A Shakespearean Thanks

So Shakespeare Week is done. Five workshops at five different libraries in and around Sheffield are over and I am happy. Tell you the truth, I couldn’t be happier. From the off this had the whiff of something a bit special and it’s not disappointed one bit. Everyone at Sheffield Library Service have been, as ever, supreme and helpful and lovely – and I’d like to put a huge public thank you to all the staff, in libraries and behind the scenes, for all their help and for making us all feel so welcome.

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And a massive thanks to you too, for helping spread the word. Each workshop sold out in no time and I can’t remember anything I’ve done being quite so over-subscribed. We had to turn a lot of people away, and I’m sorry about that – don’t worry though, there are other very exciting things in the pipeline.

But this was always going to be about the young writers who came along. If you’re reading this – and it could be any of you – YOU ARE BRILLIANT. Some absolutely wonderful, funny, moving, scary and generally brilliant work was produced in those five, three hour sessions – from stories, to story plans, to poems and potions and even recipes. Those Macbeth witches have a lot to answer for. And, if you like, you can see much of it at The Children’s Central Library, Highfield Library, Chapeltown Library, Hillsborough Library, and Ecclesall Library too – and you should (you can see where they are and when they’re open here). I’ll be posting a bit of what we did on here at some point too.

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Sheffield Central Children’s Library, Day 1

The workshops had some amazing coverage in the press and on the radio – huge thanks to BBC Radio Sheffield (we’re at 1hr 55) and to The Sheffield Star (and thanks to Dean for his photos), and there’s even video too.

I am a very happy, and very proud, author tonight – and not just because of the reaction to what we’ve done. It’s reminded me why I do this. Being involved with helping people who are excited about writing (even if they didn’t think they were before) is a huge privilege. And when those involved are as brilliant as the young writers I’ve worked with over the past few weeks are as amazing as they were, then that makes things even better. Well done, folks.

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nikperring

Nik Perring is a short story writer, author, teacher of writing, and editor from the UK. His stories have been published widely all over the world. His books include the widely celebrated Not So Perfect (Roastbooks 2010), A Book of Beautiful Words; and Beautiful Trees; and he co-wrote Freaks!(TFP/HarperCollins, 2012).

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