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I am happy to do talks and school visits everywhere, though the South of England is easiest. I do workshops and talks for years 9 and 10, often linking in with the History department or Holocaust studies programmes. For the workshops I usually let the pupils into my novel, as it were, and get them to produce ideas for a new episode. What I aim to achieve with these workshops is to lead them through the kind of process that I go through when I'm writing an episode. I put them in small groups, then get them to work out writing techniques, descriptive details, and characterisation together, then each group feeds back to me and gets my authorial response to their ideas. One person in each group acts as note-taker so they have a written record of what's gone on. Unless I had a whole day with one group, I don't expect finished work to come out of these workshops, but I give out a worksheet that they can use to write afterwards. Some very exciting work is produced as a result. For talks - which I can offer to adults as well as schools - I also use a powerpoint presentation, with some images that come from my family - like my mother's Nazi-era ID card, and family photographs, but also with photographs that I and my husband have taken in Germany, so the pictures are quite personal. I talk about family history, and my own experience of being the second generation from Nazi Germany and coming to terms with its legacy. 'Leslie Wilson is not only a first class writer and teacher; she has that rare ability which allows her to relate to her teenage audience and help them to understand how to use historical documents and creative writing techniques to enhance their skills. If Leslie has not visited your school please do consider inviting her.' Judith Palka, Librarian The Gateway: Theale Library and Adult Learning Centre . The most recent workshops I have done were at Theale Green School, Berks, Little Heath School Reading, and Red Maids School, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. I also did a talk at Borders in Newbury for the pupils of Kennet School, Thatcham, and Trinity School Newbury, a talk at Sidcot Quaker School and talks at Nottingham High School for Girls GDST. I charge £250 for half a day, and £350 for a whole day. Expenses and travelling time by negotiation, depending on distance travelled. A half day would involve a maximum of two workshops (for not more than 30 pupils), or two talks (which could be for larger groups), and a whole day would involve a maximum of three workshops (with a decent lunch break in between) or three talks. If you are a voluntary or charitable group (not public school) and are strapped for cash, I may moderate these charges, and under exceptional circumstances, do a freebie.
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