Having been banging on about wanting to write fiction for about four decades (and I have actually just completed my first ever novel) I simply couldn’t resist taking part in this blog blitz organised by Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for Lexi Rees’s new book Creative Writing Skills: Over 70 fun activities for children.
As well as sharing my review today, there’s also the chance for you to win a copy of the book. Details are at the bottom of this blog post.
Creative Writing Skills: Over 70 fun activities for children is available for purchase on Amazon US and Amazon UK.
Creative Writing Skills: Over 70 fun activities for children
Discover the secrets to becoming an amazing author
- Find your creative spark
- Grow your skills and confidence
- Have more fun with your writing
Packed with top tips, this awesome workbook has everything you need to know about creating colourful characters, perfect plots, dynamite dialogue, and lots more …
My Review
of
Creative Writing Skills
Over 70 fun activities for children
A workbook to develop creative writing in children.
Although Creative Writing Skills: Over 70 fun activities for children: Over 70 fun activities for children is ostensibly aimed at children in the 7-11 age range, it is a fabulous resource for aspiring writers of all ages from 5 -105! As soon as I saw the alliterative chapter titles I knew this was going to be a brilliant book.
I do have one niggle (and I usually do with children’s books) as I would prefer ordinary sentences not to be written entirely in upper case letters because I’d rather model how we expect sentences normally to be written. I completely forgive Lexi Rees this time though, because when she does use sentences entirely in upper case, they are usually pointing budding young writers to a really helpful or important piece of advice and I know children will love the format and variety of font and style.
Indeed, the advice in Creative Writing Skills is superb for all writers. Everything from show, don’t tell, for example, through development of character to the W arc for plotting, are covered through hints and tips that don’t patronise, but rather encourage young writers to improve and develop so that this book is a fabulously helpful resource. There’s space to write and draw, wonderful appealing illustrations and the opportunity to go beyond the realms of the book with website suggestions to visit for further ideas and stimulus.
I think Creative Writing Skills: Over 70 fun activities for children is absolutely brilliant. I adored it. There’s so much to occupy and entertain that I think it would make a wonderful gift for any child – especially one who loves writing, is perhaps housebound or in hospital and unable to do something physical or who simply needs some help in their writing. As for me, I’ve rolled my dice for character, setting and problem and am off to write a story about a monster getting lost in a forest… I suggest you go and buy this fantastic book!
About Lexi Rees
Lexi Rees writes action packed adventures for children. As well as the Creative Writing Skills workbook, the first book in The Relic Hunters Series, Eternal Seas, was awarded a “loved by” badge from LoveReading4Kids and is currently longlisted for a Chanticleer award. The sequel, Wild Sky, will be published in November.
When not writing, she’s usually covered in straw or glitter, and frequently both.
She also runs a free club for kids designed to encourage a love of reading and writing which you can check out here.
For more information visit Lexi’s website, find her on Facebook and Instagram or follow her on Twitter @lexi_rees.
Giveaway
Lexi is offering the chance to win a copy of Creative Writing Skills: Over 70 fun activities for children here, with a choice of paperback or pdf for UK winners and pdf for international winners.
Please note this giveaway is being run independently of Linda’s Book Bag.
Thank you so much!! I had great fun creating all the activities and a fabulous designer – Emma from October Creative 🙂 I’m really pleased that you feel it has a broad appeal – that was really important to me as I wanted even the most reluctant writer to feel it was totally achievable and also to stretch the budding War & Peace author.
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I thought it was brilliant Lexi. I’d just been to a writing session with Alison Bruce for adults and you provide the same advice accessibly and with great humour and fun.
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Sounds like a fun book – and congratulations on completing your novel!
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Thanks Mary! 2% brilliant. 20% passable and the rest dross but at least I have something to work with!
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Writing can become such a serious and painful business, we all need a book like this to remind us to explore and play with it too.
And many congratulations on completing your novel. Brilliant news.
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We do indeed Karen! And thanks for your congratulations. I doubt my book will ever reach a reader but at least I wrote it!
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Will pass this on to the local teachers I know who are nobly running an after school children’s storytelling and writing club to make up for the less imaginative fare they get in the classroom. Thank you for sending it my way!
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It’s such a good book for youngsters. I hope they enjoy using it.
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