Emu Ink turning primary school students into published authors

By Mary Dennehy

AN EXCITING new learning programme, which turns primary school children into published authors, has opened to schools across South Dublin County.

The Schools’ Publishing Programme, which was created by Emu Ink founder and former Echo editor Emer Mulvaney and her software developer husband Brian, is a series of step-by-step lessons which, followed online, provide primary pupils with the skills necessary to transform their idea into a page-turner.

Nurturing young imaginations, the programme will introduce budding writers to areas, which are all in line with the English curriculum, including idea generation, character development, plot, dialogue, description, editing and more.

Ms Cleary stressed how the programme is all about learning while engaging students in the process of becoming real published authors – who will have their short stories published in an anthology.

Emu Ink, which is Ireland’s first online library for new Irish writers, published the country’s youngest ever independent author, nine-year-old Joe Prendergast – whose The Great Fragola Brothers trilogy led him to winning RTE’s Young Person of the Year award in 2013.

Since then, Emu Ink has published more child authors and, with the introduction of their Schools’ Publishing Programme, this number is set to grow.

“We are very excited to be bringing Emu Ink’s School’s Publishing Programme to life”, Ms Cleary said.

“There are so many young, talented, aspiring writers out there and, through the programme, these children can realise their dream right now – and become real published authors!

“It is important for schools to know that our programme is not simply a printing service.

“We believe that in order to become real authors, writers need to experience what that means and to work for it. So the children will follow the lessons and exercises as they build their stories – eventually seeing their work in print, when they are published as part of the anthology.”

The course itself is free, with a minimum order of 50 books, at €10 each, required to take part.

The step-by-step, easy-to-follow steps are available online and teachers guide classes through the online lessons, which are built into Emu Ink’s website, with exercise sheets available for junior and senior infants.

Schools can also integrate the lessons into a time that suits them.

For further information on the programme or to register your school, visit www.emucourses.ie