As the winner of the 2025 WriteMentor Awards Picture Book category, Jennie Saywell shares her experience and writing advice
How did you feel when you found out you won the Picture Book category?
I was shocked and delighted in equal parts, especially as there were so many entries for the picture book category. It’s a fantastic feeling to have your work recognised, as writing can be such a solitary endeavour. Thank you so much for the opportunity!
How did you celebrate?
When I received the email telling me I’d won, I was on a hike with my husband. We’d just stopped at a mountain hut for lunch. After the shock had worn off a bit, I ordered a big slice of cake to celebrate!
Tell us a bit about your writing journey to date.
Having spent the past decade working in Corporate Communications, I was keen to find a writing outlet where I could be a bit more playful. Last year, I signed up for a two-hour online ‘Writing for Children’ taster session – and that’s how my passion for picture books was born. Since then, I’ve been hooked on honing my craft: I joined the SCBWI and have attended many courses and workshops. I would love to see my writing out there in the big wide world one day.
Tell us more about the winning book.
I didn’t want to write a story with a stern lesson or moral, but rather something lighthearted: a wild, silly adventure. I was also keen to create something that’s fun to read aloud. In this story, the star of the show is a grumpy pelican called Peli, who loves peace and quiet. When hundreds of party animals discover his secret beach, Peli is hopping mad. His attempts to boot out the beachgoers get more and more absurd, until finally he decides to use his secret weapon: his fantastic, elastic pouch. But soon Peli realises he might have bitten off more than he can chew…
I didn’t want to write a story with a stern lesson or moral, but rather something lighthearted: a wild, silly adventure. I was also keen to create something that’s fun to read aloud.
What inspired the idea?
One of my guilty pleasures is watching funny animal videos. The idea for the story came from some clips I saw of pelicans whose eyes are too big for their stomachs. These birds ambitiously try to stuff far-too-large animals into their pouches – from cats all the way up to kangaroos. I admired the birds’ determination and peli-CAN-do attitude, and that got me thinking: how much could a pelican fit in its pouch…?
What was the WriteMentor Award experience like for you, as an entrant?
Just do it! Even if you don’t get long- or shortlisted, entering writing competitions is a great way to set yourself a clear goal, and an excellent incentive to polish your work. But don’t dwell on it: hit ‘send’, try to forget about it, and get back to writing.
Always carry something with which you can capture new ideas, or lines that pop into your head when you’re out and about (I jot them down on my phone). There’s nothing worse than having a great story idea and then forgetting it later.
Any general writing advice for writers of children’s fiction?
Always carry something with which you can capture new ideas, or lines that pop into your head when you’re out and about (I jot them down on my phone). There’s nothing worse than having a great story idea and then forgetting it later.
What’s next for your writing? Any new projects on the horizon?
At the moment I’m working on some non-fiction picture books that bring to life animal behaviour and the natural world in a fun, accessible way.