Awesome Author Visits!
Would you like a real, live author to visit your school, library or bookshop?
I run regular creative writing workshops at schools across the UK. Each workshop lasts for at least an hour, and looks at a different aspect of the writing process. Up to three of these workshops can be run in a day.
Due to the nature of creative writing, the workshops are better suited to Key Stage 2 pupils, although they can be adapted for younger children if required.
I have an enhanced CRB disclosure certificate and can provide a copy of this in advance of any workshop.
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THE WRITE STUFF (one hour, up to 60 pupils per session)
Even scarier than the vampires and werewolves in my books is the prospect of facing a blank piece of paper when charged with the task of writing a short story – but I can easily rid your pupils of that fear, freeing their imaginations up and allowing them to invent tales packed with incredible settings, three-dimensional characters and non-stop action.
In The Write Stuff workshop, I take your pupils through the creation of the writers’ most valuable tool – the story plan. With my help, students will:
* Come up with a unique setting and learn how to describe it using all five senses
* Invent rounded, personable characters that readers will want to root for
* Devise a fast-paced plot through a simple, three-step exercise
* Build the story towards an explosive climax – perhaps with a twist at the end
By the time they’ve finished their plans, your pupils will have everything they need to write the ultimate short story – they’ll never be stuck again! The great thing is – once your pupils have learned how to create a plan for their tales, they can use the system again and again – in fact, every time they sit down to write!
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VAMPIRES VS WEREWOLVES GAME SHOW! (one hour, the entire school)
Based around the relics in my Scream Street books, the Vampires vs Werewolves Game Show is fast-paced, action-packed and interactive. I split the audience into two teams and play a series of games guaranteed to get them excited about reading!
It’s a noisy session – but is always loved by both pupils and staff alike!
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TESTIMONIALS:
The workshop was a fantastic way to inspire the children’s story writing. It was invaluable for the children to see the processes a real author uses to create stories. We all had great fun!
Mrs Holland, West End First School
I enjoyed the lesson, so I am sending you a thank you letter. Your teaching was great. I really enjoyed learning how to write stories.
Aaron, West End First School
Tommy worked with my year six class of 34 mixed ability children on a writing project in connection with Seven Stories. Before the project, my class were, on the whole, fairly positive about writing, although some were less than enthusiastic. After the project however, they were ALL really enthusiastic about writing and saw themselves as authors in their own right! Tommy managed to fire up their imaginations and created genuine enthusiasm. His interaction with the children was excellent, holding them in the palm of his hand during the workshops, and culminating in a final celebration of the whole project.
Barbara Brown, St Matthew’s School, South Tyneside
You are mint! I saw you today at my school Meadowdale Middle school and I really cant wait to read your books!
Lauren, Meadowdale Middle School
Thank YOU! I have had so much positive feedback about you from parents and from staff – you really did connect with the children and really helped to make the day something special. We really look forward to seeing you in October!
Clive Bulmer, Sunderland High School Juniors
I’m Bronte, I was in the audience today at Oxford. I really enjoyed meeting you and I really would like to read your books now. I hope to be a writer one day like you. I am 8. I can’t wait for your other books to come out in July. Its really exciting.
Bronte, Oxford Literary Festival
You came into our school earlier this term and what an impact you made on my students! My group of 11 EBD students were captivated by your enthusiastic and funny approach to reading and writing. They were even more impressed that the actual author was standing in front of them! The way you involved the students was fantastic and their attention was held for probably the longest I have seen for a while. Some students, who previously didn’t read much outside school, have been enthralled by the Scream Street series of books. So much so that we bought the remaining three books for each of the children in class as a Christmas present. They now can’t wait for the next Scream Street installment!
Austin Fry, North Liverpool Academy
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My rates are based on those suggested by the Society Of Authors: £300 per day, plus travel expenses. I prefer to run workshops within daily traveling distance (I live in Lancashire), but events can be arranged further afield with the addition of overnight accommodation.
For further details of school bookings, and to check whether a particular date is available, simply email me.
(The booklet is in .pdf format and you may need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to open it.)
Tommy's Books...
