A writing workshop that has inspired hundreds of children to put pen to paper is looking forward to celebrating its first anniversary.

Little Star Writing hosts writing classes and storytelling seminars around the borough and students include winners of the ArtsRichmond young writers’ award, the Twickenham storytelling festival.

Melanie Taylor set up the workshop after discovering how eager children were to write when she shared her own series of books she wrote over three years, after leaving St Mary’s University, where she studied creative writing.

She said: “They were constantly asking me questions about how to create a believable character or how to write a good ending.

“This was when I realised there was a huge focus on reading, spelling and handwriting, but not so much about the creative side of writing.”

The 25-year-old, sponsored by Random House, has forged partnerships with schools across the borough and arranged for Scholastic Publishing to produce a bound book of the children’s writing.

She said: “Some of my proudest moments come from watching a reluctant writer read their work aloud with pride, or witnessing a seven-year-old work with an 11-year-old to give each other ideas and write a really wonderful story together.”

The children’s author said she was planned to expand into more schools, host a writing festival, set up author visits for the children and launching a workshops in Twickenham library from April 27.

For more information, visit littlestarwriting.com or email info@littlestarwriting.com.