Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias. Reviewed by Tamsin Cooke

I have read many books on the craft of writing, but Writing for Emotional Impact completely blew me away.  It shows how stories come alive when readers are emotionally connected and it gives practical advice on how to achieve this.

It's written by Karl Iglesias, a screen writer, script doctor and consultant who specialises in readers' emotional responses to the written page. Throughout the book, he doesn't tell you what to do. Instead he gives you the tools so you can do it yourself.  Even though the book is aimed at scriptwriters, I believe it's useful for writers of any type of fiction. And it makes complete sense. A story can be filled with great characters and a fabulous plot with twists and turns, but it will still fall flat if it doesn't elicit any emotion.

Iglesias talks about the three types of emotions: 

Voyeurstic emotions which 'relate to our curiosity about new information, new worlds, and the relationships between characters.'

Vicarious emotions: 'When we identify with a character, we become them. We feel what the characters feel. We live vicariously through them, and it's no longer a story about a character in a struggle; it's about our struggle.'

And finally, visceral emotions. These include 'interest, curiosity, anticipation, tension, surprise, fear, excitement, laughter etc... If your script delivers a fair amount of visceral emotions, it will give the reader a sense of having been entertained.'

He goes onto explain the difference between character emotions and reader emotions.  For example, a character might be under stress in a comedy, but the reader laughs, thus not sharing the same emotion. Iglesias believes 'whether your character cries is not as important as whether the reader cries.'

He quotes Gordon Lish who said, 'It's not about what happens to people on a page; it's about what happens to a reader in his heart and mind.'

The book is easy to follow with sections covering concept, theme, character, rising tension, structure, scenes, description and dialogue - and connecting them all with emotional engagement.

He explains what makes a concept appealing, and how a great idea is often uniquely familiar.  He shows why themes matter, and gives you the tools to find your own vision and how to reveal them subtlely. Iglesias suggests ways in which we can get readers to connect to our characters, how we can captivate empathy and reveal transformation of our protagonists. He explains the difference between story and plot, and shows how to engage the reader from beginning to end through emotion. His tips on sneaking in exposition are incredibly useful. For example, having a character needing to reveal backstory in a stressful environment turns a passive scene into one filled with suspense. 

I learnt so much from this book and found it invaluable while editing. It is now one of my favourite resources.

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Importance of Research - How does an alligator swim? By Tamsin Cooke

How does an alligator swim? Does it use its legs, legs and tail, or tail only?

A few years ago, I was working on Mission Gone Wild, the second book in my Scarlet Files series. I'd written the first draft, and there were quite a few scenes where my main character transforms into an alligator. I had her swimming through rivers ... using her legs. A kind of doggy paddle. Some of you might be saying, 'Oh! So that's how an alligator swims.' Others of you might be groaning, saying, 'Are you freaking serious?'

Later that summer, I was very lucky because I visited the Everglades in Florida. It's a majestic subtropical wetland full of saw-grass prairies, fresh-water rivers, estuaries and mangrove swamps.  I wanted to make the book come alive for my readers, adding rich details, so they could feel like they're really there. I wanted readers to be able to appreciate the wind and spray when you ride on a hovercraft, hear the insects at night, and feel the tingle of ice cold water when you dip your toes into the river.  And what better way to really appreciate how these things feel than to experience them? Although I will admit that I did not dip my toes in any rivers. Alligators are rife there, and while they'll leave you alone above land, you're fair game below it! 

I fully immersed myself in the Anhinga Trail, a place known for spotting alligators in the wild. There are pathways and jungles where they stroll out in front of you. There are boardwalks that stretch over narrow rivers so you can watch them swim directly beneath. 

I was standing on a bridge, when my heart stopped. An alligator glided gracefully towards me, its tail swaying from side to side, its limbs floating behind. There was no frantic paddling. It was smooth and menacing. I felt very honoured to be able to see such beautiful prehistoric creatures so close up. 

As soon as I got back to England, I rewrote certain sections. Scar, my main character, now glided through the water when in alligator form. Even though it was fantasy, I was making my story realistic. If I hadn't, I'm sure someone would have felt cheated that I hadn't done my homework, that I hadn't made the book believeable. 

Research is incredibly important and luckily it's so much fun. And it doesn't need to be so far from home. I  dipped my bare toes in the stream that meanders through my village. The water was icy cold, but at least my toes weren't alligator lunch!

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

The Pain of the Second Draft

I love to write novels. I find it exciting, liberating and challenging. I get to create worlds, characters and scenarios.

I hate writing the second draft of a novel.

It kills me.

The first draft was written in a flurry of excitement and passion. The words flowed from my brain to my fingers to the keyboard with magic and ease. Okay, I might have included a little hyperbole here. But on the whole, the first draft was fun to get down. The story is filled with promise ...

