Speaking Topics
I am available to speak to writers, entrepreneurs, coaches, and other experts; college students; and middle-schoolers. Scroll down to see presentations available for each group. Of course, I can speak on a topic of your choosing, too.
To schedule me to speak at your organization, please e-mail me at c[email protected].
For Writers
From Manuscript to Publication
Learn what it takes to become a published author. Carol J. Amato shares the writing process, the realities of submitting your manuscripts for publication, and the steps you should take to ensure a sale.
How to Write an Article
Learn the secrets of writing a reader-grabbing lead; a sizzling solidly structured middle; and a snappy close.
The Top 20 Things to Know About Writing Fiction for Kids 8-12
How can you write a book for kids 8-12 that publishers will love? This seminar reveals the secrets to making your story a blockbuster.
Starting and Running a Writer's Critique Group
A writers' critique group multiplies the success of beginning, intermediate, and expert writers by providing the nonjudgmental support system they need to grow and hone their craft. Writers in a critique group share their knowledge to help each other refine the subtleties of plot and characterization, ensure that characters are believable, cut dead wood, and punch up slow beginnings, sagging middles, and weak endings. The interaction of talented minds jump starts imaginations to everyone's benefit. Learn how you can establish a writer's critique group in your area, solicit and screen members and choose the right type of structure, and develop rules that will help the group to function in a positive, helpful manner.
How to Critique Like a Pro
So you’ve joined a critique group and you’re reading or listening to the other members’ manuscripts. What are you supposed to be looking for? What are you supposed to say? This session will tell you what you need to know to critique the various genres of fiction and nonfiction books and articles.
Creating a Media Kit for Your Book
Whether you are published by a major publisher, an independent or small press, or are self-published, whether your book is fiction or nonfiction, promotion is your task. While your publisher may send your work to the major reviewers, you may want to send it to other genre-related ones. To do that, you must present your book in the best light. This means creating a media kit. This session shows you what goes in one and how to create it.
Creating a Media Kit for Yourself as a Speaker
You also need a media kit for yourself if you hope to get speaking engagements. This will be given to the person who books the speakers. This media kit highlights you and your expertise rather than your book, although your book will be a part of it.
How to Write a Teacher’s Guide for Your Middle-Grade Book
Teacher’s guides help to differentiate your book from the pack and open the doors to school markets—and teacher’s guides aren’t that hard to write! Learn about different formats, how to go beyond the scope of your book, and how to find and comply with state standards. Author Carol J. Amato bring samples, tell you about easy, do-it-yourself technology that will enable you to produce professional-looking, kid-and teacher-friendly guides, explain how to publish them yourself or pitch the idea to your publisher, and provide innovative ideas on how to market them.
Exhibiting at Book Fairs on a Shoestring Budget
Exhibiting at trade shows and book fairs is a great way for any author to get exposure for his or her work, but doing so can be prohibitively expensive. How can you take part in these professional events and keep your wallet intact? This session shows you how to be a force at these shows and how to have a great-looking booth on a shoestring budget.
For Entrepreneurs, Speakers, Coaches, and Other Experts
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop I
When you turn your papers in for grading, you want them to be the best possible. Grammar Checkers are limited in their ability to catch mistakes. Even if they do catch the error, they don't tell you how to fix it. This seminar teaches you how to correct six of the most common grammar errors: sentence fragments, comma splices, run-on sentences, subject/verb disagreement, subject/pronoun disagreement, and improper pronoun form. Workbook included. (4 hours)
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop II
Add to the skills you developed in Basic Grammar Workshop I. Learn advanced techniques and subtleties that will make your papers stand out from the crowd. These include how to place commas correctly, avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers, make lists parallel, avoid passive voice, choose proper words, and avoid redundancy and wordiness. (4 hours).
