How did you feel when you found out you won the WriteMentor Novel Award ?

I saw the title of the email before I opened it and it said ‘congratulations’ and I immediately thought, this can’t be right! I was shocked, as I wasn’t totally happy with the draft I’d submitted. I hadn’t expected to even be shortlisted, never mind win!

How did you celebrate?

I immediately told my three children who all came in for a group hug, then I called my parents who were on holiday in France. My mum answered thinking there must be something wrong then screamed down the phone with delight (thankfully she was in her hotel room at the time!) My husband brought home champagne to celebrate.

Tell us a bit about your writing journey to date.

I’ve always written for myself and was never keen on ever showing it to anyone. I love books though and completed a degree in English literature at the University of Dundee. I’m passionate about working with children and went on to study a postgraduate in education and work as a primary teacher for 12 years. When my two sons were little, I stepped outside my comfort zone and studied creative writing with the Open University for a year. I learned how to look at my work critically and receive feedback from my tutor and peers. I wrote poetry, short stories (mostly speculative) and creative non- fiction pieces, three of which were self-published in an Open University Write Club Anthology. 

It wasn’t until I relocated from Scotland to the US with my family, that I really considered writing for children. I believe strongly in child-led education, so made the decision to homeschool my children here in the US. Most of our learning revolved around books, which eventually led to all my creative ideas leaning towards writing for children. 

I’d never written anything with children in mind and I’d certainly never tried to write a full novel, but I gave it a go. After a while, I realised, I had no clue what I was doing! I was recommended the Golden Egg Academy by OU Write Club members and decided to study the 12 weeks course, eventually followed by their 12 months course. It was a steep learning curve, but I loved the challenge. I met a wonderful bunch of writer friends, who kept me going through the tough times when my story just didn’t seem to be working. 

I think I started ‘The Girl Who Drew Wrens’ at least twenty times – I would write to the halfway point then start again. I was too much of a perfectionist. It made the longlist for the Guppy open submission last year and I had to stay up all night to finish it. This was a valuable lesson in writing to the end of the first draft (writing nine thousand words in twenty-four hours was never going to be my best work!)

In the last six months, I’ve worked hard to rewrite the second half and work on feedback from my GEA editor and peers, so hopefully it’s in good shape now. 

Tell us more about the winning book, ‘The Girl Who Drew Wrens‘.

In the heart of rural Scotland, Wren leads a quiet, solitary life, her only confidante being Gran, a revered botanist and conservationist in their village. But when shady entrepreneur Mr. Webb, (known as ‘the Spider’ to Wren) unveils his plans to build holiday treehouses, Wren braces for a fight she expects Gran to lead.

However, Gran’s sudden bouts of confusion and a devastating diagnosis of dementia shatter Wren’s world. The forest, a sanctuary of tranquility, is crucial for Gran’s mental well-being; it’s the one place where she finds her ‘peace of mind’. Desperate and alone, Wren forges an unlikely alliance with Kass, a tech-savvy Polish immigrant with a limited grasp of English. Together, they uncover the ancient secrets of the Picts, a mysterious civilization that once roamed their land.

As Gran’s fragmented memories surface, they reveal a hidden past filled with dark secrets and clues pointing to the legendary ‘tree of life’ Pict stone. With the forest’s fate hanging in the balance, Wren and Kass embark on a dangerous quest through the enigmatic woods, racing against time to uncover the stone’s location and save their cherished countryside from destruction.

At the heart of the narrative lies the exploration of connections; be it in language, relationships, music, our bond with nature, or the echoes of the past, while scrutinizing the nuanced interplay between technology’s assistance and interference. Wren unravels the mystery behind her name and realizes her true superpower: a profound empathy that has the potential to unite her entire community.

At the heart of the narrative lies the exploration of connections; be it in language, relationships, music, our bond with nature, or the echoes of the past, while scrutinizing the nuanced interplay between technology’s assistance and interference. Wren unravels the mystery behind her name and realizes her true superpower: a profound empathy that has the potential to unite her entire community.

What inspired the idea?

The story was inspired by my late paternal grandmother who suffered from dementia for over thirty years. I wanted to explore the complexities of memory and the impact of dementia, from a child’s perspective. Discovering more about the parts of my gran she normally concealed, gave me the idea for the secret of Wren’s Gran’s past. 

The fictional setting is based on villages around east central Scotland, where I grew up. My experiences on history field trips as a student and a teacher, where I explored Pict stones, provided invaluable insights that enriched my story.

