StoryGodmother Newsletter #27 - The Importance of looking back...
Hello!
Nearly at the end of the year! I hope the last few weeks of 2024 go well for you. If you’ve attended any of my courses or followed me for a while, you’ll have gathered that I’m a big fan of being bold creatively, bending rules, trying new things, and shaking things up a bit (I’m a visionary archetype – these things can’t be helped). That being the case, 2025 is going to be a bit of a shake-up year for me. As well as exploring things creatively with my first step into adult fiction, I’m also looking at new initiatives, new partnerships, new possibilities and new opportunities for emerging writers. There are so many different ways to make things happen and exciting times are ahead. The fingers are wiggling. Watch this space.
RESOURCES
The Importance of Looking Back
Usually, we are encouraged to keep our eyes fixed ahead and keep pushing, pushing, pushing, going, going, going...
But.
I think actually, from time to time, one of the best things we can do is stop – and instead of looking forwards, look backwards. Reflection is a powerful and often underused tool. How do your characters actually change, actually grow? It’s not just by pushing, pushing, going, going in pursuit of an external goal. It’s about being introspective, reflecting upon themselves, and understanding the change which has happened, the change which is happening, and the change which is yet to come. Think of it as Scrooge’s three ghosts, if you will. Herein lies understanding, and motivation. Change is happening, but sometimes it can happen so slowly, we don’t always recognise it.
It's the same with writing craft. Every time we write, we grow. Every time we take a course or learn a new skill, we grow. Every time we read someone else’s story and consider their word choices, we grow. And this growing affects our writing. But if we only focus on the external goal (Have I been published? Have I got an agent? Have I finished this book? Have I been listed in a competition? Have I written 1000 words a day?), we can miss the importance of the slow, steady changing and growing in ourselves as writers. If we always write, we will always grow. It’s a lifelong process. I’ve had 30 books published since 2009 and I am still growing, still learning, still changing, still improving. It doesn’t stop, nor should it. Creativity is such a living, organic, authentic process that as we change as people throughout life, our writing can change with us.
But.
How often do we stop and reflect upon all this?
As we approach the end of the year, why not take some time to reflect on what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown as a writer? Not just in your writing craft itself, but also in your mindset as a writer. Consider your writing at the start of 2024 – compare it to now. Consider your writing two years ago, five years ago... ten years ago... You should see some change, some growing. Celebrate this. If you’re still here, still writing, still fighting, celebrate this, because you could have given up at any point this year.
Yes, it’s important to celebrate goal-based wins, but also celebrate you as a constantly evolving writer who is learning all the time. Look back and reflect on 2024, understand the changes you’ve been through, understand the changes you still want to happen, and prepare for an exciting 2025 where there are changes yet to come.
CHARACTER CORNER
Think mindfully about how each of your characters reacts to the environment they are in (the storyworld generally as well as each individual scene they are in). How and why do they respond differently? Every character’s story is different – their experiences are different; their personalities are different; their attitudes are different... How is this reflected in the way they interpret their environment and how does this interpretation affect the way they behave?
Sometimes you can show their reactions to environment very briefly – perhaps as a nod or hint to something in their backstory, or to consolidate something we suspected about the characters. Brief reactions can be useful during action scenes, as you want to keep up the pace.
At other moments, you can use the interaction between character and environment to explore character and reveal something important, such as motivation or goals, character flaws or wounds, character relationships and dynamics, or neurodiversity, and so on. Have a play!
FREE Q&A
I’d love to invite you all to join me on Wednesday 11th December at 7pm for an open Q & A session, a chance to celebrate 2024 and look ahead to 2025. It’s a chance for you to ask any questions you would like about writing for children. Feel free to bring along a drink and a nibble of choice.
As a thank you for being part of the community and to celebrate Christmas, I’ll be entering everyone who comes into a lucky draw for some Christmas prizes, including free courses for 2025 and free coaching sessions.
You can get your ticket here:
Storgy Godmother Christmas Q&A Session
Is there anything special you'd love me to run a course on? Drop me a line at sparkles@storygodmother.co.uk and I'll see if I can fit it into my 2025 teaching plan.
