Jeanne: If you’re stuck for a story, gather some surprising or unexpected facts about the subject to inspire you. Good places to search are newspaper articles, magazines and non-fiction books. You could also ask friends and family about any relevant experiences they’ve had. Another trick is to think of an interesting question and find the answer online – ask your favourite grown-up to help.

Joseph: Always carry a notebook wherever you go. You never know when a good idea will hit but if you have a notebook with you, you can be sure to record your fabulous ideas when they arrive.

Jeanne: Write a story that you would like to read. Think about your favourite books, whether you’re into heroes, humour or hedgehogs, they will have two things in common; great plots and characters you care about. You’re in charge – create characters that fascinate you, take them on a journey and enjoy the ride.

Joseph: Observe the world around you, take note of the sights and sounds, colours and smells that wash over you as you make your way to and from school, as you go for lunch or meet with friends. All those details can be great starting points for poems.

Jeanne: Make sure your opening sentence grabs the reader’s attention. It should act like a teaser, hinting at what’s to come. Don’t go on about the weather or the wallpaper, dive straight in and make your reader want more. Here’s one of my favourite opening sentences, written by J.M. Barrie: “All children, except one, grow up.” Straight away, I had to know which child DIDN’T grow up and why? I kept reading, discovered it was Peter Pan and I wasn’t disappointed.

Joseph: Read, read, read. Read about the things that interest you, and get into the habit of asking yourself questions as you read, you never know when a little known fact or a turn-of-phrase might inspire a whole new story.

Jeanne: Have a surprising end twist and never finish with, ‘It was all a dream.’ That’s a cop-out writers use when they can’t think of a good ending. Don’t let your story fizzle out like a soggy sparkler – when you’ve chosen your theme and created your characters, decide on the ending at the beginning. That way, when you start writing, you’ll have a target to aim for and leave your reader satisfied.

Joseph: Have a go at drawing your characters and the situations they find themselves in, sometimes drawing a scene can help you imagine how things might play out in your story.

Jeanne: When you think your story is perfect, put it in a drawer overnight…ZZZ. Look at it again in the morning with fresh eyes and give it a polish. Check spelling and punctuation. Is the opening sentence a stunner? Have you kept to the plot, cut out any waffle and tied up any loose ends? Will the ending knock the judges’ socks off? Well done, I’m crossing my fingers for you. Good luck!

Joseph: Share! Share your stories with your friends and family, find out what parts of your story they liked and what parts they feel could be made even better. By getting feedback on your writing you can make sure that your story telling skills are getting the very best possible workout to make you a super story teller.