The Blog
First line prompts for story writing
One of the most popular things we do at Young Writers is the five-minute story writing challenge. When I first introduced this idea, it was met with horror. How could you possibly be expected to produce a piece of story writing of any worth in just five minutes? But...
Nine-line poetry – The Magic 9!
When I first came across a poetry form called The Magic Nine, I was immediately intrigued. Though I love having a go at writing poetry and simply going with the flow, I also like a challenge. This one appealed because it is a structured form that follows the rhyming...
Recipe for a Story
Want to know how to cook up a story idea? Make a recipe! Follow this simple recipe. All you need are a few good ingredients. Mix them up with a bit of imagination and you’re good to go. What you will need:- Two characters- A place- Two objects- An adjective- An...
The power of the metaphor
Although not easy to come up with, I love a metaphor. I guess that’s partly what makes them so appealing. That, and the fact you don’t need to use many in your writing for them to have an impact. Unlike similes that make a direct comparison with something else using...
Writing and English support for children
Hello and thanks for stopping by. I’m so glad you’ve found my writing club. I’m Nikki and I started Storymakers in 2017. This was just after the publication of my first book, The Mystery of the Disappearing Underpants. At that time, I had been freelance writing and...
Personification practice for writers.
I love personification. It is one of my favourite writing techniques. Perhaps this is because of the vividness it brings to your writing, as well as the idea that you can give life to your settings in a way that is only possible using this technique. Plus, it's fun!...
Why do we use similes in writing?
I mean, why bother? Just say what you mean, right? Well, I have to say I love similes. They add so much to your writing in what we call imagery. In other words, it helps the reader see, in his or her mind’s eye, what the writer is trying to describe. So, what is a...
Stream of consciousness writing
Planning your writing is important, but delving into your consciousness can also be a rewarding and fun way to practise. In my last blog, I talked about planning and I'm a huge advocate of doing this. From starting with a blank page, planning helps you formalise your...
Planning a story
It can be tricky, sometimes, when you’re asked to write a story but don’t know where to start. That's where planning comes in. Today, I’m going to share some ideas with you that may help. It’s all about the planning. Honest. Whilst there are those who can put pen to...
Write a sentence about…
When it comes to writing, and reluctance to write, I always encourage starting small. You’d be surprised by where that can lead. One of the writing exercises I’ve been doing with the children at the Storymakers’ Summer School these last few weeks is an extremely...
The Magic Sand – A Short Story
I am always encouraged to hear the children have been writing when not attending the Storymakers groups. What a delight to find out that one of them had won a writing competition! Aliona attended the Story Writers group throughout lockdown and she wrote The Magic Sand...
What am I?
The Young Writers got creative recently with some 'what am I?' quizzes. Can you guess what they're describing? Can you come up with your own? 1.)I can whistle but I can't talkAnd I can dance but can't walk.I can brighten someone’s day or make it worse!I'm invisible...