LOOKING GOOD!!!

Hi everyone.  Had another cracking Young Writer session on 5th November - 10 children.  This seems to be the average now, which is fine by me and pretty manageable.

I brought a dummy copy of the new book in to show the members and they all looked delighted.  I am now awaiting a hard-copy proof from Cherrills (the printer), which should arrive any day.  I have also asked for the cover of the finished books to be laminated - I think that will give it extra quality. PLUS I managed to match the 22 pages of the first book and I think it is going to be brilliant. Huge Well Done to everyone.

At the last session, we looked at setting the scene to add atmosphere to our fiction  and the assignment was to incorporate everything we have covered since this topic began - developing realistic characters, developing plot and adding atmosphere through scene-setting - and write a brand new story using all the "ingredients".  I must say I have been very very impressed by everything the members have accomplished during this period as it has been pretty intense.  But - much to their relief (and mine to a degree) - we will be starting something new this weekend - something we have not really done previously, although we have touched on it.

I was delighted a few days ago to take delivery of the first ever AYW trophies! Such a thrill - and my hope is that these will be presented no later than January.  They are absolutely gorgeous and I know just how much they will be appreciated, too!  Plan now is to get everyone to this stage - but of course - much of it lies with the Young Writers themselves and how much work they are prepared to put in.

I don't think I will be disappointed.

See you Saturday.

Happy Halloween!!

Hi everyone.  I have just not had a minute to write a new post for the AYW blog and I am so sorry!  I just hope you are all ok.

Continuing with the story theme, the last session (22nd October) saw us looking at way to build a plot.  The idea that an IDEA plus a CHARACTER can create a plot was explored, with the Young Writers creating a "plot sheet" with characters on one side and situations on the other which could then be linked together by a line drawn between them - and the assignment was then to produce a story from those various "ingredients".  This is based on a "Plot Book" I created some years ago for my own use which followed the same principal - and it is in fact a wholly effective way to get the creative juices flowing!

I have promised the Young Writers that I will try to bring a dummy copy of Word Magic 2 in to the next session (this Saturday 5th November).  The layout is almost finished now and it would be great to get their reactions so I will do my best - even if it is not the whole book.  It has actually proved quite a challenge this time, trying to give everyone's work equal exposure but I must say I am pretty happy with what I have managed to do so far.

So will sign off for now but look forward to seeing you all on Saturday.

"All About Me" ...

Very good session on 24th September.  We touched on something we have not covered before (yes - there are still a few things yet to explore) and that was Autobiography, Biography and Memoirs.  I explained the difference between the three - autobiography being about the life of the person writing, biography being about the life of someone else and memoirs being odd little memories that just come back to us once in a while.  I also explained that not only famous people are covered by these, but many ordinary people as well, who want to share with future generations something they have experienced, but don't necessarily want to tell the story of their whole life.

We all love writing and talking about ourselves and each and every one of us has unique experiences to our name so I got the members writing something about themselves, initially.  The assignment set was to write a biography of someone they know - a family member, friend or even a pet or toy - and I was only looking at a maximum of one page so it shouldn't be too taxing for them.  Any brought in for marking will count towards their next certificate.

We had ten children turn up which is brilliant and looking forward to seeing everyone this Saturday, 8th October.

Still working on the new Word Magic book, doing some whenever I get the opportunity and it is starting to take shape nicely.  I will let you see the dummy copy when it is ready.

And please let me know of any school fetes, fayres or bazaars coming up so I can sell copies of my books - or if you want extra copies of my book "My Writer" for Christmas presents, please let me know.

See you Saturday, then.

Hello Again ...

We had a good session on the first day back after the summer break.  Seven young writers turned up including a possible new member and we eased our way in gently with a brief exercise in description. This is a subject rarely touched upon.  But it is a warming thought that most of the Young Writers do it instinctively already!  So I paired the children up as best I could and had them describe their partner.  I didn't set an assignment - they start this week, so that the members can get back on the Certificate Trail.

I have been busy since my last post, compiling and laying out the new book Word Magic 2 and when I have completed a dummy copy, I will bring it in and show the Young Writers then ship it off to the printer.  My hope is that it will be launched in December to take advantage of Christmas buying.  I thought a cover price of £2.50 per copy would be okay - but everyone whose work appears in it or who are active members of Addiscombe Young Writers will get a free copy.  I'd like to see proud mums and dads buying extra copies for friends and family, so fingers crossed.  Let me know what you think about the cover price.

Don't forget we have a session at the library this weekend - 24th Septemeber - and here is a list of future dates right up to the end of March 2017:

8th & 22nd October
5th & 19th November
3rd & 17th December
7th & 23rd January 2017
4th & 18th February
10th & 24th March

I will let you have the dates for April onward a bit later.

See you all Saturday.

Soon Be Back ...

Hi y'all!  Got an email from a member of the library team asking when our Young Writer Sessions start up again.  Just in case you missed it, we are back a week from this Saturday - that is 10th September, so looking forward to seeing you then.

We've Arrived ...

Hello everyone. Yes - it is me - back from the beyond and writing this blog in our new home.  The move went off very well after the removal van's early hiccup when it decided that - as we were about to set off on our first trip to the new house - it was time for a rest with the engine stubbornly refusing to turn over for half an hour!  Then along came liberation in the form of our neighbour's people carrier.  One quick jump-start and the removal van sputtered to life and behaved perfectly for the rest of the day!

It took us three trips in the end to shift everything from A to B - but, oh, it was worth every second! Almost three weeks later our new home is coming together really well with most of the rooms already finished and only half a dozen or so boxes still to unpack.  We think we have done incredibly well, really.

So the plan this week is to finally start to put the new Word Magic book together.  I haven't really had time to even think about it until now so by tonight, I should know if I have at least got enough material to fill it!  I know I have quite a lot - but not all members got round to submitting their contributions so I won't know until I start to go through it if - a - if there is enough and b - if everyone currently active in the group will be represented.  My hope is that everyone will - otherwise we may have a problem.  Anyway I shall come back to you on this in a few days.

Did everyone enjoy the Rio Olympics?  Unfortunately, because it was two weeks before our TV could be set-up again, we missed the bulk of it - but that doesn't mean we weren't cheering Team GB on with all our hearts!  And to finish second in the medals table was a massive achievement so a huge well done to all of them - athletes, trainers, supporters, back-room staff, logistics - you all did amazingly well.

I hope their wonderful displays of spirit inspired the Young Writers to enter our summer competition. Don't forget that I left entry forms at the library but if they have all gone and your budding author or poet still wants to enter, there is still time.  Let me know and I will email a copy over.  Closing date is 10th September - which - by coincidence,  is our first session back after the summer break!

Hope you have all enjoyed your summer?  Looking forward to seeing you all again on the 10th.  And Keep Writing!

Competition Entry Forms ...

Thank you to those who turned up on Saturday and for all your ideas for the coming year's programme.  Watch this space.

Also wanted to just remind you that there are spare competition entry forms at the library so if your Young Writer couldn't make it on Saturday and would like to enter, just enquire at the desk in the main library.

Thank you also for the work I have had handed in for the new book.  Once I am moved and settled, I will start going through it and working out how to present Word Magic 2.

I will be pretty much out of commission for the next couple of weeks but you can still reach me by email or on my mobile if you need to.

See you in September and huge thanks to all the Young Writers for all their hard work over the past year.  Very very well done!