Name Pronunciation

Becca’s last name used to be easy to pronounce—but then she got married. Here’s a trick for pronouncing Wierwille: “Ask me how my family was doing . . . we were well!”

 Speaking Topics

For Readers (School/Library Visits)

• Meet the Author (K-2nd): Hear some of Becca’s story, including what it was like to grow up with one arm, and learn how she fell in love with writing stories—especially stories that remind readers they are wonderfully created.
• Road Trip Rescue (3rd-7th): Listen to a brief reading from Road Trip Rescue and hear Becca’s story about how this story—and these characters—came into existence. This presentation includes a focus on where stories come from and how young writers can create their own stories.
  
• Road Trip Return (3rd-7th): Listen to a brief reading from Road Trip Return and hear Becca’s story about how this story—and these characters—came into existence. This presentation includes a discussion about research and writing an international adventure, and a focus on how we can learn and grow through reading and writing. This option is primarily recommended for groups that have already experienced the Road Trip Rescue presentation.
• Author Q&A (3rd-8th): Have you ever read a book and wondered how it came to be? What would you ask an author if you had the chance? Get your questions ready, because Becca wants to answer them! This option is primarily recommended for groups that have already read one of Becca’s books and can come prepared with questions.
• Behind the Scenes of Storytelling (5th-8th; best with smaller groups): How can you take pieces of your real life—or things from your imagination—and create a story? Becca shares her story creation process with young readers and encourages them to create stories from their own lives and imaginations.

For Writers (Workshops)

• Fiction for Children 101: Do you want to write stories for kids, but you’re not sure how to get started? The truth is, whether you’re writing a picture book, middle-grade adventure, or YA romance, the elements of good storytelling remain the same as they do for any fiction genre. You need strong character development, a solid plot, a captivating voice, and evidence that you’ve done the hard work of revision. In addition to overviewing the different types of children’s books, this workshop will explore how we can gear each element of storytelling toward our specific audience—in this case, kids.
• How to Create a Self-Editing Plan that Works for You: After you write “the end” on your manuscript, you’re still not finished. Many authors and editors have great tips on how to revise your story, but how do you create a self-editing plan specific to you and your story?
• Crafting Realistic Characters: Character development is at the core of every story, but crafting believable, realistic, and distinct characters can be challenging. This interactive workshop is designed to teach writers how to develop strong, authentic characters. When the workshop is over, participants will have new ideas for style-specific strategies they can employ to develop compelling characters.

For More Information:

For more information, including my statement of faith and author mission statement, visit this page.