Until I read it. Except I can't read it without an interpreter. Sentences aren't even whole. I obviously thought of one line and came up with another idea halfway through. But did I delete any words? Oh no. I powered on. I have other sections where in capital letters I've written: DESCRIBE BUILDING or HAVE SOMETHING  HAPPEN. I thought this was going to be my masterpiece. Instead it's a jumble of words with plotholes and incomplete characters. Thankfully, there are hidden gems. I just have to root them out.

 So basically my second draft is rewriting my first.  I work on structure, create readable paragraphs and fill in the gaps. It's HARD WORK. At times, there are splurges of magic as I think, 'Aha - I've solved a plot hole,' or I find a section from my first draft that is actually Booker Prize winning.  

And now I am about to embark on my third draft. I have a fizz of excitement because I love this stage. This is when I make sure that my characters sound authentic and I've given them enough purpose. This is when I make sure there's enough conflict in each scene, that the world building is clear and that I've captured the right mood. This is when I make sure that the story in my head is being conveyed fully on paper. 

I just hope I worked hard enough on draft two, and that I don't get that crushing sense of doom as I realise the second draft isn't quite as good as I thought it was...

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Why Didn't I Join a Crit Group Earlier? By Tamsin Cooke

I am normally a proliffic writer. Time is what stops me. But when Covid struck our shores and the world changed, I seemed to lose all interest in writing. My creative mojo went into lockdown. My enthusiasm went on furlough. My imagination self-distanced from my brain. I thought this was it. I wouldn't write again ...

Then I got invited to join a crit group. I've had this opportunity before but didn't think it would be for me. I thought I was a solitary writer, wanting my manuscript completed and perfectly polished before letting anyone look at it. The thoughts of sharing a work-in-progress filled me with horror. But I decided to give it a go, and I have to say that it's the best thing I could have done.

Having a deadline was brilliant. No longer could I faff about on Twitter and Facebook. If you know someone is going to read your work in X number of days, you force yourself to write. And in doing so, my love of writing and playing with words was reborn. The story that had been lurking in the back of my mind was suddenly at the forefront.

I have to admit I was terrified to press send. All these people were going to read my first chapter and I had no idea how they'd react. I didn't need to worry. They were incredibly supportive and generous with their feedback and expertise. They really liked the idea, but also spotted holes and saggy character motivations. And they made me question what is at the heart of my story - what am I trying to say? Having this advice early on was invaluable. 

I've loved reading their work too. There's something very special in watching a story grow and helping in anyway you can. We have shared ideas and shown different perspectives. 

In this time of isolation, I look forward to our meetings on Zoom. It feels a supportive community where we're free to share the ups and downs of our craft with people who understand. 

So if you're feeling in a rut with your writing, I recommend you join a crit group. They show you the world of your story outside of your own mind, and hold your hand while doing it.

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Getting the First Draft Down - By Tamsin Cooke

 I don't know if any of you have ever done NaNoWriMo?

It's when you aim to write 50 000 words in one month, about 1600 words a day. It takes place in November and is a great way of keeping you inspired and on target. There's lots of support and it's free to join. In case you are interested, here's a link to their website. 

I did it a couple of years ago, and by the end of the month, I had a first draft of a story. Admittedly it needed an awful lot of work - but first drafts always do! Unfortunately the book didn't sell, but NaNo taught me that I am capable of knuckling down. 

And so I am planning to do it again this year. I have an idea and I'm ready to write. In fact I've been ready to write for a while but I have been procrastinating. My house is clean, the dog has never been walked so much, and I might be going for the Olympic record in bingewatching Netflix. Never have such few words been written in such a long time. 

I have written a beginning but I seem to be preoccupied in making sure it has a killer first few chapters. But I can work that out later. Instead of going over and over the same few pages, I need to get the first draft down to make sure the story actually works. Which is why I am doing NaNo. And once the words are down, then I can play with them.

It's great to know that most authors (possibly even all of them) hate their first drafts too.

"The first draft of anything is shit," by Ernest Hemingway

'For me, it's always been a process of trying to convince myself that what I'm doing in a first draft isn't important. One way you get through the wall is by convincing yourself that it does not matter. No one is ever going to see your first draft. Nobody cares about your first draft. And that's the thing that you may be agonzing over, but honestly, whatever you're doing can be fixed ... For now, just get the words out. Get the story down however you can get it down, then fix it," by Neil Gaiman

"I just give myself permission to suck. I delete about 90 percent of my first drafts ... so it doesn't really matter much on a particualr day I write beautiful and brilliant prose that will stick in the minds of my readers froever becasue there's a 90 percent chance I'm just gonna delete whatever I write anyway. I find this hugely liberating," by John Green

"The first draft is a skeleton... just bare bones. The rest of the story comes later with revising," by Judy Blume

So I am going to give myself permission to write an awful first draft. I will embrace the mess and plan on fixing it later!

