Year 8 pupils were treated to a lively creative writing workshop and a fascinating talk from historical fiction author Matthew Wainwright, whose books for teens have been a staple of the Colfe’s library since his debut novel Out of the Smoke. The event, part of the introduction to the year group’s Reading Through Time challenge, was reviewed by three of our pupils:
Author talk, by Maria Y8:
Matthew Wainwright’s presentation brought history to life and sparked our passion for reading. His vivid storytelling and insights into historical fiction made us see books not just as stories, but as time machines. During his visit, Matthew shared how he finds inspiration from real historical events and figures to craft gripping novels such as Out of the Smoke and Through Water and Fire. He encouraged us to imagine the unknown parts of history and turn them into stories, showing that with curiosity, anyone can be a writer. His enthusiasm and interactive activities made reading feel exciting and adventurous. Many of us left the session eager to explore new books and even write our own stories.
Creative writing workshop, by Stella and Nika Y8:
After the Author’s talk, a group of students participated in a creative writing workshop run by Matthew Wainwright. It included an inspiring talk, planning and starting our own “choose your own adventure” stories and group conversations based on our ideas. He gave us the choice to either use a scene from one of his books, or come up with something completely new. Mathew Wainwright came around to each table, supporting and helping us improve our storyline. Towards the end, once everyone had at least started their piece or nearly finished their planning, he allowed a few students to stand up and read their story aloud to everyone. Some of them were really funny! Overall, it was a very fun and unique experience, and we all learnt something new.
