Looking forward to seeing everyone at Saturday's session - same time, same place. Please encourage the Young Writers to return their completed books if possible as every single one handed in will earn its young author a Special Award Certificate. Closing date for this is now 3rd of October. Any coming in after that will still count towards their next certificate but will miss out on the Special Award - which would be a great pity after all the hard work put into it. Learning to work to a deadline is good for any aspiring writer and helps one to focus - and I have already extended this once, so it would be lovely to get them all in so I can carefully read and critique every one.
Also - let me know if you did not get a copy of the newsletter AYW - ok and please bear me in mind if there are any school fayres, bazaars or fetes coming up. And finally I do still have a number of first edition copies of my book My Writer. This would make a lovely Christmas present and only costs £4.99. I'll even sign it if you like! Just let me know and I'll fetch it along for you.
See you Saturday.
Thursday, 17 September 2015
Tuesday, 8 September 2015
WOW! That's All I Can Say!
Last Saturday's first session of the new school year was absolutely amazing! I could never have imagined, in my wildest dreams, that ten Young Writers would come along including three Newbies! And what an absolute pleasure it was to see everyone! Even missing Maddie turned up - and oh but has she had some adventures since I last saw her!
To kick things off gently, we just talked about what we did during the summer and wrote little reports and one or two actually brought their books along to work on which was a joy! We had a couple of little talks. I asked the Young Writers if there was anything they particularly wanted to try. The suggestions ranged from song-writing to writing and performing a play - with a smattering of "new kinds of poetry" and "new stories" thrown in for good measure. One interesting idea was to come up with a leaflet that could be taken to school and given out to friends, so I am thinking about that one.
I announced that I was planning to hold some competitions during the coming school year and arrange a couple more trips out and guest speakers in. I think the biggest surprise for everyone was when I gave out copies of the autumn newsletter - to tell the truth I was a bit surprised myself because, after months of thinking about it and planning how I could do it - I actually collated and printed off the entire thing within three days! Its title is AYW - ok (your writing - your work) which just fell into place. If you didn't get a copy and would like one, I will be bringing in some more to the next session on 19th September. My plan at the moment is to produce another around Christmas, then one around Easter and the summer one around July. That's the plan anyway!
And talking about Christmas - let me know if you'd like to buy a signed copy of my latest book My Writer. It would make a good present and - even better - it might even encourage and inspire another youngster somewhere to try their hand at Creative Writing! Or even inspire a grown-up!
And once again I am appealing for news of any Autumn or Christmas fayres or bazaars coming up at your child's school. Please be sure to let me know and I will do my best to book a table and hold a book-signing.
So that about wraps it up for now. Thanks again for your ongoing support and here's to another year of Good Writing!
To kick things off gently, we just talked about what we did during the summer and wrote little reports and one or two actually brought their books along to work on which was a joy! We had a couple of little talks. I asked the Young Writers if there was anything they particularly wanted to try. The suggestions ranged from song-writing to writing and performing a play - with a smattering of "new kinds of poetry" and "new stories" thrown in for good measure. One interesting idea was to come up with a leaflet that could be taken to school and given out to friends, so I am thinking about that one.
I announced that I was planning to hold some competitions during the coming school year and arrange a couple more trips out and guest speakers in. I think the biggest surprise for everyone was when I gave out copies of the autumn newsletter - to tell the truth I was a bit surprised myself because, after months of thinking about it and planning how I could do it - I actually collated and printed off the entire thing within three days! Its title is AYW - ok (your writing - your work) which just fell into place. If you didn't get a copy and would like one, I will be bringing in some more to the next session on 19th September. My plan at the moment is to produce another around Christmas, then one around Easter and the summer one around July. That's the plan anyway!
And talking about Christmas - let me know if you'd like to buy a signed copy of my latest book My Writer. It would make a good present and - even better - it might even encourage and inspire another youngster somewhere to try their hand at Creative Writing! Or even inspire a grown-up!
And once again I am appealing for news of any Autumn or Christmas fayres or bazaars coming up at your child's school. Please be sure to let me know and I will do my best to book a table and hold a book-signing.
So that about wraps it up for now. Thanks again for your ongoing support and here's to another year of Good Writing!
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Almost Ready To Go Again ...