For College Students
Scroll down for details on the following seminars and workshops:
• Conquering the APA • Writing Papers Your Professors Will Love
• Conquering the MLA • 15 Tips for Getting Started in an Online Class
• Basic Grammar Workshop I • 20 Tips for Returning to College
• Basic Grammar Workshop II • Achieving Success in Your College Career (Adult Learners)
• Writing Terrific Paragraphs
Conquering the APA
Feeling confident is key to a successful learning experience. When undergraduate students write papers, they have enough to worry about researching the topic. Adding in the complexities of the required APA format can push them over the edge.
The American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual isn’t designed for undergraduates, especially lower-division students. When students are overwhelmed and frustrated over the formatting, the content of their papers suffers.
Conquering the APA is a four-hour workshop that addresses the main areas of APA format for the 6th edition. Topics include:
• What is a Style Guide, Anyway?
• Formatting Pages
• Title Page
• Body Pages
• Formatting a Page Header and Running Head
• Using the Five Levels of Headings
• Placing Figures and Tables
• Documenting Sources in the Text
• Creating a List of References
• Creating a Template Document in MS Word
• Small Group Practice Session on Formatting References
Upon completion of this workshop, students will be able to format their pages, citations, and references.
In addition to the workbook for this workshop, students will receive a link to checklists, sample reports, and template documents in APA format to help them apply what they learn.
Conquering the MLA
Feeling confident is key to a successful learning experience. When undergraduate students write papers, they have enough to worry about researching the topic. Adding in the complexities of the required MLA format can push them over the edge. The Modern Language Association’s Handbook for Formatting Research Papers isn’t designed for undergraduates, especially lower-division students. When students are overwhelmed and frustrated over the formatting, the content of their papers suffers.
Conquering the MLA is a four-hour workshop that addresses the main areas of MLA format. Topics include:
• What is a Style Guide, Anyway?
• Formatting Pages
• Formatting the First Page
• Formatting the Body Text
• Placing Figures and Tables
• Documenting Sources in the Text
• Creating a Works Cited List
• Creating a Template Document in MS Word
• Small Group Practice Session on Formatting Works Cited
Upon completion of this workshop, students will be able to format their pages, citations, and references.
In addition to the workbook for this workshop, students will receive a link to checklists, sample reports, and a template document in MLA format to help them apply what they learn.
Writing Papers Your Professors Will Love
Writing papers is more than just jotting down your ideas. Every paper needs a thesis statement, supporting information, and logical flow. This workshop teaches you how to create a thesis statement and outline, write an introduction, structure the report body, and formulate a proper conclusion. Workbook included. (4 hours)
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop I
When you turn your papers in for grading, you want them to be the best possible. Grammar Checkers are limited in their ability to catch mistakes. Even if they do catch the error, they don't tell you how to fix it. This seminar teaches you how to correct six of the most common grammar errors: sentence fragments, comma splices, run-on sentences, subject/verb disagreement, subject/pronoun disagreement, and improper pronoun form. Workbook included. (4 hours)
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop II
Add to the skills you developed in Basic Grammar Workshop I. Learn advanced techniques and subtleties that will make your papers stand out from the crowd. These include how to place commas correctly, avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers, make lists parallel, avoid passive voice, choose proper words, and avoid redundancy and wordiness. (4 hours).
15 Tips for Getting Started in an Online Class
Going to school online is definitely different from attending a traditional classroom. You must learn your school's software platform and how to function in an online class. This seminar shows you the ropes of transitioning to the online environment.
20 Tips for Returning to College
You’ve made the critical decision to complete your degree. Perhaps you’ve hit a ceiling at work and need a degree to go further or you want it just for your own personal benefit. Whether you have taken college classes in the past or are new to college life, you may be hesitant to enroll because 1) you think you will feel out of place among all those 18-22-year-olds, and 2) your schedule is already packed with work and family commitments. This seminar shows you the ropes of fitting college demands into an already busy schedule.
Achieving Success in Your College Career (Adult Learners)
Adult learners are highly motivated. They are also anxious or ambivalent about starting or returning to the classroom setting. Working adults return to college to get a degree for many reasons. Chief among these is a desire to advance or change their careers. Feeling confident is key to a successful learning experience. This orientation addresses the specific needs of adult learners and helps them be better prepared for their entrance or return to college. The challenges adult learners face are different from those of their younger counterparts. They may:
• feel that they will be the only older students among thousands of 18-22-year-olds.
