Once Upon A Wartime

If like me you have an older child who loves thrilling stories based on real life you cant go wrong this year with a visit to the Imperial War Museum on Salford Quays especially as its free all year round. Up to the 2nd of September they are running events aimed at getting children to write and explore their imaginations. I have been very privileged to receive some storey writing tips from Bernard Ashley the author of Little Solider so I thought I would share:


What I’ve found useful in writing is
1. Carrying a writers’ notebook – small, unobtrusive – for jotting down phrases heard, thoughts, people’s dress, etc. I suppose an i-phone could be used in the modern world.

2. Researching. Get on top of your subject, see it from more than one point of view. The internet is marvellous for this, but so is ‘going there’ as I did for ‘Little Soldier’ – seeing the colour of the soil, eating the food, avoiding the mosquitos. Look for the idiosynchratic detail that brings a scene to life, illustrating that life can be stranger than fiction.

3. Being aware of style – an action scene will be written with shorter sentences, fewer adjectives and adverbs, while a romantic scene can be lush in sentence and word. I imagine what sort of music would be playing beneath a particular scene in a film, and match it with words.

If your looking for a fantastic, fun and educational day out here is there list of activities.


Walkabout Performances (Ideal for all ages)
Tuesday 21 August
11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm
Special Exhibition Gallery
Silent masked characters are on the loose in the Special Exhibitions Gallery. Will you spot one of these specially developed characters as you explore the Once Upon a Wartime exhibition? Inspired by the stories featured in the exhibition, the characters are brought to life through the use of full face masks and physical theatre techniques.


Wednesday 22 August
11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm, 2.15pm
Main Exhibition Space
See one of our special, family friendly performances dramatising stories of wartime adventure including the story of a daring female spy serving with the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War.


Shaping Up (Ideal for all ages)
Wednesday 22, Thursday 23, Friday 24 August, 11.30am
Meet underneath the Harrier Jump Jet
What brings together an alien, his space craft and a playground full of friendly shapes? In this special storytelling event follow a group of shapes who discover how much better things can be when we all get along.


Illustration Workshop: The Colour of Home (Ideal for ages 6+)
Friday 24 August, 10.30am and 2.30pm
Libeskind Rooms
Join professional illustrator, Karin Littlewood and take part in a workshop where she will reveal the techniques used to create her pictures in The Colour of Home and get the chance to try your hand at some illustrations of your own.
FREE but booking is required via learningnorth@iwm.org.uk or 0161 836 4000


For more information please visit http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-north