Where does a story start?
How many characters do you need?
What makes dialogue sound like real speech?
These are just some of the questions young writers ask.
I’ve been writing professionally for more than 20 years, for 8 – 12 year-olds, very young children and for those in between. I have an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University, where I taught Creative Writing and Contemporary Publishing on the MA for 11 years.
I love taking my writing into schools and libraries, giving readings and workshops. I charge a fee (the Society of Authors’ recommended rate) and can adapt my workshops for a variety of age-ranges and to fit with the curriculum.
I offer two kinds of visit:
A reading plus a talk about how I write, where I get my ideas from, how I create characters, dialogue and setting, and the difference between writing picture books, novels and information books
or
A workshop-based visit where we explore elements of story – then share our own writing. There are always plenty of ideas to take away for further writing.
I also run groups for adult writers. Whether you are writing for children or for adult readers, I can help you to develop your skills in a supportive workshop atmosphere. Some of the elements we look at are character, description, dialogue, setting and pace. Together we can identify the strengths of your story and look at areas for improvement. We’ll have some fun too.