Baubles, tinsel, lights and ornaments are our inspiration for this week’s writing challenge! Imagine this… You find something strange in a box of Christmas decorations. What is it and where has it come from? Who did it belong to, and what will you do with it now? Will your discovery change what happens this Christmas? If you’re not sure where … Read More
Dare to Write: Bonfire Night
Remember, remember, the fifth of November; gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot. This weekend is Bonfire Night, the annual commemoration of Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot being foiled. Across Great Britain, bonfires will be blazing and fireworks lit. So, in celebration of all that, our next writing dare is… Describe your most … Read More
Dare to Write: Spooky Cottage
It’s Halloween! The night where the border between our world and the magical world is at its thinnest. Fantastic and spooky things can happen on this night. Our writing dare is inspired by the mysterious… “You are going trick-or-treating. You discover an old cottage hidden in your local park. Creeping up the black stone pathway, you reach the front door. … Read More
Dare to Write: Stopped Clocks
The clocks went back last night, so we thought it only appropriate to have a time-turning challenge for our next Dare to Write! Imagine this: you wake up to find all the clocks have stopped. Everyone and everything is frozen. Time is standing still. Where do you go and what do you do? Or, if you’re not quite ready for … Read More
Dare to Write: What’s Your Wonka?
In honour of Roald Dahl Day, this Dare to Write challenge is inspired by a passage from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: “Mr Willy Wonka can make marshmallows that taste of violets, and rich caramels that change colour every ten seconds as you suck them, and little feathery sweets that melt away deliciously the moment you put them between your … Read More
Dare to Write with David Almond
David Almond is the acclaimed, award-winning author of children’s books including Kit’s Wilderness, The Fire Eaters, Counting Stars, A Song for Ella Grey and Skellig, which won the Carnegie Medal. David is also our Chief Writing Ambassador, working with Paper Nations to share his own writing approaches, techniques and beliefs through special events and other collaborations. We chatted to David … Read More
Dare to Write with Katherine Woodfine
Katherine Woodfine is the author of the bestselling The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow and The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth. A true champion of children’s literature, until 2015 she worked for reading charity Book Trust, on projects including the Children’s Laureate and YALC, the UK’s first young adult literature convention. She now combines writing with other children’s books projects, … Read More
Dare to Write with Martin Brown
Last week we shared an interview with writer and illustrator Martin Brown –one of the UK’s most prolific contributors to the children’s book industry and best known for his work on the series. More recently, he has written and illustrated his own non-fiction book for children, and is currently developing a follow up. We were incredibly lucky to have him … Read More
Dare to Write with Julia Golding
Julia Golding is a multi-award winning writer for children and young adults. She has published over thirty books in genres ranging from historical adventure to fantasy, including the Mel Foster, Young Knights and Cat Royal series. Here, she shares some secrets about her earliest ever adventures in writing, and her advice for would-be writers of all ages, before giving … Read More
The Dare to Write Quest
It’s the last week of the summer holidays, but there’s still time to get involved in our Dare to Write Quest! The aim of the quest is to get young people started on their journey to become young writers. We’ll do this through a series of four challenges that will help kids everywhere explore their writing interests. The Dare to … Read More