Had the most amazing time in Jersey with Steve, Weather pretty good most of the time. Wrote a few poems whilst over there. Nice to know I have still got it. But this isn't about this writer, it is about your writers. I hope they have had an long restful summer but still found time to do some writing!
The Young Writer sessions start again on Saturday 5th September and I can hardly wait to see everyone. Yet despite the fact it is around four weeks since the previous session, I have found the summer has just flown by at a rapid rate of knots! I haven't even started planning the next sessions yet although I have had plenty of ideas! Over the next few days I am determined to sit down and get things organised. A new blog post seemed like a good way to get started so here I am!
Couple of things I do need to tell you before we kick off. The first is that the session I have planned for 12th December is going to be moved and will now be on 5th December, with the final session of 2015 now taking place on 19th December. I know it's a little close to Christmas so you may have other commitments but if I don't do it this way, the group will go sessionless (is there such a word?) for several weeks and we can't have that, can we!
The other thing is something I do not quite like to admit but it is this. Where is Maddy? I have no idea who had her last and would appreciate some help to track her down. I feel dreadful that I have lost track of her and I know whoever has her is taking good care of her. But we have had several new members join recently and I know of at least one more likely to join up when we next get together and I was rather hoping to let one of the newbies have her. If you have Maddy - or know who does - could you let me know ASAP? I'd be ever so grateful!
So to conclude, the next sessions will run thus:
5th September
19th September
3rd October
17th October
31st October
14th November
28th November
5th December
19th December
And I will let you have the dates for after Christmas in a couple of weeks.
Looking forward to seeing you all on 5th then. Enjoy the rest of the holidays.
Love Jilly
The Young Writer sessions start again on Saturday 5th September and I can hardly wait to see everyone. Yet despite the fact it is around four weeks since the previous session, I have found the summer has just flown by at a rapid rate of knots! I haven't even started planning the next sessions yet although I have had plenty of ideas! Over the next few days I am determined to sit down and get things organised. A new blog post seemed like a good way to get started so here I am!
Couple of things I do need to tell you before we kick off. The first is that the session I have planned for 12th December is going to be moved and will now be on 5th December, with the final session of 2015 now taking place on 19th December. I know it's a little close to Christmas so you may have other commitments but if I don't do it this way, the group will go sessionless (is there such a word?) for several weeks and we can't have that, can we!
The other thing is something I do not quite like to admit but it is this. Where is Maddy? I have no idea who had her last and would appreciate some help to track her down. I feel dreadful that I have lost track of her and I know whoever has her is taking good care of her. But we have had several new members join recently and I know of at least one more likely to join up when we next get together and I was rather hoping to let one of the newbies have her. If you have Maddy - or know who does - could you let me know ASAP? I'd be ever so grateful!
So to conclude, the next sessions will run thus:
5th September
19th September
3rd October
17th October
31st October
14th November
28th November
5th December
19th December
And I will let you have the dates for after Christmas in a couple of weeks.
Looking forward to seeing you all on 5th then. Enjoy the rest of the holidays.
Love Jilly
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Almost Summer Holidays ...
Don't forget we have one more session left this side of the summer and that is this Saturday (25th July), same place, same time. We will be reviewing some of the topics covered and, of course, there will be lots of encouragement for the Young Writers to complete their books. When everyone is back in September, I will ask them all to bring in their finished books for a photo call!
I won't be setting any assignments for the summer - I think they have enough to do - but I will be suggesting the children keep a holiday diary, just to keep their creative juices in full flow.
I will do another update following Saturday's session - but in a couple of weeks I am off to Jersey with husband Steve so blogs etc will just have to wait till I am back!
If your youngsters can't make this Saturday's session because of holiday commitments, don't worry. We will all be back on 5th September.
I won't be setting any assignments for the summer - I think they have enough to do - but I will be suggesting the children keep a holiday diary, just to keep their creative juices in full flow.
I will do another update following Saturday's session - but in a couple of weeks I am off to Jersey with husband Steve so blogs etc will just have to wait till I am back!
If your youngsters can't make this Saturday's session because of holiday commitments, don't worry. We will all be back on 5th September.
Thursday, 9 July 2015
AMAZING!!!
Had eight Young Writers at last week's session. Huge welcomes to new members Timothy and Sthilta (I hope I have spelt that right!). Lovely to see you.
