Photo Credits: Janice Estabrook, Cathy Weldon Chanudet

Below are the presentations I’m currently offering for students in grades 3-12 for the 2024-2025 school year.

What Do Authors Really Do? (Grades 3 and up)

Do you ever wonder about the secret lives of authors? Maybe you’ve wondered about where your favorite authors get their ideas, how many times they have to revise their work, or whether or not their cats are allowed to sit at the breakfast table. Author Lindsay K. Bandy will give you a sneak peek into how she creates her stories and poems, as well as what it’s like to work in the publishing industry with professionals like agents, editors, cover designers, and audiobook narrators. Through interactive writing activities, students will learn how to transform an idea into a book! (This presentation is adaptable for elementary, middle, and high school students.)

Using the Past to Write Your Future (Middle and High School)

Why do some stories just “click” with us, even if they’re set on a distant planet, or hundreds of years in the past? Why do all humans need stories – whether those stories are in the form of novels, dreams, video games, movies, TikTok, or comics? And how can YOU get started writing stories that “click” with other people in fun and meaningful ways? In this hands-on writing workshop, award-winning author Lindsay K. Bandy will lead students through writing exercises and discussions about what stories can teach us about ourselves and each other over time. She’ll show students the specific ways she uses empathy, self-reflection, personal experience, and historical research to create compelling fictional characters, and encourage students to utilize these same tools as they create their own stories – and futures!

Two Truths and a Lie: How Authors Blend Real Life and Fiction (Middle and High School)

Authors sneak a lot of their own experiences and emotions into their stories, but can you tell the difference between what’s real and what’s made up? Probably not…unless they tell you! In this workshop, award-winning YA author Lindsay K. Bandy will tell you the secret stories behind her stories, and give you the tools you need to start creating fiction that feels both new and true. Whether you enjoy contemporary, historical, mystery, or science fiction, you’ll leave with resources that will help you create deeper, more interesting characters, strong conflicts that resonate, and a few clever “lies” that will keep your readers guessing!

What high school Gifted students are saying about Lindsay’s programs:

• I learned how common it is for gifted kids to feel emotions more intensely and deeply. That was comforting to me because I worry that I always overanalyze my emotions and question why I feel a certain way when it doesn’t seem to be something other teens are dealing with. This may help my parents understand me better as well because they just think I overthink my emotions and make them into more than they actually are, but my brain is hardwired to be more emotional. 

• I learned that writing fiction can reveal truths about yourself and help you deal with your emotions and past. I can use this to help myself because I can write fiction to uncover my thoughts and understand what other people go through as well. 

• I learned how writing can help you connect with others and explore your mind. I can used what I learned to help others feel less alone and make new connections. I can also use it to find myself and adventure into my emotions. 

• The presenter was honest and relatable. I really appreciated the Jamboards because they allowed us to communicate with the written word instead of having to verbally speak. 

• The presenter helped me learn more about myself and feel less alone.