Building wonderful worlds!

We've just come back from a weekend at Kilve, creating Tall Tales and Wonderful Worlds. We had a great time making stories come to life with storytelling, maps and models.

On Friday we played story consequences which was a good giggle and is a great way to get ideas for plots and characters. We also chatted about the history of storytelling and how to perform tales to an appreciative audience!

Saturday morning was grey and drizzly but that didn't stop us setting off as a tribe in search of a new home. We explored the surrounding area for suitable areas that would provide food, water and shelter, as well as provide cover against invading armies! We discovered a perfect wooded area next to a stream and began building dens to protect us from the wind, rain, and the possibility of dangerous creatures lurking in the woods.

We walked down the steam on the way back - which was wet and cold and muddy! But all these experiences just help us to think of really great descriptions when our characters have to face similar situations!

When we returned to Kilve Court we began planning maps and models of fantasy worlds, eventually building them 3D out of junk, tissue paper, glue and paint. It really helps when you're writing a story, especially if it's set in a fantasy world, to have a model like this so you can work out the terrain your characters will be passing through and what obstacles they'll meet. Below is a photo of Freddie's world, where a large city is trying to expand into the territory of a smaller city, causing conflict across the mountains.

After the maps and worlds were almost finished we started to write stories about them, remembering to include lots of description and giving the characters good problems or challenges to face. In the evening we watched a film to see a fabulous fantasy story with intriguing characters and settings - 'The Labyrinth'.

Rosie and myself were making books whilst watching the film - we often have these little notebooks for sale on our courses and you could win one if you enter our quaterly writing competition. Each one is unique because we make them ourselves from scratch!

Sunday was spent finishing off maps and worlds and improving the starts of stories, ready for the presentation. Everyone went home brimming with ideas - their maps and models can always be turned to when students are struggling for a story start!

We're getting ready for 'Funtastic Fairies' and 'For the Love of Books' at Leeson house, if you're coming we look forward to seeing you there!

Bye for now ~ Jennifer (and Rosie).