us to be completely creative.”
“Thank you for a wonderful event. P. G. Bell’s enthusiasm was infectious, and he inspired us all.”
“I just wanted to say what a brilliant event that was. So many of our children were inspired to write afterwards, including some of most reluctant Y6 writers. Inspirational!”
“We really enjoyed meeting P.G. Bell and will definitely be adding him to our list of favourite authors to look out for!”
“The online session with P.G. Bell was like a journey through one of his books: fast-paced, funny and very entertaining!”