Lizann Flatt

Readings

For Kindergarten to Grade 3, Lizann will read from her non-fiction picture books and short stories. This involves audience participation in the form of verbal responses and physical motion. She brings along small props to illustrate the history of transportation to augment Let’s Go! readings. Lizann can also focus on nature topics such as habitats, the different types of animals, or life cycles and food web with The Nature Treasury. Lizann is open to tailoring her readings to meet the specific needs of a classroom.

For Grades 4 to 6, Lizann will read from short stories, articles and Backgammon for Kids (which can include a focus on math and probability). The difference between fiction, non-fiction, and poetry is discussed in conjunction with her various published works. Using real life experiences in writing fiction or nonfiction, the role of research, and revising are also covered.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed, if arranged in advance.

Workshops

Workshops focus on writing, editing and revising with a discussion of the differences between the genres of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Students are led through an interactive exercise to come up with a collaborative story (best for young students) or individual stories (best for older students). This walks students through the elements of good writing with a focus on the creation of strong characters, conflict, and plots. The structure of a nonfiction article and elements in effective nonfiction are also explored. The role of revision and editing is explored using examples from Lizann’s rough drafts. Lizann can customize the workshop to focus entirely on fiction or nonfiction if preferred.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed, if arranged in advance.

Biography

Lizann Flatt began sharing her writing with her family and friends at an early age. She wrote plays with her cousins and insisted they perform them at family gatherings. She wrote her own neighbourhood newsletter and pestered the neighbours to give her news to fill it. She loved to write stories in English class and she saved her allowance to buy books. Fortunately, Lizann’s family, neighbours, and teachers were very nice and they didn’t squash her early dreams and efforts. Lizann first saw her name in print when she won a story contest in Owl magazine. “A Tale of Two Hags” was published when she was 13.

After high school Lizann studied for an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. After graduation she worked in the editorial department of Chickadee magazine in Toronto. This combined her love for stories, crafts, puzzles, and learning about nature. She held several editorial positions there until working her way up to become Editor of Chickadee. After many years at the magazine her focus changed to raising three children with her husband, but she couldn’t stop writing.

Today Lizann lives in rural central Ontario and divides her time between her family, her writing, and teaching for the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her most recent titles include Let’s Go!: The Story of Getting from There to Here and The Nature Treasury: A First Look at the Natural World, both from Maple Tree Press. Her writing has also appeared in Babybug and Highlights for Children magazines, Chicken Soup titles, and educational textbooks.

Other Presentations

Lizann Flatt is available to speak or give workshops at conferences or with writers’ groups about writing fiction or non-fiction for children.