AN INTRODUCTION TO WRITING FOR CHILDREN!

Stuart Cottrell shares tips, tricks and exercises for working with audiences who are younger and smaller than you are.

Once, in answer to the question, 'Have you learnt anything from your work this term?', an eight-year-old child responded with the brutal yet considered reply: 'Sadly, no'.

The fact that the child - despite contributing over twelve-weeks to the creation of a great piece of theatre - felt no lasting legacy had been achieved got Stuart considering the last seven years of his career. Has he learnt anything from his time working with children and young people? Has he developed any insights into storytelling and creating theatrical experiences? Has working with endlessly unpredictable audiences of children left him with a confident working practice? Surely it must have done... Join Stuart as he questions everything, and delves into his experiences of writing with and for children and young people.

*PLEASE NOTE: This workshop takes place on Zoom. You will be emailed the link to join 24 hours before the session.

2 Free Bursary places are available for this workshop-please email info@downstagewrite.uk telling us a little about yourself and why a bursary place would help you as a writer.

Stuart Cottrell is an Exeter-based Script Worker, a job role that includes writing, re-writing, devising and editing. He co-founded the award winning PaddleBoat Theatre Company, who specialise in creating work with and for children and their families across the South-West. In his capacity as writer, deviser and performer, Stuart worked with children and young people across Devon to create theatre that champions imagination and creativity. These include 'A Little Man's Holiday', 'Clare Hollingworth and the Scoop of the Century', 'Hansel and Gretel' , 'Margo & Mr. Whatsit' and 'According to Arthur', the latter of which he self-published as a book. Stuart is also developing his work as a script-editor, with a view to supporting writers making work for theatre and television.