Frequently asked questions

Yes, absolutely. Our mission is to remove barriers between classrooms and creators. The database is entirely free for teachers, librarians, and school administrators to search and use to connect with authors.

Find an Author is free for educators and free for authors, and we never charge either one. Book links on our site and social media go to Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookstores. When someone buys a book through those links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to them, and every penny goes directly back to funding findanauthor.org.

No. We are a direct pairing tool, not a booking agency. When you find an author you love, the “Request Pricing & Availability” button on their profile takes you to their own booking page or email (or their agent's), so you can reach them directly to coordinate dates, curriculum alignment, and logistics.

Yes! When searching the database, you can filter for authors who offer virtual visits (which are often more budget-friendly) or authors who offer discounted Title I rates. Some authors even offer free virtual Q&As for classrooms that have read at least one of their books. Find an Author also offers a small number of free volunteer visits each school year, reserved for Title I and severely underfunded schools that demonstrate need. They cover the author's honorarium only, not travel. See the volunteer visit application at findanauthor.org/request for deadlines. If your school can budget for a visit, booking directly through the author or their agent is the best way to support their work — school visits are a meaningful part of how many authors earn their living.

Most authors on our platform are traditionally published through established publishing houses, meaning their work has undergone professional editorial review. We also welcome self-published authors, who join by providing references from schools they've presented at — so they've demonstrated real, in-classroom experience even without a publisher's vetting behind them. Every author, however they publish, is reviewed by the Find an Author team before being listed. Schools are always encouraged to perform their standard district-mandated background checks and clearances with the individual author during the contract process.

findanauthor.org is open to two kinds of authors and illustrators: those who are traditionally published (major publishers, mid-sized houses, and established independent presses), and self-published authors who can show a track record of school visits.

A publisher's editorial process gives us a strong starting point for vetting, and our team reviews every author profile before it goes live.

For self-published authors, because there's no publisher vetting to rely on, we ask for three references from schools you've visited — the school name and the hosting teacher or librarian's email — so we can confirm what matters most: that you're an experienced, effective presenter.

Yes! Traditional publishing is our starting point for vetting, but we don't want to shut out excellent self-published presenters. If you're self-published, you can join by providing three references from schools you've visited — the school name and the email of the teacher or librarian who hosted you. That lets us confirm what matters most: that you're an experienced, engaging presenter who's great with students.

We want findanauthor.org to be a resource educators can trust, so we ask that every author who applies have some experience presenting to kids, ideally through school visits.

Have you taught or presented to kids in other ways, for example as a classroom teacher, librarian, or workshop leader? Tell us about it in your application. That experience counts, and we take it into account. (Self-published authors still need three school references.)

If you don't have school visit experience yet, reach out to schools in your area. Many are very happy to host an author for free, and it's completely appropriate for new authors to do at least a few free school visits. They help you gain experience, get feedback, and collect the testimonials that let other educators know you're a trusted presenter worth bringing to their school.

Good places to start: a school your children attend or one you went to, nearby elementary or middle school librarians, your public library, or a virtual visit with a classroom. Once you have a few visits behind you, we'd love to hear from you!

Never. We do not act as a booking agent, and we do not take a single cent from your appearance fees. 100% of the money negotiated between you and the school stays with you. findanauthor.org is an independent, author-led project funded personally by its founder — we don't take a commission, and we don't solicit donations.

We believe pricing flexibility is essential for authors. Factors like travel, the number of presentations, and whether a school is underfunded all impact your rate. Instead of a public price tag, your profile features a “Request Pricing & Availability” button, allowing you to have private, nuanced financial conversations with educators based on their specific needs.

Yes! We highly encourage represented authors to sign up. On your profile setup page, you can easily route the “Request Pricing & Availability” button directly to your agent's email or agency website, ensuring your current representation workflow stays completely intact.

Your profile is fully customizable. You can toggle your availability to show whether you do in-person visits, virtual-only visits, or both. You can also set the distance from home within which you don't charge a travel fee.

The Founding Author designation is an exclusive badge awarded to creators who join us during our initial launch and beta-testing phase. Once this phase closes, new profiles will feature our standard verified creator layout.

Click “Author sign in” in the top menu. You can continue with Google, get a secure one-tap sign-in link by email, or use a password if you've created one in your dashboard. Use the email address you applied with.

Once you're in, your dashboard lets you update your bio, photo, location, visit formats, website and booking links, and your Title I discount/Q&A offers any time. Changes go live on your public page immediately.