• worry how they will fit college classes into an already busy schedule of work and family obligations.
• wonder if they can handle the requirements of a college-level class if they were not good students in
high school
• lack critical thinking skills
• be unfamiliar with the computer programs needed to complete assignments
They can become overwhelmed and regret their decision to return to college. They may even drop out.
Ensuring Student Success
Carol J. Amato's four-hour orientation addresses the specific needs of adult learners. Topics include:
• Discovering Your Learning Style
• Determining Your Peak Productivity Times
• Perfecting Time Management Skills
- Juggling Work, Family, and School
- Creating a List of Priorities
• Developing Effective Study Skills
• Taking Notes That Count
• Organizing Assignment Tasks
• Following Classroom Etiquette
• Dealing with Co-workers, Extended Family and Friends
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Finding Reliable Sources on the Internet
• Handling Group Work
• Overcoming Technology Issues
- Using MS Word
- Using MS PowerPoint
This presentation includes a workbook.
For Middle-graders
All About the Writing Process
How do writers write their stories? This presentation tells kids how authors develop plotlines and create characters for fiction and develop thesis statements and logically organized material for nonfiction.
Romans and Castles and Dungeons, Oh, My!
Most kids don't know that the Roman Empire extended all the way to what is now Great Britain. This presentation takes kids on a tour of Lincoln, England, a town originally settled by the Romans and which contains their ruins in addition to buildings from the Norman times that are still in use today, such as the castle and cathedral.
A Tour of the Navajo Nation
The Navajo tribe is one of the largest in the United States. The Navajo Nation covers parts of four states: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah, yet most tourists going to these states don't know it exists. This presentation takes kids on a tour of Window Rock, a hogan, the 4 Corners monument, and many other places on the reservation. It also tells the kids all about their silver and turquoise jewelry, the beautiful blankets and rugs they create, and their language.
To schedule me to speak at your organization, please e-mail me at c[email protected].
For Writers
From Manuscript to Publication
Learn what it takes to become a published author. Carol J. Amato shares the writing process, the realities of submitting your manuscripts for publication, and the steps you should take to ensure a sale.
How to Write an Article
Learn the secrets of writing a reader-grabbing lead; a sizzling solidly structured middle; and a snappy close.
The Top 20 Things to Know About Writing Fiction for Kids 8-12
How can you write a book for kids 8-12 that publishers will love? This seminar reveals the secrets to making your story a blockbuster.
Starting and Running a Writer's Critique Group
A writers' critique group multiplies the success of beginning, intermediate, and expert writers by providing the nonjudgmental support system they need to grow and hone their craft. Writers in a critique group share their knowledge to help each other refine the subtleties of plot and characterization, ensure that characters are believable, cut dead wood, and punch up slow beginnings, sagging middles, and weak endings. The interaction of talented minds jump starts imaginations to everyone's benefit. Learn how you can establish a writer's critique group in your area, solicit and screen members and choose the right type of structure, and develop rules that will help the group to function in a positive, helpful manner.
How to Critique Like a Pro
So you’ve joined a critique group and you’re reading or listening to the other members’ manuscripts. What are you supposed to be looking for? What are you supposed to say? This session will tell you what you need to know to critique the various genres of fiction and nonfiction books and articles.
Creating a Media Kit for Your Book
Whether you are published by a major publisher, an independent or small press, or are self-published, whether your book is fiction or nonfiction, promotion is your task. While your publisher may send your work to the major reviewers, you may want to send it to other genre-related ones. To do that, you must present your book in the best light. This means creating a media kit. This session shows you what goes in one and how to create it.
Creating a Media Kit for Yourself as a Speaker
You also need a media kit for yourself if you hope to get speaking engagements. This will be given to the person who books the speakers. This media kit highlights you and your expertise rather than your book, although your book will be a part of it.
