Tony Norman - Creative Writing Workshops

 

Tony Norman is a children's writer. He has over 50 books published in the UK.

His work is also read in schools and libraries in Australia, Poland and the USA.

Creative writing workshops for primary schools include:

1. Opening question and answer ice-breaker focusing on what it's like to be a professional writer. What do the pupils think the best thing is about being a writer?  Can they guess the downsides? Where do they think new ideas come from? Do they think Tony ever gets writer's block? Tony also gives a brief outline of the books he has written and explains the buzz he gets from knowing his work is read by young people around the world.

2. Tony reads one of his books. Short fiction. House of Fear is one of his favourites, but schools can choose from a list of books in advance.

3. Pupils are invited to create a storyline for the follow-up to one of Tony's books. He explains the need for new characters, new settings and new adventures and leads the discussion… as a new story comes to life. This part of the workshop is based on Tony's Ten Top Tips for short story writing.

4. Workshops end on a high energy Rap Session. Pupils are shown how to write their own raps, which they can then perform to a rhythm track.

5. As a finale, Tony teaches the pupils his own Planet Rap, which the whole group perform together... noisily!

6. At the end of each workshop, accompanying teachers are given the Top Ten Tips - Short Story Writing document, plus a CD of the Planet Rap rhythm track, which pupils can use to write and perform new raps. 

Workshops are suitable for KS1 and KS2

Each workshop lasts approx one and a half hours

Tony can lead 3 workshops in a day

Testimonials

“What a successful visit - the children so enjoyed meeting you and hearing your stories, poems and songs first hand. We feel very honoured that you travelled all that way to visit us and I hope that it will be the first of many visits…”
Stephanie Hayward, Teacher at Southborough Primary school

“We are delighted with the book and much of this is due to your hard work from the very first Madrid workshop with the students and teachers, right the way through to the end product. Thanks for your enormous contribution and I hope we can work together on another project in the near future.”
David Blundell, Communications Manager of the British Council in Madrid, following publication of the 'Give Us Back Our Planet' poetry book, written by school children from Spain and England and edited by Tony Norman

 

Publications

GOAL! is a new series of 48 reading books for schools,
written for high interest age, low reading age students.

Tony Norman worked as creative consultant on the series and wrote 36
titles. They include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, raps and a play.

 

Tony has children's books published both here in the UK and also in Australia and the USA.

Fiction titles include 'Sky Riders’, 'Nervous'. 'Terror World' and 'Race of A Lifetime'.

Non-fiction works include the Pelican Big Book 'Water: A Point of View' and four Pelican Interactive CD-Roms.

Tony has also published two children’s plays.

‘The Fame Game’ (Key stage 1)

‘The Match From Hell’ (Key stage 2).

Tony’s poem School Yard In The Snow is published in

READ ME AT SCHOOL,
a new anthology from Macmillan Children’s Books.

“I am delighted to be included in this excellent anthology,” says Tony.
'This poem is about the first time I saw snow, as a young boy, in Cricklewood, London N.W.2.'

School Yard In The Snow

Silent,
in this often noisy place,
I stand and stare
in wonder.

At snow, the first
I’ve ever seen.

A crisp white duvet,
pulled across our school yard,
while the world was sleeping.

Concrete lost in diamonds,
sudden magic fallen,
from a frozen winter sky.

I feel happy, so I sing :
‘ In the bleak mid School Yard ! ’
( But it’s not bleak really, it’s brilliant! )

White waves lapping red brick walls.
Icicles dancing on the cross-wire fence.

Everything’s different today.
Fresh and new and amazing.
Snow.. I love it !

I walk in gentle circles.
Softly.. slowly..

Crunch !

I like
the way it sounds,
the way it feels.

I’m an explorer,
the first to see
this silent place,
this special place,
our school yard
in the snow.

Booking Information

Home:	East Sussex
Travels to:	Anywhere
Prices:	£400 per day + travel expenses/ accommodation expenses as necessary + VAT

Publications by the Author