Tolulope Popoola's Blog

Struggling With Your First Draft? Get Unstuck in Four Steps

If you’re a new writer or aspiring author reading this, you’re probably staring at a half-finished manuscript wondering if you’ll ever type “The End.” Maybe you started strong, blazed through the first few chapters, and then hit a wall so solid you’re convinced it’s made of literary concrete.

But never fear; getting stuck on your first draft isn’t a sign that you’re not cut out for this writing thing. It’s actually one of the most normal parts of the creative writing process. The problem isn’t ...

Three Small Writing Habits That Can Change Your Whole Year

Every aspiring writer faces this struggle. You want to write more: maybe finish that novel you started three years ago, develop your creative writing skills, or just build a consistent practice. But between work, family, school, and life in general, finding hours for writing feels impossible.

Here’s the thing though: you don’t need hours. You don’t even need 30 minutes. With just 10 minutes a day and the right approach, you can completely transform your writing life over the course of a year.

I...

How Creative Writing Builds Emotional Intelligence in Children

If you’ve ever watched a child light up while telling you a story they’ve written, you’ve witnessed something pretty magical happening. Beyond the obvious joy of creation, that young writer is actually developing one of life’s most valuable skills: emotional intelligence.

What does emotional intelligence actually mean? It’s your child’s ability to understand their own feelings, recognize emotions in others, and manage those feelings in healthy ways. It’s the difference between a kid who can say...

When Your Child Loves Writing (But You’re Not Sure How to Help)

Picture this: Your child spends hours scribbling stories, creating elaborate fantasy worlds, or crafting poems about their pet hamster. They light up when talking about their latest character or plot. But when they ask for your feedback or get stuck on a story, you find yourself floundering. Maybe you’re not a writer yourself, or perhaps you worry about crushing their creativity with the wrong advice.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many parents find themselves in this exact position...

Exciting Fantasy Tips and Prompts for Young Writers

Fantasy stories unlock something magical in young minds. I’ve watched kids’ eyes light up when they realise they can build whole worlds where dragons exist and mermaids sing under moonlit waves. If your child is staring at a blank page, this post gives them two things: six practical tips to actually finish a story and ten simple, exciting prompts to start with.

There’s something extra fun about writing far-fetched fantasy adventures, involving creatures like dragons, mermaids, and other mythical...

Friendship and Betrayal: 7 Story Elements That Will Hook Your Readers Every Time

Friendship and betrayal stories are some of my favourite themes to write. And readers absolutely love them too. Why? Because we’ve all been there. We’ve all trusted someone who let us down, or wondered if our closest friend really has our back.

But here’s the thing, throwing in a random betrayal doesn’t automatically make your story compelling. You need to craft it carefully, deliberately. After coaching hundreds of writers through their friendship-and-betrayal arcs, I’ve identified seven elemen...

Featured Essay – My Role Model: Serena Williams

Welcome to another week of amazing creativity from the students of our Creative Writing Club!

This week, we are sharing a narrative essay, where the students were asked to write about someone they admire or consider a role model. This essay focuses on Serena Williams, and it was written by Ramona, aged 15. Enjoy!

Essay on Serena Williams

 Modern tennis originated in England in the late 19th century, The game evolved into what we now call lawn tennis, first played on grass courts. The first Wimb...

Featured Story Number #24 – Treasures of the Mystery Island

We are sharing the next story in our series, Featured Short Stories, written by students in the Creative Writing Club.

Every week, the students in the club work on writing short stories, sometimes from their own ideas, and sometimes from story prompts.

This week’s story was written by Yuvraj, aged 11. Enjoy!

Treasures of the Mystery Island

My name is Tyche Kalyani and I come from a long line of royal treasure finders. You see, back when my Grandpa was alive and in his youth, people from all ov...

Featured Story Number #23 – The Note

We are sharing the next story in our series, Featured Short Stories, written by students in the Creative Writing Club.

Every week, the students in the club work on writing short stories, sometimes from their own ideas, and sometimes from story prompts.

This week’s story was written by Aruniha, aged 11. Enjoy!

 

The Note

Nothing interesting ever happened in Pine Hollow. Seriously. The most exciting thing I’d seen all year was Mrs. Delaney’s cat getting stuck in a mailbox. That’s why when I got a...

Featured Story Number #22 – Number Thirty-Seven

We are sharing the next story in our series, Featured Short Stories, written by students in the Creative Writing Club.

Every week, the students in the club work on writing short stories, sometimes from their own ideas, and sometimes from story prompts.

This week’s story was written by Amy, aged 11. Enjoy!

Number Thirty-Seven

 

“So, Henry, I haven’t heard from you for a long time. What have you been up to lately? You don’t look good.” Harold asked, raising his cup.

“Just the usual.” Henry replie...