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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 a person shoplifting dragon fruit, prosthetic limbs, and even Simon Cowell made an appearance.

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. Open the link for more information:

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

This is an opportunity for everyone to read their work and show their family, friends and carers how much they have learnt. Today, 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!

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