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Regular news and insight from our many poets, writers, educators and facilitators

16 November 2024

Posted by Susan L. Edser

Snow Storm

Ali Sparkes is a children’s author who leads writing sessions for Junior and Young Writers every Saturday morning at MAST Mayflower Studios. To learn more about her, visit her website: https://www.alisparkes.com.


Susan L. Edser, MA graduate in Creative Writing and Publishing and winner of Bournemouth University’s Vice Chancellor Award 2024, is Ali’s assistant and writes the weekly blog. 



The ‘Winter’s Tale’ theme continued this week, with the writers immersing themselves in snowy stories around a campfire. Ali kicked them off with Fill-in Fun, which took a festive turn (early, I know. Sorry, parents!). The stories involved reindeer, Christmas trees and presents, but with the writer's usual dramatic turns to make the stories engaging. While waiting for others to finish, Ali challenged the Junior Writers to name biscuits from A to Z. Have a go. It’s more challenging than you think!


The first writing exercise focused on a protagonist walking in the snow on their way to a campfire. Ali encouraged them to build on the work from last term by using all the senses to make the writing atmospheric. Sue found a wintery soundscape to inspire the writers, and Ali layered it with howling and footsteps. They produced beautiful and powerful work about a winter spirit, an injured man, and hungry wolves.


Ali then asked them to continue the story, with the characters joining their friends at the campfire but arriving late. The older group were encouraged to base the story on medieval Southampton in early December 1394. Ali’s ‘Box of Wonder’ contained the reasons for the tardiness, ranging from ‘given an enchanted apple’ to ‘poked a hornet’s nest’. Their tales held embellishment and intrigue, typical of those told amongst friends on a snowy, stormy night. Some collaborated, while others worked individually, but all the stories captured our imaginations. The only things missing were marshmallows and hot chocolate. Next time…

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