At Storymix, we’re on a mission to put every child at the heart of their own story. But for many, the characters they read about don’t look or sound like them. That’s why we launched the Storymix Academy—to show children that their lives, their communities, and their imaginations belong in the world of books.
Recently, we piloted the Storymix Academy in a primary school in Tower Hamlets, East London. It was the perfect place to start—full of creative kids bursting with ideas, but who rarely see themselves in the stories they read.
The Mission
We kicked off with a dramatic challenge sent by video: Storymix's founder, Jasmine Richards, had “lost” all of Storymix's ideas. The children’s mission? To step up and create brand-new characters and plots to pitch to Jasmine by the end of the week. With help from Storymix author J.T. Williams (The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries) and Storymix editor Stephanie King, they absolutely smashed it.
The Week
Day 1: Exploring heritage and identity. Everyday objects from home, like lunghis and bangles were displayed on tables and became inspiration for rich and unique story ideas. One child said, “These things aren’t in books because authors don’t know about them. How could they put them in stories?”
Day 2: Building characters. J.T. Williams guided the kids to use their own traits, quirks, and experiences to create relatable protagonists.
Day 3: Plotting and publishing. Stephanie King shared the magic of creating page-turning plots and revealed how many careers exist in publishing. Suddenly, the kids could see themselves in those roles too.
Day 4: Pitch Day. The kids presented their stories to Jasmine with confidence and creativity. One group set their story in their Shadwell community, saying, “There are lots of stories about London, but none about our part of it.”
The Impact
By the end of the week:
100% of kids said they loved writing (up from less than half at the start!).
Confidence soared, with many now seeing themselves as authors or creators when they didn't before.
Interest in publishing careers jumped from 13% to 40%.
One child summed it up perfectly: “We want stories about kids like us because everyone deserves to see themselves in books.”
What’s Next?
We’re just getting started. The pilot was a huge success, and Storymix Academy is keen to inspire more children across the UK. We’re determined to grow the next generation of storytellers who reflect the rich diversity of our communities. We're looking at setting up a C.I.C to make this happen and so watch this space.
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