Had the youngsters working on their books and it was a sight to behold, I tell you. Eight little figures, hunched over tables littered with pens, paper, notebooks - all completely focused on their creations - even the new ones. In fact they were so engrossed that I almost felt like I was intruding if I sat too long with one or asked any questions! They just wanted to write write write - exactly like I did at their age (and even do these days - husband Steve says he knows when he's lost me for a while when I get a certain look in my eye - which is usually when I have had a new idea or am mulling over an old one).
I can't tell you how much I admire these talented wordsmiths! And purely because they hang on to every word I say and have put so much of themselves into these books, I have told them that everyone who completes their book by September will get a special award certificate. Believe me they have earned that!
So we have just one more session left before the summer break and that is on 25th July. I will be bringing in some treats that day, I hope you don't mind. But I have told them they can still write if they want to.
So see you all on 25th then!
Good writing, everyone!
Had the youngsters working on their books and it was a sight to behold, I tell you. Eight little figures, hunched over tables littered with pens, paper, notebooks - all completely focused on their creations - even the new ones. In fact they were so engrossed that I almost felt like I was intruding if I sat too long with one or asked any questions! They just wanted to write write write - exactly like I did at their age (and even do these days - husband Steve says he knows when he's lost me for a while when I get a certain look in my eye - which is usually when I have had a new idea or am mulling over an old one).
I can't tell you how much I admire these talented wordsmiths! And purely because they hang on to every word I say and have put so much of themselves into these books, I have told them that everyone who completes their book by September will get a special award certificate. Believe me they have earned that!
So we have just one more session left before the summer break and that is on 25th July. I will be bringing in some treats that day, I hope you don't mind. But I have told them they can still write if they want to.
So see you all on 25th then!
Good writing, everyone!
Friday, 3 July 2015
See You Tomorrow
Sorry haven't been back in a few days - lots of family stuff going on. Just a quick reminder that we have our penultimate session at Ashburton Library tomorrow - 4th July. Please encourage the Young Writers to bring in the books they made last session and also their notebooks and the Information Sheets I gave out (I will have spare copies on me just in case). Tomorrow will be geared towards perfecting their work so that they can start to write the final draft into their special handmade books.
It should be very exciting because at the end of all this work each Young Writer will have a book to show people, to keep for future reference and to share. It is a huge achievement and they should be very proud of themselves.
So see you tomorrow between 9.30 & 10.30.
It should be very exciting because at the end of all this work each Young Writer will have a book to show people, to keep for future reference and to share. It is a huge achievement and they should be very proud of themselves.
So see you tomorrow between 9.30 & 10.30.
Monday, 22 June 2015
The Books Are Taking Shape!
The Young Writers really got into the spirit of things last Saturday as they began to make their books. It was so rewarding for me to see the glow of pride on their faces as they watched their hard work come to fruition. This is why I do this. If they are feeling as if they have made such a massive achievement by producing a book themselves, can you imagine how they would feel if they grow up and actually publish one!
Big AYW welcome to our new young lady member (whose name momentarily escapes me as I do not have any of my paperwork with me - terribly sorry). It was great to see her getting really into it all even though it was her first day and I am sure she will love being a member because she is so enthusiastic. I will add her name next post and look forward to seeing her again.
Please please do not forget to let me know if there are any school fetes, bazaars or fayres coming up so I can arrange some signings of My Writer whilst supporting our local educational establishments. I have sold roughly half my stockpile which is brilliant - but because it is about a young girl who loves to write, I am keen to get the word out to even more people so any suggestions appreciated.
Next session is on 4th July but I'll come back to you before that. Have a good day everyone and thanks again.
Big AYW welcome to our new young lady member (whose name momentarily escapes me as I do not have any of my paperwork with me - terribly sorry). It was great to see her getting really into it all even though it was her first day and I am sure she will love being a member because she is so enthusiastic. I will add her name next post and look forward to seeing her again.
Please please do not forget to let me know if there are any school fetes, bazaars or fayres coming up so I can arrange some signings of My Writer whilst supporting our local educational establishments. I have sold roughly half my stockpile which is brilliant - but because it is about a young girl who loves to write, I am keen to get the word out to even more people so any suggestions appreciated.
Next session is on 4th July but I'll come back to you before that. Have a good day everyone and thanks again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)