Welcome to our KidsLit Group

Our Aim

The group focuses on members' writing and provides positive and developmental critiques. The group is a mutually supportive group whose primary aim is to improve the quality of all our work with helpful comments and useful feedback.

How our meetings work

Work is shared before each meeting by the group members chosen to have their work critiqued. Other group members will then have a chance to read the work beforehand and prepare their comments to be given at the meeting.

Some of our authors are writing for very young children whereas others are focussing on older children and teenagers.

Themes

We look at a variety of themes to help develop ideas from start to finish and focus on specific areas that group members need assistance with e.g. the development of endings for children's stories etc.

Special Note

We are looking for potential publishers and are interested in contacting illustrators. Please do let us know if you have contacts in these fields?

Meetings

Meetings are normally on fortnightly, 7:30pm to 9:00pm, via Zoom (Online); however occasionally meetings are held at a KidsLit group member's house, so please check details above. If in doubt, please contact the organiser. The host of the group is rotated and ensures agendas and notes are circulated before and after the meetings.
 

Upcoming meetings: 

> Wednesday 8 January 2025

The children of Colnbrook School were recently treated to a morning of storytelling when members of a local writers’ group visited. Taking inspiration from a book cover design illustrated by the pupils, members of the KidsLit group wrote original stories and poems, which were entered into a competition organised by the South Oxhey school. The children chose their favourite from the eleven entries—a charming story in rhyme titled The Elephant Who Went to the Moonby Susan de Silva. 

“I was delighted my story was chosen,’ Susan said. ‘It was wonderful to read to the children of Colnbrook. I look forward to seeing more of their illustrations.”

“We were grateful for the opportunity to work with and share our stories with the students of Colnbrook School,” another KidsLits Lit Author commented following the event. ‘We would love to collaborate with other local schools in the future.” 

Caroline Aplin, the Headteacher said, “Colnbrook have really enjoyed working collaboratively with the writers. The children initially designed a front cover and our Chair of Governors, Hilary McDermott, put us in touch with the writers, who took on board the title of the story and wrote some wonderful stories. The student voice chose a winner, and we were delighted that many of the authors were able to come into school and read to us. Collaboration with our local community is very important to us as a special school and we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of this.”

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS and NEWSPAPER CUTTING of KIDSLIT at COLNBROOK SCHOOL 

The KidsLit group evolved from Watford Writers in 2020, when it was realised there were many in the group interested in writing for children. They meet fortnightly on Thursdays on Zoom and have previously performed works at local events. 

If your school might be interested in working with the group please contact Chris McDermott, benhannick@aol.com Further information can be found at www.watfordwriters.org/kidslit-group