The character of Kass was inspired by my experience of working with Polish children as a teacher. I felt it was important to convey the diversity of people living in Scotland. 

What was the WriteMentor Award experience like for you, as an entrant?

This is the first year I entered and noticed how much care Stuart takes when communicating with entrants. I loved the advice of ‘assume you haven’t made it and enjoy your weekend’. I think this is brilliant advice for all writers at all stages, since everything seems to involve waiting for feedback or for someone to tell us yes or no. The WriteMentor community is wonderfully welcoming and I’m thankful to have connected with other writers through the competition. 

What advice would you give other writers when entering writing awards in the future?

Probably read the instructions clearly and don’t make the same mistake I did where I panicked that my name was added to the Google file and didn’t realise that this was supposed to happen! 

Different competitions have different requirements for how to submit, follow these exactly and don’t go over the word limit.

Check your eligibility for the competition; some are open internationally or to UK only and some are for unagented writers only. Look out for sponsored places and opportunities where you fall into a category that’s considered a minority group.

If the longlist requires the full manuscript, make sure you have finished the manuscript (!)

Always remember that the judges opinions are subjective. I entered three other competitions at the same time as this one and didn’t make the longlist for any of them.  Our work is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s ok. I use the competitions to motivate myself to work towards a deadline, then I try not to think about it again. 

Lastly, go for it! Putting yourself out there is such a huge step and it’s scary to open yourself up to feedback. No matter what the outcome, celebrate sharing your work!

This is the first year I entered and noticed how much care Stuart takes when communicating with entrants. I loved the advice of ‘assume you haven’t made it and enjoy your weekend’. I think this is brilliant advice for all writers at all stages, since everything seems to involve waiting for feedback or for someone to tell us yes or no. The WriteMentor community is wonderfully welcoming and I’m thankful to have connected with other writers through the competition. 

Any general writing advice for writers of children’s fiction?

I’m still learning myself, so this feels very strange to give out advice! But a few things have been incredibly helpful for me. First and foremost is reading widely across all genres and age groups. I keep a reading journal to jot down what I think works well in a story and how I can apply those techniques to my own work-in-progress. This practice also helps me understand the market and see how authors have given popular themes a fresh twist.

Invest in your professional development through courses, workshops, podcasts, or YouTube videos. Take yourself seriously by mastering the craft and learning from others.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Write the first draft and allow yourself to write badly. Don’t expect miracles overnight, go back to your work consistently with fresh eyes and let it evolve, even if it doesn’t seem like you’re moving forward, all small changes will make a difference over time. 

Share your work with peers, or if possible, schedule a one-on-one session with an editor or agent, and be open to receiving constructive feedback. Give yourself time to digest the feedback for a week or so, then consider how you can use it to enhance your story.

Seek out a writing community; writing can be solitary and having others who understand your journey is invaluable.

Remember to take breaks. Our brains continue to work on problems even when we’re not actively thinking about them. A valuable lesson I learned was the importance of latent processing; solutions to story problems would often come to me unexpectedly while driving or cleaning the bathroom.

Crafting stories for children can be challenging because as adults, we tend to view subjects through an adult lens. Try freewriting about your most vivid childhood memories. Pay attention to your senses, thoughts, and feelings during those moments. These discoveries will help develop a voice which can better connect with young readers.

What’s next for your writing? Any new projects on the horizon?

I’ve only recently finished another round of edits on ‘The Girl Who Drew Wrens’. It will go out on submission to agents over the summer.

I’ve also been working on two new projects, the first is a funny magical realism novel for lower middle grade children. It’s about Alba Apricot, who loves the idea of having a pet but is absolutely terrified of animals (even the cute ones!). When she makes a wish in an old Roman bath, she can suddenly speak to her neighbour’s 25 guinea pigs, who need help with their big problem. Only…being able to speak to guinea pigs, was not actually what she wished for. 

The second is another contemporary realism novel for upper middle grade children. Skye and her family set out in a daring NC500 road trip to fulfill her late mother’s wishes; however her father’s navigation issues and her sister’s sensory needs clash with Skye’s perfectionism and her mother’s meticulous planning. The journey becomes a struggle between control and embracing uncertainty, especially when a mysterious black car begins to tail them, putting their safe arrival at Seaglass Shore in jeopardy and threatening to expose Skye’s guilty secret.