How to Write a Teacher’s Guide for Your Middle-Grade Book
Teacher’s guides help to differentiate your book from the pack and open the doors to school markets—and teacher’s guides aren’t that hard to write! Learn about different formats, how to go beyond the scope of your book, and how to find and comply with state standards. Author Carol J. Amato bring samples, tell you about easy, do-it-yourself technology that will enable you to produce professional-looking, kid-and teacher-friendly guides, explain how to publish them yourself or pitch the idea to your publisher, and provide innovative ideas on how to market them.
Exhibiting at Book Fairs on a Shoestring Budget
Exhibiting at trade shows and book fairs is a great way for any author to get exposure for his or her work, but doing so can be prohibitively expensive. How can you take part in these professional events and keep your wallet intact? This session shows you how to be a force at these shows and how to have a great-looking booth on a shoestring budget.
For Entrepreneurs, Speakers, Coaches, and Other Experts
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop I
When you turn your papers in for grading, you want them to be the best possible. Grammar Checkers are limited in their ability to catch mistakes. Even if they do catch the error, they don't tell you how to fix it. This seminar teaches you how to correct six of the most common grammar errors: sentence fragments, comma splices, run-on sentences, subject/verb disagreement, subject/pronoun disagreement, and improper pronoun form. Workbook included. (4 hours)
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop II
Add to the skills you developed in Basic Grammar Workshop I. Learn advanced techniques and subtleties that will make your papers stand out from the crowd. These include how to place commas correctly, avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers, make lists parallel, avoid passive voice, choose proper words, and avoid redundancy and wordiness. (4 hours).
For College Students
Scroll down for details on the following seminars and workshops:
• Conquering the APA • Writing Papers Your Professors Will Love
• Conquering the MLA • 15 Tips for Getting Started in an Online Class
• Basic Grammar Workshop I • 20 Tips for Returning to College
• Basic Grammar Workshop II • Achieving Success in Your College Career (Adult Learners)
• Writing Terrific Paragraphs
Conquering the APA
Feeling confident is key to a successful learning experience. When undergraduate students write papers, they have enough to worry about researching the topic. Adding in the complexities of the required APA format can push them over the edge.
The American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual isn’t designed for undergraduates, especially lower-division students. When students are overwhelmed and frustrated over the formatting, the content of their papers suffers.
Conquering the APA is a four-hour workshop that addresses the main areas of APA format for the 6th edition. Topics include:
• What is a Style Guide, Anyway?
• Formatting Pages
• Title Page
• Body Pages
• Formatting a Page Header and Running Head
• Using the Five Levels of Headings
• Placing Figures and Tables
• Documenting Sources in the Text
• Creating a List of References
• Creating a Template Document in MS Word
• Small Group Practice Session on Formatting References
Upon completion of this workshop, students will be able to format their pages, citations, and references.
In addition to the workbook for this workshop, students will receive a link to checklists, sample reports, and template documents in APA format to help them apply what they learn.
Conquering the MLA
Feeling confident is key to a successful learning experience. When undergraduate students write papers, they have enough to worry about researching the topic. Adding in the complexities of the required MLA format can push them over the edge. The Modern Language Association’s Handbook for Formatting Research Papers isn’t designed for undergraduates, especially lower-division students. When students are overwhelmed and frustrated over the formatting, the content of their papers suffers.
Conquering the MLA is a four-hour workshop that addresses the main areas of MLA format. Topics include:
• What is a Style Guide, Anyway?
• Formatting Pages
• Formatting the First Page
• Formatting the Body Text
• Placing Figures and Tables
• Documenting Sources in the Text
• Creating a Works Cited List
• Creating a Template Document in MS Word
• Small Group Practice Session on Formatting Works Cited
Upon completion of this workshop, students will be able to format their pages, citations, and references.
In addition to the workbook for this workshop, students will receive a link to checklists, sample reports, and a template document in MLA format to help them apply what they learn.