COMPETITIONS
FREE COACHING COMPETITION
For those of you who are new to this, as a thank you for subscribing to the newsletter and to help coaching become accessible to all, I offer a FREE 30-minute coaching session over Zoom (worth £30 – no strings attached) via a lucky draw every newsletter, for anyone who would like to take part.
For more on the coaching sessions, please see my Coaching page.
If you would like to enter, please email comps@storygodmother.co.uk with COACHING 1.12.24 in the subject line and you will be entered into the draw. All entries must be received by the Wednesday after the newsletter is sent out. So, in this case, please get your entries in by Wednesday 4th December 23:59BST.
I will contact the lucky winner directly, so if you haven’t heard anything, please assume you’ve not won this time, but please do try again next time! If you’ve already won a free coaching competition, please can you refrain from entering again this year to give other people a chance to win.
WRITING MAGAZINE CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE
Reading is very much underway for this. It’s been a bumper year for entries but we’re hoping to have a longlist very early on in January 2025 – keep your eyes peeled for news at: Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize 2024 – The Story Godmother
READER NEWSLETTER
Just a reminder that if you’d like to follow my writing news, hear details of events and competitions, access bonus material, etc. please do sign up here: Amy Sparkes Readers The first issue is coming soon!
TEACHING
Kickstart your 2025 with some exciting courses. Thank you to those of you who have contacted me requesting particular courses. I’m excited to announce the first two:
Monday 6th January – Monday 10th February
Writing Middle Grade (6 weeks) - £85
A comprehensive deep-dive into writing middle-grade fiction, including:
• Exploring middle-grade
• Generating and developing your ideas
• Breaking into the market
• Character building
• Structure and plot
• Opening lines
• Effective antagonism
• Weekly Q & A
• Writing exercises / tasks
• Optional extra: Discounted feedback on your opening chapters
• Sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time
Only 20 spaces available, so please don’t leave it too late to book.
Tuesday 7th January – Tuesday 11th February
Picture Books: Going Deeper (6 weeks) - £85
Spend six weeks deep-diving into the wonderful world of picture books and hone your writing craft.
Includes:
• Shaping your idea
• Genre, tone and voice
• Create a stunning opening spread
• Small changes = big difference
• Making your text sing
• Analysing texts
• Weekly Q & A each week
Sessions are recorded and available for a limited time There are also only 20 spaces available for this one, so please don’t leave it too late to book if you’re keen.
MENTORING
Those of you who have followed me for a while know that around November, I usually invite applications for my annual mentoring scheme. But this is one of the shake-up things for 2025 and I’m still putting plans into place. So please keep an eye open in January for news.
CRITIQUE FEES
My picture book critique fees have been the same for many years now. I deliberately keep them low but I do spend hours on the feedback so I’ve decided I should put the prices up a little from 1st January. However, if you were thinking of booking a slot for January, you can do so at 2024 prices if you book before 31st December. I will have space for 5 picture books only, and it’ll be first come, first served. Text can be sent in the New Year in case you’d like some more time to work on it.
If you’d like to book one of the spaces, please email me at sparkles@storygodmother.co.uk
Currently prices are:
Report only (minimum 3 pages): £40
Editorial feedback and report (some editorial suggestions marked on text): £50
Detailed line-by-line feedback and report: £70
STORY GODMOTHER WRITING COMMUNITY
Do you use Facebook? Great – join the Story Godmother Writing Community on Facebook. It’s a free, private and friendly group, where writers can share encouragement, thoughts or interesting finds. I also share weekly writing tips, we have a monthly self-promotion slot for everyone’s books (past, present and future), and I’m there to answer any questions you have because I’m on Facebook way too much. Come and join us! Story Godmother Writing Community
It’s a private group and a friendly bunch – a safe space for you to grow as a writer. And it’s absolutely free. If you request to join, please do make sure you answer the membership questions and agree to the group rules.
END NOTES
Thanks for reading. Hope to see you on the 11th!
If you’ve found this newsletter helpful, please do spread the word to other writers you know – the more, the merrier!
With writerly love,
Story Godmother x