Thank You ....

Huge thanks to all the Young Writers who turned up on Saturday.  It has been a while since I had fourteen there and the atmosphere was absolutely electric!  We continued on the theme of script picture stories for comics - looking at the different genres open to us.   Some of their ideas are truly awesome!  Their imagination knows no bounds and that is exactly why I love to encourage children to write!

The assignment was to either buy (or get a grown up to buy) a comic to read through, choose one of the stories and then show how they would lay that out that if they were writing it - ie how they would describe the picture, what words the characters are saying and how they would  progress the story, bearing in mind everything we have covered the last two sessions.    So big Well Done to everyone; you are an inspiration.

The book launch afterwards was a great success!  Many thanks to the members who bought copies.  I have plenty left in stock so if anyone else wants one, let me know next session and I will bring them in.  I will sign them if you want me to.  Massive thanks is due to the library staff for allowing me to hold the launch there.  Here's to many more!

The next session is on 11th April so hope to see you there.  And have a lovely Easter everyone.

BIG Day Tomorrow ...

Just a quick reminder about tomorrow's session - looking forward to seeing everyone. And please pop along afterwards for the Book Launch which runs from 11 to 12!  All very exciting!

Comic Genius ...

Yet another highly successful session last weekend.  Introduced the members to writing Comic Strips.  It went down very well - particularly with those who had not given it a go before!  The assignment set was to write a new comic strip story and I just know they will deliver!   Just to recap the basic Comic Strip story starts off with an idea, a couple of characters and a script  - and  I could almost see the lightbulb ideas switching on in their heads and that is truly inspirational when the average member is age around seven years!   Unbelievable!  So with twelve members present the session just flew by.  And it was great to see them working in pairs because I didn't suggest that - they just did it instinctively.  Huge Well Done to everyone for giving it a go!

Everything is almost ready for the Book launch on 21st March and I do hope you will come along.  I will be giving away bookmarks and there'll be sweets to pick at so hopefully it will be a successful event.  Should be quite a few there and, to show my appreciation for allowing me to hold the launch in the actual library, I will be donating a couple of copies of the book.  It is the least I can do really!

You should have all received your update sheets with dates for sessions up to July but if you haven't then the dates are also featured in the last blog post.  If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas, please let me know.  I'd so appreciate any feedback!

See you on 21st!

Saturday's Session

Have been sooo busy trying to organise the launch of my new book that everything else has taken a bit of a back seat.  With the next session only days away I felt I should give some feedback about the session we had on 21st February and I apologise for the fact it has taken me so long.

The session was really well attended.  Thirteen children turned up which was brilliant and we managed to wind down the poetry for the time being to make room for the new project which we start this Saturday, which I am sure the Young Writers will tackle head on  because they tackle everything  head on.  I have been mightily impressed with the standard of their poetry of late and have taken to copying out the ones I am most interested in for use in the proposed quarterly newsletter.

Was sorry to hear we are losing Phoebe.  She has been a staunch member and supporter since the group began three years ago and her input has always been invaluable.  She will be sorely missed - particularly by me - but I wish her well for the future.  And who knows?  Maybe our paths will cross again some day.  Perhaps when she is a famous writer.

So here are the dates for the next sessions, a copy of which I will be giving out this Saturday:

May 1st

May 16th

June 7th

June 20th

July 4th

July 25th

When we come back in September (which will be on the 5th), I will give you the autumn and winter dates to take us into (incredible as it sounds) 2016.

And finally I want to mention the subject matter for March - fanfare please - we will be doing Comic Strip stories.  Yup!  You read that right.  And this is something we have NOT done before.  I will be preparing some sheets to get them all going so we will see what they can magic up this time!

And I know I will see you all before the Book Launch but please come along on 21st March straight after the session.  

Till then - Good Writing To You All!!!

PS - This Sunday marks the first year anniversary of the re-launch of Addiscombe Young Writers. Thank you all so much!!!