What's On - Children’s Book Festival: Creative Writing Workshop with David Macphail

Waterstones Children's Book Festival - Dundee.
Following the enormous success of last year’s inaugural Waterstones Children’s Book Festival, our celebration of the magic of children’s literature returns in 2026. Coming to Dundee from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 February and jam-packed with author events, workshops, activities and more, book your tickets now for a truly unmissable event.

Join award-winning author David Macphail for an interactive, imagination-fuelled workshop inspired by his hilarious new book Aliens Made Me Do It. This session is designed for young creators aged 7 years and up who love inventing characters and dreaming up wild adventures. After a quick dive into the world of UFOs and alien antics, children will design their very own alien, thinking about its appearance, personality, strengths, weaknesses, and the kind of mischief it might cause. Once their alien is ready, David will guide them through starting a story using a fun, energetic first-line writing prompt, helping them launch their own mini sci-fi adventure. This hands-on workshop encourages creativity, character creation, and story craft, perfect for young writers who want to explore their imaginations and leave with the beginnings of their own alien-themed tale.

David Macphail is the author of over 40 books for young readers, including Where’s Dragon In His Castle and the much-loved Thorfinn the Nicest Viking series. He lives in Perthshire with his family.

Suitable for budding artists aged 7 plus.

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Information published by Leisure and Culture Dundee.