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Writing a Synopsis Before you Start your Story by Tamsin Cooke

I am one of those unusual people who like writing a synopsis. I didn’t use to. I hated it as much as I hate marmite (which is a lot!). How can you cram the plot points, the twists and turns, the character arcs and the themes in one side of A4? I devoured websites explaining how to do it.

Then one day, I had an idea for a brand-new story. Hoping to pitch it to my agent, I scribbled it down. And a synopsis was born.

 

It was easy and natural to write.  Because I hadn’t thought about any secondary characters yet, I simply included the protagonist’s journey. I worked out what her internal and external goals were and how she was going to achieve them. And I didn’t get bogged down with worrying about which plot points to include since I only knew the major turning events. I showed the conflict that drove the book forward and revealed an exciting ending. And in very simple terms, I described what my character had learnt and how her feelings had changed. I had a character arc!

This synopsis proved incredibly useful when I was writing the actual story. I referred to it, ensuring I was keeping to the essence of my story. I didn’t lose track of my character’s goals and I made sure her motivations matched her decisions. 

 

Now of course, it was just a plan. And the story changed as new ideas came. My protagonist  took me on different journeys and introduced me to new characters.  But the spine and heart of the story remained the same. After the book was written, I edited the synopsis.

Since then, I always write a one- or two-page synopsis before I begin. It keeps me on track, giving me a foundation. Plus I have something to work with when I’ve written the actual book, so I’m not pulling my hair our wrestling what to include.

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk

Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

 

Writing a First Draft - when the magic or the rubbish happens, By Tamsin Cooke

I am writing a brand new story at the moment and am loving seeing where the characters are taking me. I haven’t planned too much this time (please see my last post to understand why). During this first draft, I have journeyed through many different emotions. It all depends on how easy the words are flowing. 

 

1)    The Dream Scenario – unfortunately this happens very rarely. 

You sit at your computer and the words pour through your fingers onto the screen. Time passes in a blur, and you’re like a writer possessed, possibly in a dream like trance. Waking up from it 30 minutes, an hour or two hours later, you read what you’ve written and can’t quite believe it. These scenes must be in line for a Carnegie Medal or a Booker Prize. You have a created a masterpiece.

 

2)    The Realistic Dream Scenario – happens more frequently

You sit at your computer and the words pour through your fingers onto the screen. Time passes in a blur, and you’re like a writer possessed, possibly in a dream like trance. Waking up from it 30 minutes, an hour or two hours later, you read what you’ve written. You are absolutely gutted. You thought it was going to be good, but this is rubbish. You might as well press delete. But something stops you. You suddenly see the gem in there, hiding beneath the rubbish words. You can edit this section - edit it a lot - but it will work eventually. 

 

)         3) The Midnight Idea - happens occasionally

In   In the middle of the night, you wake up with the solution to your plot hole or a fantastic twist that will raise the stakes in your story.  You should write it down, but you’re so warm and snuggly. Plus the idea is that good, there’s no chance you will forget it. The following morning, you’re brushing your teeth, and the ideas come flooding back. You dump your toothbrush and rush to your computer. The words flow … (See scenarios 1 and 2 to learn how the scenes work out.)

 4)    The Midnight Idea Gone Forever – happens a little more than occasionally

In   In the middle of the night, you wake up with the solution to your plot hole or a fantastic twist that will raise the stake in your story.  You should write it down, but you’re so warm and snuggly. You wake up, knowing you solved the biggest crisis in your story, but you can’t remember it. It’s at the tip of your mind … if you just think a little more. Maybe if you go on Twitter or Facebook or play Solitaire. Maybe if you take a nap, that should reawaken the idea. Nope - your award winning idea is gone forever!

5)     5) The force yourself to write scenario - happens a lot.

Y   You sit at your computer, staring at the blank screen or maybe you reread the section you wrote last. What comes next in your story? An idea slowly begins to form, and you put your fingers on the keys, but you don’t press down.  ‘Come on,’ you tell yourself. ‘It doesn’t matter if they’re bad. You can edit them later.’ Ok, maybe it’s not quite happening right now. You’ll take a quick glance at Twitter. And it would be rude not to look at Facebook as well. Plus you really should know what’s happening in the news. An hour later, you’re ready to start again... except the dog needs walking and the dishwasher needs emptying. 

But now you’re ready … after making another cup of tea of course. You force your fingers to write some words. It’s painful and excruciating, but at least sentences are forming on the screen. In fact paragraphs are beginning to flow. You decide not to reread them now, just in case they are in fact rubbish. Instead you keep writing and feel rather pleased with yourself. Perseverance worked. And who knows, tomorrow you might discover you’ve written a masterpiece?