Writing Papers Your Professors Will Love
Writing papers is more than just jotting down your ideas. Every paper needs a thesis statement, supporting information, and logical flow. This workshop teaches you how to create a thesis statement and outline, write an introduction, structure the report body, and formulate a proper conclusion. Workbook included. (4 hours)
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop I
When you turn your papers in for grading, you want them to be the best possible. Grammar Checkers are limited in their ability to catch mistakes. Even if they do catch the error, they don't tell you how to fix it. This seminar teaches you how to correct six of the most common grammar errors: sentence fragments, comma splices, run-on sentences, subject/verb disagreement, subject/pronoun disagreement, and improper pronoun form. Workbook included. (4 hours)
Polishing Your Writing Skills Workshop II
Add to the skills you developed in Basic Grammar Workshop I. Learn advanced techniques and subtleties that will make your papers stand out from the crowd. These include how to place commas correctly, avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers, make lists parallel, avoid passive voice, choose proper words, and avoid redundancy and wordiness. (4 hours).
15 Tips for Getting Started in an Online Class
Going to school online is definitely different from attending a traditional classroom. You must learn your school's software platform and how to function in an online class. This seminar shows you the ropes of transitioning to the online environment.
20 Tips for Returning to College
You’ve made the critical decision to complete your degree. Perhaps you’ve hit a ceiling at work and need a degree to go further or you want it just for your own personal benefit. Whether you have taken college classes in the past or are new to college life, you may be hesitant to enroll because 1) you think you will feel out of place among all those 18-22-year-olds, and 2) your schedule is already packed with work and family commitments. This seminar shows you the ropes of fitting college demands into an already busy schedule.
Achieving Success in Your College Career (Adult Learners)
Adult learners are highly motivated. They are also anxious or ambivalent about starting or returning to the classroom setting. Working adults return to college to get a degree for many reasons. Chief among these is a desire to advance or change their careers. Feeling confident is key to a successful learning experience. This orientation addresses the specific needs of adult learners and helps them be better prepared for their entrance or return to college. The challenges adult learners face are different from those of their younger counterparts. They may:
• feel that they will be the only older students among thousands of 18-22-year-olds.
• worry how they will fit college classes into an already busy schedule of work and family obligations.
• wonder if they can handle the requirements of a college-level class if they were not good students in
high school
• lack critical thinking skills
• be unfamiliar with the computer programs needed to complete assignments
They can become overwhelmed and regret their decision to return to college. They may even drop out.
Ensuring Student Success
Carol J. Amato's four-hour orientation addresses the specific needs of adult learners. Topics include:
• Discovering Your Learning Style
• Determining Your Peak Productivity Times
• Perfecting Time Management Skills
- Juggling Work, Family, and School
- Creating a List of Priorities
• Developing Effective Study Skills
• Taking Notes That Count
• Organizing Assignment Tasks
• Following Classroom Etiquette
• Dealing with Co-workers, Extended Family and Friends
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Finding Reliable Sources on the Internet
• Handling Group Work
• Overcoming Technology Issues
- Using MS Word
- Using MS PowerPoint
This presentation includes a workbook.
For Middle-graders
All About the Writing Process
How do writers write their stories? This presentation tells kids how authors develop plotlines and create characters for fiction and develop thesis statements and logically organized material for nonfiction.
Romans and Castles and Dungeons, Oh, My!
Most kids don't know that the Roman Empire extended all the way to what is now Great Britain. This presentation takes kids on a tour of Lincoln, England, a town originally settled by the Romans and which contains their ruins in addition to buildings from the Norman times that are still in use today, such as the castle and cathedral.
A Tour of the Navajo Nation
The Navajo tribe is one of the largest in the United States. The Navajo Nation covers parts of four states: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah, yet most tourists going to these states don't know it exists. This presentation takes kids on a tour of Window Rock, a hogan, the 4 Corners monument, and many other places on the reservation. It also tells the kids all about their silver and turquoise jewelry, the beautiful blankets and rugs they create, and their language.
