Tips for Teachers: Author Visits Part Eight – Financial Considerations
No examination of author visits to schools and libraries would be complete without some mention of fees and honorariums. Fees naturally vary from one author to another and while writing organizations have recommended rates, usually calculated by the hour, it’s still wise to do your own research.
While some authors charge by the hour, others may charge by the day, half-day or even per head. Prices also vary greatly from one part of the country to another. What an author may consider a fair rate for his or her time and services in one city may appear expensive elsewhere, or even completely out of the range of a school in a less affluent region. These differences in pricing and affordability apply to Canada, the United States, the UK, and other countries where there are always going to be significant regional variations, between both urban and rural areas or simply when comparing different areas of the same country.
Make sure you always ensure that author in agreement about all the school’s financial matters well in advance. This is particularity true of mileage, which may not be possible to calculate until the author arrives at the school. However, you should attempt to obtain at least a rough estimate, since this will be an additional charge on top of the author’s agreed fee. Should meals and accommodation be required and the author expects the school to foot the bill, make sure this is all discussed beforehand as well.
If your school requires invoices before they can release payment for anything, make sure the author’s aware of this so that they can forward you the appropriate paperwork. Similarly, ensure that you inform the author if your school requires forms to be filled out for the payroll department, if banking information is needed for direct deposit of the fee or if you require the author’s social insurance information. With regards to the financial aspects of an author visit, planning and preparation in advance is always advisable.
