Jacqueline Wilson gives students a writing Masterclass

• Thursday, April 12, 2018

Professor Dame Jacqueline Wilson's shared her writing secrets with postgraduate students in a masterclass that featured a workshop.

Roehampton's Chancellor, Professor Dame Jacqueline Wilson visited the University to give her annual masterclass to postgraduate Creative Writing and Children's Literature students. The children's author whose bestsellers include Tracy Beaker, Hetty Feather and The Illustrated Mum spoke about how she makes sure she writes every day, and advised that the best way to write a novel for time-poor people is to write for just 15 minutes every morning before getting out of bed.

The masterclass included workshop activities that got students creating and developing characters, which Professor Dame Wilson gave feedback on. The masterclass ended with a question and answer session that covered tips on getting published, the best way to handle troublesome beginnings and tricky endings, and touched on her new Tracy Beaker book.

Professor Laura Peters, Head of English and Creative Writing says ‘Our Chancellor's masterclass is an invaluable opportunity for our students who benefit from the experience of one the UK's bestselling children's writers’.

There was also a celebratory morning arranged for the BA Primary Education year one students. Professor Dame Jacqueline Wilson spoke with students, took questions and handed out awards for excellence for their school experience.