Our blogs

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

08 March 2025

Posted by Susan L. Edser

Frankenstory

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
and click on her profile: https://artfulscribe.co.uk/facilitators/ali-sparkes

 

Susan
L. Edser, MA graduate in Creative Writing and Publishing and winner of
Bournemouth University’s prestigious Vice Chancellor Award 2024, is Ali’s
assistant and writes the weekly blog. To learn more about her, click on her
profile: https://artfulscribe.co.uk/facilitators/susan-l-edser

 

 

The
Junior and Young Writers began with their favourite warm-up exercise: fill-in
fun. This week’s partially written story was about a tired Alex and Jane, and
the writers completed the sheet with wide-ranging events that made the others
laugh. They featured shoplifting dragon fruit, prosthetic limbs, and even Simon
Cowell.

 

Over
the next few weeks, our work will build towards the Community Showcase on Sunday
23rd March, from 2.30pm to 5pm at MAST Mayflower Studios. This is an opportunity for everyone to read their work and show their family, friends and carers how much they have learnt. Open the
link for more information:

https://artfulscribe.co.uk/events/show/1685/artfulscribe-community-showcase-litfest-local-2025


To develop their writing prowess, Ali set
multiple Frankenstories. The starting sentences
were:

-      
It
was the smell I noticed first.

-      
The
teacher pointed at me, red-faced, and said, ‘…’

-      
‘Argh!
Get it off me!’

-      
The
box under the bed started to make a noise.

 

Sue
chose inspiring music, and Ali timed them. When the buzzer went, the writers
passed the story to the person on their right, continuing from where the last
person left off. Ali blew bubbles, claiming the writers would be inspired if
they touched them! Genius! Their work was entertaining and skilful, as always.
Do you want to know what they wrote? Come to the showcase and hear how this
talented bunch of children and young people can weave creative stories, even in
a piece with many authors.

 


















This
week, Melina won ‘Writer of the Week’ for her laugh-out-loud fill-in fun. She’s
always a strong writer but deserved the much sought-after award above all
others. Well done, Melina!

PreviousNext

Archive

Back to blog

What's on

Find out more

Our projects

Find out more

Our films

Watch now

Headlight Press

Find out more

Latest news

18 February 2025

Newsletter

News and Opportunities for Solent Writers and WritingLitFest Local 2025MAST Mayflower StudiosFriday 21st - Sunday 23rd MarchArtfulScribe gathers writers from...

Read more

Our blogs

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

Find out more

Resources


Why not get in touch?