In the words of author Anne Lamott, “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” This sentiment resonates deeply as we guide our students on their creative writing journey.

This year, we welcomed a fresh intake of Creative Writers, and some super keen writers returning for another year.  Term 1 was aimed at highlighting the pivotal role that planning and idea generation play in the development of good writers. Students embraced numerous challenges designed to stretch their creativity and adaptability in planning for unexpected scenarios. This included writing a story with exactly 100 words from an assigned starting point, and the Frankenstein story, where elements such as the protagonist, setting, and plot were assembled from existing stories. These exercises not only required innovation but also encouraged students to think outside the box.

In Term 2, our focus shifted towards honing creative writing skills. We delved into the intricacies of crafting compelling story openings. We looked at how we employ foreshadowing effectively by studying published examples such as Death by Scrabble by Charlie Fish and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. Students developed their understanding of how to use dialogue to create character voice and studied how famous authors integrate and tag dialogue. Additional activities worked on implementing plot twists and mastering the 'show, not tell' technique. Each of these elements contributes to a well-rounded narrative and fuels the students' imagination.

This term, we are excited to commence the much anticipated 'Write a Book in a Term' project. This initiative provides students with the unique opportunity to synthesise all they have learned to create a piece of creative writing that reflects their voice and style. Throughout this process, we will conduct regular checks for planning, engage in meaningful conferencing, and guide each student through the editing phase, resulting in a completed story by the end of term.

We are looking forward to reading these amazing and creative narratives.

Ben Gadsby