Making It Up as You Go Along: A Children’s Guide to Writing Stories - Hardcover

Patricia Forde

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1915071909 ISBN 13: 9781915071903

Publisher: LITTLE ISLAND, 2025

Synopsis

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WEEK JUNIOR BOOK AWARDS 2026

Got loads of creative ideas but not sure how to turn them into finished stories? Learn the secrets of story crafting from some of the biggest names in Irish children’s books, including Eoin Colfer, Derek Landy, Catherine Doyle and more!

Making It Up as You Go Along: A Children’s Guide to Writing Stories is a fun, practical and inspiring creative writing guide for children, packed with expert advice, imaginative activities and everything a budding young author needs to get their ideas onto the page.

Created by Laureate na nÓg – Ireland’s children’s literature laureate – and bestselling author of The Wordsmith, Patricia Forde, and illustrated by renowned Irish artist Mary Murphy, this unique guide invites young writers to learn from the people who know stories best.

🌟 Meet the storytellers:

• Patricia Forde – Laureate na nÓg and bestselling author of The Wordsmith
• Derek Landy – bestselling author of Skulduggery Pleasant
• Eoin Colfer – internationally bestselling author of Artemis Fowl
• Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick – award-winning author and illustrator
• Dave Rudden – author of Knights of the Borrowed Dark
• Alan Nolan – bestselling children’s author and illustrator
• Sarah Webb – award-winning children’s author
• Catherine Doyle – bestselling author of Twin Crowns
• Sheena Wilkinson – award-winning children’s and YA author
• Pádraig Kenny – bestselling author of Stitch
• Jane Mitchell – award-winning children’s author
• Siobhán Parkinson – Ireland’s first Laureate na nÓg
• Sam Thompson – award-winning author of the Wolfstongue saga

Calling all future authors! Discover how to:

• 💡 Find your big idea – turn that first spark of inspiration into a story worth telling
• 📚 Plan your plot – create exciting beginnings, middles and endings that keep readers hooked
• 🧑‍🚀 Create unforgettable characters – dream up heroes, villains and everyone in between
• 🗺️ Build incredible worlds – invent settings your readers won’t want to leave
• 🌪️ Dream up twists and surprises – learn how to keep your readers guessing
• ✏️ Feel proud of what you’ve made! – put everything into practice with fun, creative writing exercises and see your story through

Along the way, young writers will discover accessible explanations of writing terms and practical storytelling advice – making creative writing exciting, achievable and, most importantly, fun.

Perfect for:

• Aspiring young authors aged 8+ ready to turn their ideas into stories
• Parents and caregivers looking to encourage creativity, reading and writing at home
• Teachers and schools searching for engaging creative writing activities and classroom inspiration
• Librarians and book clubs looking to turn enthusiastic readers into enthusiastic writers
• A brilliant gift for budding writers, storytellers and book-loving kids

Whether they dream of creating fantasy adventures, laugh-out-loud stories, mysteries, thrillers or entirely new worlds of their own, Making It Up as You Go Along gives children the inspiration, practical skills and confidence to stop staring at the blank page and start telling their story.

Every great writer has to start somewhere. Pick up your pencil, make it up as you go along – and discover where your imagination takes you. ✏️

About this title

About the Authors

Patricia Forde lives in Galway. She has published many books for children, in Irish and in English. She writes for all ages from picture books to books for young teenagers. In another life, she was a primary school teacher and the artistic director of Galway Arts Festival. Two of her novels with Little Island: The Wordsmith and Mother Tongue, are Library Association of America Notable Books for Children, and were awarded White Raven awards by the International Youth Library. She is currently Laureate na nÓg. (2023-2026)

Mary Murphy’s first book, I Like it When…, was published with Egmont in 1997. Since then she has written and illustrated about 50 books, mainly bright, strong books for preschoolers. Her first novel, The Minute Minders, was published by Pushkin Press in 2024.

Edition details

• Publisher: LITTLE ISLAND
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1915071909
• ISBN 13: 9781915071903
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Mary Murphy
• Number of pages: 296