The Blog
How to encourage your children to read more
I was on a train to London the other day and didn’t have a seat. As I stood near the door, I looked around the carriage and something struck me. Apart from a couple of people reading a newspaper, everyone else was on a device. Some were watching videos, others...
Writing Club for Teens and Tweens
Do you have a teen or tween who loves writing? The Young Writers Club is a writing club aimed at children aged 11 years and above. This relaxed, grown-up style writing group brings together like-minded souls who want to foster their love of creative writing in a...
11+ Revision and Story Writing
I’ve had a busy summer here at Storymakers, and I can’t quite believe how quickly it’s gone.Many people have booked extra 1:1 sessions to help prepare for the 11+ exam. Although not every county in the UK has grammar schools, lots of them do and the 11+ is a big deal...
5 ways to get kids writing for fun
The 2022 National Literacy Trust survey of children and young people’s writing habits once again revealed disappointing results. According to this survey, it is not common for kids to engage in writing for the sheer fun of it. Writing is not a leisure activity that...
Descriptive writing in easy steps
Follow these easy steps to learn how to write descriptive pieces using a photo as a prompt.
Does my child need to be a reader in order to be a good writer?
Being a good reader is a hugely beneficial and important skill for children. How does it help with writing, though? Reading helps with:IdeasUnderstanding story structureSeeing how writers use language in storytelling The more children read, the more likely they’ll use...
Poems on the theme of loneliness
The inspiration for this post came from the poems, The Loner by Julie Holder and The New Boy by John Walsh. This is an ideal exercise for KS3 (ages 11-13). The first is about a boy who always stands by the wall in the school playground and never joins in. He’s reached...
Book anthology in aid of Ukrainian refugees
I've partnered with book publisher, Saronti, to bring together a collection of stories written for children by children. It's called Sunflowers and Nightingales and all the proceeds from the sales will go to charities, such as War Child and Four Paws, helping the...
How to create a reading culture within your school.
As an author, I regularly visit schools to deliver creative writing workshops. What I’ve noticed, is that it's obvious when there’s a strong reading culture within the school. It’s not only that there are books, and references to books, everywhere you look, but there...
How to write an acrostic poem
Acrostic poems are one of the most popular poetry forms. Children loving writing them and I think, perhaps, it’s because they have a starting point – something to work from. I’m going to take you through some steps you can do to practise before putting together your...
Children can be published authors too.
Do you know any budding young authors? I’ve been making that publishing dream a reality for children for some time now. My holiday workshops involve a week of idea brainstorming, planning and writing. This results in the children receiving a copy of their story in...
Encourage creative writing: Work with an author
As an author, I often visit schools Recently, I went to a school and, while signing in at reception, a boy behind me whispered to his mum, “That’s Nikki Young!”. He recognised me because they had been reading my book, Time School: We Will Remember Them before I came...