Did You Get Your Letters?

Hi everyone.  Hopefully you have all received your letters and information sheets by now.  Please get in touch if there is anything else you want to know.  And thank you to Lisa (mum to Oliver and Sophia) for texting me.  As I said I know that the Saturdays will not suit everyone but hopefully it will be okay for some of you.  I will be putting up some local posters and flyers shortly, so keep an eye out for them.  I am also contacting a number of local schools, so hopefully that will generate some interest, too.

If your children have lost interest in the group or are unable to attend the sessions because of other commitments,  could you let me know what you would like me to do with their work?  I think I will probably keep it for another four weeks or so and, if I haven't heard from you by then, I will take it you don't want them and I'll shred them so that I can free up some storage space. I have work from quite a few so if you do want it back, could you drop me a line or text me?  At the end of the day it is their work and they are entitled to have it back.

If the children aren't coming back, it might interest them to know that Forward Press have launched a page on their website which is specifically for young writers.  It looks like they offer competitions and advice to young writers so it might be a good way to keep their interest.  The email address is www.forwardpoetry.co.uk  It might also interest you to know that the BBC runs competitions for child-authors and poets,  You just need to log onto their Writer's Room pages.  I don't have the link at the moment, but I will look it up and put it into the next post.  I hope they are able to utilise these if they aren't coming back because it is important they put into practice all the fundamentals they got from AYW so that we can be sure there will always be a future generations of writers and poets!

I think that is it for now. Once again everyone thank you for helping to make AYW the success it was.  My plans now are to make it better still.  Best wishes, and keep in touch!

Look Out For Your Letters!

Hello again everyone.  Following on from my previous post about the relaunch of AYW, I am just writing to let you all know that your letters will be in the post by the end of the week.  The letter is going out to the parents of all previous members, but please spread the word and let me know if anyone else is interested in signing up their talented scribes.  I will also be approaching the most local schools and getting some posters up around Addiscombe over the next couple of weeks.  Honestly I cannot tell you how excited I am by all this.  And it would be so nice to see some familiar faces on 8th March; even if it is just to say hi and pick up some work from before (although it goes without saying that I'd love it if everyone came back and stayed!).Also keep an eye in the local papers because I am hoping to get some coverage there as well - and possibly even local radio if I can find a way in!

Thanks for checking the blog and - and I can really say this now - see you soon!

Here We Go, Here We Go, Here We Go ...

Hello everyone.  Okay want some really good news?  I have finally got some dates for AYW sessions!  Join me in a cheer and tell all your friends!  The group will be relaunched with its first session on Saturday 8th March, 9.30 - 10.30 at the Ashburton Library in Shirley Road (next to the Oasis Academy).  The following sessions are planned for 22nd March, 5th April, 12th April and 26th April, all Saturdays, all 9.30 - 10.30 and all at the library.  The library team and I will then review it and, all being well,  put some more dates together.  The sessions will still be free.  Parents are allowed to leave their children with us if they are aged 8 and over, but the library team has stressed that the parents of children aged 7 and under  - although not necessarily sitting with us, are required to stay on the premises and are most welcome to use the facilities there.  The other thing is that I will be starting the Certificate Trail again , right from scratch, because I am confident we will get a new flock of budding writers in, but all those talented scribblers from the original group will fly though them.  And at least that way I can keep better tabs on who has got where.

I seriously considered starting the group again in February, but after some thought decided it would be better to start it in March because it gives us all time to get The Word Out - and this means posters, flyers, letters to all previous members, texts and emails - and hopefully some local newspaper coverage.  So there you are. Keep and eye out for your letters and, if you know any other youngsters who might be interested, let me know and I will send letters to them as well.  And please spread the word at your child's school and Sunday school.

I am so delighted to finally have some good news for everyone and cannot wait to see you all again in the not too distant future!

AT LONG LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone!  I am SO excited.  Oh - Happy New Year by the way!  I have finally heard from my contact at Ashburton Library.  I got an email on Friday to confirm I can re-launch the Young Writers!  I am going for a meeting next Saturday (11th January) to confirm dates and my plan is to do a new flyer, a new email, new texts and get some newspaper coverage to let everyone know when the first session of 2014 will be.  See?  I said I wouldn't give up on it - or on you - or on the Young Writers - and I didn't.  Anyone who was a member before is very welcome to come back.  And if younger siblings want to give it a try this time, then why not fetch them along?  Boy - I have missed you all.  My writing life came to a complete standstill without you.  Watch this space.  Back with dates very soon.  Promise.

Hello ... !!

Hello to everyone out there in Addiscombe Young Writers land.  Just thought I would let you know I haven't forgotten you.  I am still waiting for the forms from the library and unfortunately they will not let the sessions resume until these have been completed.  I emailed and asked the other day and was told they are still waiting for them. They are  very excited about the group re-starting and I am going to try and work towards a January relaunch, so keep one eye on this blog.  In the meantime, please keep your young scribes scribbling - and if anyone needs any help or advice, drop me a line.
Good Writing.

Looking Good ...

Looking good for the Young Writer sessions, at the moment, everyone.  Have had an email from the Ashburton Library in Shirley Road and they have said they are happy for the sessions to start up again there. There is just a couple of forms for me to fill out and as soon as they are in place, I will let you know when the first session will be.  This is really exciting because I think being in the library, surrounded by books, will give a new lease of life to the group and it would be much easier, I would think, to then get Guest Speakers in. 

Plus I think the Young Writers themselves will be very inspired.  I know I will be.  So keep an eye on the blog for further news but when I get the dates, I will email, text or write to as many of you as I can, anyway.

One other quick thing to mention.  I am still holding on to prizes for the winners of the Mothers Day competition winners and I would like to ensure the children receive these.  I also have an awful lot of their work - assignment sheets and session sheets - which I would very much like to return to them.  Once we know the session dates, perhaps you could come along and collect all this, even if your children do not want to be regular members anymore...

Finally, please let me know dates of autumn or Christmas Fairs coming up so I can sell copies of Word Magic.  And if you would like to buy copies to give as Christmas Presents, let me know ASAP so I can get them out to you in plenty of time.  Once Steve and I have recouped our final £60.00, we can start donating to charity just as we originally planned, but I do need your help with this so any response would be very gratefully received.

Good Writing!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Hi everyone.  What a pity we have lost our lovely venue at PMT.  I feel terrible for Amanda and Clark because they put so much into that place.  It must have felt like a real kick in the teeth to just have to let it go, although I know it was stressing Amanda out quite a bit in the end.  But fear not oh mighty carriers of the pen!  Several mums texted me and suggested we approach the library next to Oasis School in Shirley Road and I did this earlier today.  I spoke to the head librarian there and told her of our dilemma and she does not think it will be a problem to switch the sessions to there.  All I have to do is send her an email which she will pass on to "the people upstairs" and I should find out fairly soon whether or not we can go ahead, and if so, when we can start.  I will do that this weekend and get back to you all.

In the meantime, please give the Young Writers my love and tell them that, all being well, we should be able to pick it all up again sooner rather than later.

Watch this space ....