Year 11 Joely’s remarkable creative-writing society – ‘The Write Space’ – is soon to publish their very first anthology. Joely started the society as a place for budding creative writers to develop their voice, share ideas, and nurture their skill across a range of genre and medium. It has since become the literary hub of the senior school!

The society has flourished under Joely's care and an amazingly talented group of writers are now going to publish an anthology of work they have produced.

Joely tells us about her inspiration for starting this society:

"Since moving to the school, late Year 9, I realised how little I got to talk about my writing with others. So, I created a club with the help of the wonderful Mr Benedict so other young writers could have a comfortable, focused, and private environment to write during school times (such as break and lunch), and to have a community of writers to relate to, and to socialise with beyond year groups.

I was inspired to make the Write Space 2021 Anthology by the RHS Lockdown Anthology, organised by Mr Benedict. I'd been thinking of coming up with a project for all the girls at the Write Space to work on together to show off their writing and gain confidence with an audience, as well as distract them from schoolwork!"

Here is a teaser of the original writings the book will include:

Maddie W - A collection of response poems to famous myths and films.

Saskia B - A short story of fragility and vitality, and the interaction between.

Poppy H - A scene from her play about a bumbling detective trying to solve a mysterious murder with the help of an unusual partner.

Harriet W - A poem about real-life monsters escaping the comfort of childhood stories and into the outside world.

Ellie G - A poem about the beautiful art of dancing, the passion for performance, and entwining bodily sensations with focus and determination.

Catherine E - A songfic (fanfiction) based on the song 'Us Against the World' by the artist Kanaya about remembrance, bittersweet victory and defeat..

Sophie M - A short story about siblings adventuring around a fairground, paired with a colourful drawing made by Sophie as well.

Martha R - A poem about the beauty of kingfishers, based upon a kingfisher in the novel “Last Words” by Robert Macfarlane.

Matilda K - A poem about the surprising transition of seasons from sunny California to England