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Once upon a time

when ....

Stories written by children, for children.

Are you between the ages of 5 - 12 years?

Do you have a crazy imagination?

Do you love creating stories?

Would you like to be a part of an amazing book written by children, for children?

Join our mission to create a global children's book and let's see what happens when we create stories, together!

Submit stories

The Beginning:

Do you create amazing characters and love scene setting?

The Middle:

Does your imagination go wild when developing a story?

The End:

Does finishing the story with a twist, or surprise, fill you with joy?

we're looking for children to write the beginning, middle or end of a story. if you have a story idea that you've been wanting to tell, then submit it as the beginning. another child, who likes it, will then create the middle and the ending will be written by someone else.

let's see what amazing stories we can create, together!

So, let's start at the beginning.

we need you to create and write the title and beginning of a story. it can be based on anything, so let your imagination go wild! Make sure you introduce us to the main character / characters and describe the story's setting. For inspiration, please visit our 'The Beginning' page.

depending on your age, aim for the following length:

5 - 8 yr olds - 2 A5 pages

9 - 12 yr olds - 3 A5 pages

don't worry if it's slightly more, or less, though.

please can you also submit the following:

Name

Age

Location

Any drawings that relate to the story - don't worry if you haven't done any.

One amazing fact about yourself!

The Middle

OK, so you've chosen your favourite beginning and now feel inspired to write the middle. Hopefully the characters that you've read about make you smile, or intrigue you, so let's see where they can go and what aDVENTURES THEY CAN GET UP TO!

This is your chance to take the story in any direction you like, but try and bear a few things in mind:

tHINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD LIKE THE READER TO FEEL, DURING THE STORY.

tRY TO USE LOTS OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS TO MAKE THE CHARACTERS, SETTINGs AND ACTIONS COME TO LIFE.

wHAT IS THE MAIN CHARACTER/S TRYING TO ACHIEVE - DON'T FORGET ABOUT THIS AS IT WILL HELP TO SHAPE THE ENDING, WHEN IT IS WRITTEN.

iNTRODUCE NEW CHARACTERS.

And don't forget that you can also:

rEVEAL A HIDDEN PIECE OF INFORMATION.

aLLOW THE MAIN CHARACTER TO FAIL IN THEIR TASK AND SHOW HOW THEY CAN OVERCOME THIS.

aLL OF THE CHARACTERS DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD.

lET THE READER KNOW WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING, SUCH AS STRAIGHT AWAY/QUICKLY/IN THE FUTURE/SLOWLY.

mENTION SOMETHING FROM THE CHARACTERS PAST THAT MAKES THE PRESENT RELEVANT.

gIVE THE CHARACTERS CHOICES.

And don't forget, it's your special imagination that will make this come to life, so don't hold back!

depending on your age, aim for the following length:

5 - 8 yr olds - 3 A5 pages

9 - 12 yr olds - 4 A5 pages

don't worry if it's slightly more, or less, though.

please can you also submit the following:

Name

Age

Location

Any drawings that relate to the story - don't worry if you haven't done any.

One amazing fact about yourself!

In this time of uncertainty and, in some cases, isolation, it's important to come together and support one another. We can do this for our children through creativity and a shared common goal.

Together, we can create something amazing!

Facebook to keep updated with our stories.

Submit stories

please click on the link to submit any section of the story.

We are currently accepting submissions for the beginning, middle and end.

In submitting all stories, drawings, names, ages, locations and fun facts, you are agreeing to have them published on this website. stories may be lightly edited to ensure that they read smoothly.

All children will retain ownership rights over their contribution to the stories.

About me....

Hello, I'm Claire Joy and I'm mum to a 7-year-old and 4-year-old. Lively doesn't even begin to describe them and they constantly keep me on my feet!

Back in the 'real world' I work with schools, developing healthy and nutritious dinners, but no schools, means no dinners, and therefore, I have been inspired to create something else that brings children together.

Since early March life has changed immeasurably for all of us. Things we took for granted have been taken away and we have all had to adjust to a new reality.

Children are resilient and many will remember these days as a time of family togetherness and creativity. Some, dare I say, will experience times of 'boredom', and it's out of these times that the most inspiring work can come.

If your children love writing, talk about my project and the bigger picture of what we can create together. Inspire them, and then let them write.

Who knows what we can create and where their stories will go!

My hope is that we will get enough stories together to create a hardcopy book so that children will have something to remind them of what we can achieve when we come together as a community. All profits that come from this project will be donated directly to the NHS and care workers.

Once upon a time

when ....

So, let's start at the beginning.

Together, we can create something amazing!

About me....

Hello, I'm Claire Joy and I'm mum to a 7-year-old and 4-year-old. Lively doesn't even begin to describe them and they constantly keep me on my feet!

Back in the 'real world' I work with schools, developing healthy and nutritious dinners, but no schools, means no dinners, and therefore, I have been inspired to create something else that brings children together.

Since early March life has changed immeasurably for all of us. Things we took for granted have been taken away and we have all had to adjust to a new reality.

Children are resilient and many will remember these days as a time of family togetherness and creativity. Some, dare I say, will experience times of 'boredom', and it's out of these times that the most inspiring work can come.

If your children love writing, talk about my project and the bigger picture of what we can create together. Inspire them, and then let them write.

Who knows what we can create and where their stories will go!

My hope is that we will get enough stories together to create a hardcopy book so that children will have something to remind them of what we can achieve when we come together as a community. All profits that come from this project will be donated directly to the NHS and care workers.

Love,

Claire

Submit stories for:

The beginning, middle and end.

Once upon a time

when ....

So, let's start at the beginning.

Together, we can create something amazing!

About me....

Hello, I'm Claire Joy and I'm mum to a 7-year-old and 4-year-old. Lively doesn't even begin to describe them and they constantly keep me on my feet!

​

Back in the 'real world' I work with schools, developing healthy and nutritious dinners, but no schools, means no dinners, and therefore, I have been inspired to create something else that brings children together.

​

Since early March life has changed immeasurably for all of us. Things we took for granted have been taken away and we have all had to adjust to a new reality.

​

Children are resilient and many will remember these days as a time of family togetherness and creativity. Some, dare I say, will experience times of 'boredom', and it's out of these times that the most inspiring work can come.

​

If your children love writing, talk about my project and the bigger picture of what we can create together. Inspire them, and then let them write.

​

Who knows what we can create and where their stories will go!

​

My hope is that we will get enough stories together to create a hardcopy book so that children will have something to remind them of what we can achieve when we come together as a community. All profits that come from this project will be donated directly to the NHS and care workers.

​

​

Love,

Claire

Submit stories for:

The beginning, middle and end.

​