SCHOOL TALKS
I love speaking to students about working as a writer and illustrator in Hong Kong. Especially given the emphasis on corporate or academic careers in schools, I love sharing the realities of creative careers with young Hong Kongers and showing them how they could make artistic jobs work for them.
TALKS & WORKSHOPS
A practical walk-through about making a living as a writer and illustrator
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A reflective workshop that challenges students to reframe notions of success
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A real-life creative career simulation for art students
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Free author talks for any of my books
Bespoke materials that align with your curriculum and teaching goals
MISSION COMMISSION
A real-life creative career simulation for art students
Learning how to execute artistic commissions is a necessary skill for many creatives. With so much information out there and very little focusing specifically on the Hong Kong market, it's hard for young creatives to start freelancing.​
In my 2 to 3-hour interactive Mission Commission workshop, students and I work through a real-life commission. We think about what should go into a contract, how to price ourselves, how to come up with ideas when we're feeling blocked, and how to communicate with clients.
FAILURE CLUB
A reflective workshop that challenges students to reframe notions of success
It's no secret that Hong Kong students are struggling. Bouncing back from three years of pandemic restrictions, facing high expectations in and out of the classroom, and coping with a never-ending stream of social media activity, it's almost impossible not to feel like a failure.
In my 1-hour interactive Failure Club workshop, we dismantle the stigma of failure by breaking down its definition and analysing how we fail. I draw on my own anecdotes of going to school in Hong Kong and creating The Hong Konger (which initially was a failure) while outlining frameworks and leading interactive activities for students to understand themselves better and see pathways to long-term success and resilience.
BOOK TALKS
Free author talks for any of my books
Whether you've read one of my books in class or just want your students to get the inside scoop of how these books came together, these talks are for you.
In these 30-min to 1-hour talks, I share the behind-the-scenes work that went into writing and illustrating one or more of my books — depending on what you'd like to hear — and discuss themes, meanings, and intentions behind the art and writing. These talks are free to supplement the study of my books in your classroom.
CUSTOM TALKS
Bespoke materials that align with your curriculum and teaching goals
Sometimes I get very specific requests from librarians and teachers. Requests like, "We need a workshop that uses The Hong Konger as a framework to help Year 6s start their IB PYP exhibitions?" or "We've been studying The Hong Konger Anthology, can we do analyses on these specific artworks and poems?"
The answer is (usually) yes! If you have a particular set of learning objectives, I'm happy to build custom workshops and talks for you and your students, colleagues, or parents.
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We'll get on a call to discuss your requirements and goals; I'll go away and build your workshop; we'll touch base once more before the talk, and after my visit, I'll share follow-up materials and resources from the workshop.
CREATIVE CAREERS
A practical walk-through about making a living as a writer and illustrator
We can't be what we can't see, and if I had known that creative careers were viable and profitable as a Hong Kong student 10 years ago, I may have saved a lot of time, money, and cortisol by pursuing a creative career sooner.
In my 1-hour interactive Creative Careers workshop, I share what I spent and made in my first two years as a writer/illustrator, things I do to maintain a steady income as a creative freelancer, and Hong Kong students can best set themselves up for their own non-traditional, creative careers.
GET IN TOUCH
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Email me at info@sophiahotung.com, ideally with your preferred dates, the age ranges of your students, and preferred workshop or talk I'm available for in-person talks from November 10 to December 1 and online talks year-round.
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We'll have a 15-minute consultation call to review your objectives. I will tailor each talk to your curricula and/or goals so that the presentation material aligns with your students' educational journeys.
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We'll do the talk. ​After the session, students are welcome to email me or ask questions via this anonymous link. I will answer follow-up questions on my blog.
RATES
Online rates: HK $2,500 preparation fee + HK $1,000 per additional hour
On campus rates*: HK $5,000 preparation fee + HK $1,000 per additional hour
Custom workshops may incur an additional HK $1,000 for additional preparation
Book Talks are free but cannot be customised
RECENT SCHOOL VISITS
The Heist of Hooded Light Author Talk
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May 2023: Christian Alliance International School, Grade 3
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Failure Club
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May 2023: Chinese International School, Grade 10
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Mar 2023: Canadian International School, Grade 10
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Mar 2023: ISF Academy, Year 12
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Mar 2023: Wah Yan College, Year 10
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Kickstarting Your IB Primary Years Program Exhibition Project
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Feb 2023: Peak School, Year 6
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Design Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
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Dec 2022: American School Hong Kong, Years 9-12
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Sick Stories Behind The Hong Konger
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Nov 2022: Renaissance College, Year 12
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Nov 2022: Renaissance College, librarian conference
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Dec 2022: American School Hong Kong, Years 9-12
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The Hong Konger for IB: Representing Our City and Our Experiences in the Media We Consume
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Nov 2022: Renaissance College, Year 12
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Lessons in Leadership and Radical Candour
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Sep 2021: Harrow International School Hong Kong, Year 12
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Sep 2021: Harrow International School Hong Kong, gap-year staff​
REVIEWS
Many in our school community have enjoyed and followed Sophia's work, but it was her Zoom visit with our Year 6's that completely blew us away. Sophia's tailored approach was the perfect launchpad for our students as they embark on their exhibition journey.
Sophia delivered not only and engaging and insightful talk, but she also inspired our Year 6 to reflect and plan as they too begin to communicate their passions into a creative and impacting action. We are so appreciative of how thoughtful and insightful Sophia's talk was — we really hope she can do it again next year for our next cohort in Year 6 and for more years to come too!
— Librarian, Peak School
I could really feel that Sophia was a considerate and nice person listening to her talk. In fact, the things she said were the things I was actually thinking about recently a lot and it was nice to know someone else was sharing the same ideas.
— Grade 10 Student, Canadian International School
Address
Pangolin Society Limited, 9A E Wah Factory Building, 56-60 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong