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

05 July 2025

Posted by Susan L. Edser

Firsts and lasts (nearly)

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


This week was our penultimate session of the term. Ali warmed up our youngest writers today with the first-ever Fill-in Fun. They filled in the blanks and made up stories that made the others laugh and, unexpectedly, feel sick, especially for the vegetarians in the room!

The group prepared one last time for their showcase for their parents and carers next week. Ali shared the Frankenstories they had begun and asked the writers to finish them. They read each one out, and Ali whittled them down to three that showed the most potential. The best one will be read out next week at the showcase. It’s brilliant! Not to be missed…

The ‘Writer of the Week’ was jointly awarded to two people: Megan for her clever and inventive writing in her Fill-in Fun, and to Poppy for her good writing and editing, as well as for being kind to a younger person in the group.

The second session of the morning was with the Young Writers. They also focused on preparing for the showcase next week. As a warm-up, Ali shared the original Fill-in Fun, which was like an old friend to some and new to others. Their mini masterpieces were, as always, entertaining. The following exercise involved Scrabble tiles. She asked each group to pick 15 letters and come up with as many words as possible. ‘Feathers’ won the longest word, while ‘clove’ was the most interesting. Ali invited them to write a story using as many of the words as they could. This technique enables them to conjure unexpected tales, such as those featuring protagonists with fake tans and eating cats. Nice.

The writers chose their best work of the term, which felt like their ‘greatest hits’, including classics like ‘Elf on the Shelf’. Each read it out, was timed by Ali, and they will perform it in the showcase. Everyone attending is in for such a treat!

Rowan won ‘Writer of the Week’ for his entertaining poem crafted from the words he made from the Scrabble tiles. Excellent work, Rowan. Thanks also to his little sister, Willow (a member of the Junior Writers), for sharing his success in the photo.

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