 6) Failing to force yourself to write - happens more often than I like

You sit at your computer, staring at the blank screen or maybe you reread the section you wrote last. What comes next in your story? An idea slowly begins to form, and you put your fingers on the keys, but you don’t press down.  ‘Come on,’ you tell yourself. ‘It doesn’t matter if they’re bad. You can edit them later.’ Ok, maybe it’s not quite happening right now. You take a quick glance at Twitter. And it would be rude not to look at Facebook as well. Plus you really should know what’s happening in the news. An hour later, you’re ready to start again... except you need a fresh cup of tea. And the dog needs walking, the dishwasher needs emptying.

After all of this, you try again. You manage to eek out a few words, but when you reread them, you stop. You’re heart sinks. 

So you decide not to write today and desperately hope that tomorrow the words will flow …

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

 

Who Knew You Could Over Plan a Story? By Tamsin Cooke

I am a plotter. I need to know where my book and characters are heading, otherwise my story flails about, not really going anywhere. In the past, I’ve tried to be a pantser. I’ve let the story evolve and flow from my fingertips … into a jumbled mess!

So I like to plan. And I REALLY planned my last story.  I got a sudden strike of inspiration – the sort that you dream of.  The gem of an idea rushed into my brain, seemingly out of nowhere.  I quickly jotted down my ideas – the basic plot, a character arc of the protagonist. I researched certain aspects I knew nothing about. And that is where I should have left it; that is when I should have started writing.

But no. I decided to GO FOR IT with my planning. I worked out every scene, twist and sub-plot. I knew the goals and flaws of ALL my characters, however minor. I filled a notebook with my ideas, even creating story arc diagrams to make sure I was on point. At last, the whole story was mapped out with no tiny details left to evolve.  

Now I was ready to write, and I couldn’t wait. After all, I loved this story idea … except it wasn’t a story idea anymore. It was a whole book, completely visualized in my head.

And when I came to write the first draft of the story, I found I couldn’t.

Normally my first drafts come out like word vomit – puke erupting from the keyboard as the story hurtles onto my screen, ready for me to edit afterwards. 

Terry Pratchett said, ‘The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.’

The problem was that I’d already told myself the story. I knew everything, so there was nothing left to uncover. Instead of puke flowing, it was painful to get a sentence out. Because I wasn’t worrying about what the characters would do and where they’d go, I was worrying about the prose. It wasn’t creative or fun. It was a chore. I slaved away on this story for a few more weeks until I realized that the spark had well and truly gone.  I’d killed the excitement. And if I wasn’t finding it exciting, then I knew a reader wouldn’t. 

And so I parked my wonderous best-selling idea. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to return to it one day, when I'm exhilarated about the story again.  I've hidden my notebook and left only a brief outline for me to discover. (I couldn't bring myself to actually destroy my notes.)

Luckily, inspiration struck again, and this time I know how to plan the story. I’ve worked out the sweetspot for me. I give myself just enough information, so I know the direction of the story and how my protagonist transforms.  I write a one-sided synopsis. Nothing more!

I’m about to start writing the first draft, and cannot wait for the words to cascade into a wonderful waterfall of vomit.

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Time for a Writing Reality TV Show by Tamsin Cooke

At the moment, life is rather uncertain and difficult. Therefore I decided to have a little fun with my post this month. And so I imagined a writing reality TV programme/game show.  Please note - I don't intend this to be real.

Imagine ten children’s authors – picture book to young adult - battling it out to reign supreme!!! 

Ten authors would stand at an individual high desk in a semi-circle. ( 2 metre spaces between them of course!) Laptops, coffee and cake on each station. The gameshow host would stand at the front between two - YES two, not just one - spinning wheels. (No expense spared in this production!)

On the left spinning wheel would be the categories: Picture book, Early readers, Middle Grade, Teen and Young Adult.

And on the right spinning wheel would be the following: Horror, poetry, fantasy, historic, fairytale, romance, realistic, science fiction and graphic novel.

Can you see where this is going?

The host spins the left wheel. The audience, leans forward, clasping their knees in anticipation. An age range is chosen. The host spins the right wheel and the genre is selected. Then the authors have SIXTY MINUTES to create either a full story or extract. For picture books, early readers and graphic novels, illustrators could be brought in. 

The hour is up. The authors must read their work aloud and the illustrators show their masterpieces.  Three judges give their responses to the stories. Then the phonelines are open. Twenty-four hours for the public to judge their favourite story. 

The next day, the results are in. The tension is palpable. Starting from the top, the winner of the round is announced. The author whose story got the most votes is given a pen with a spinning wheel on the clicky bit. The audience goes wild.

The rest of the authors find out if they are safe or not. Finally the gameshow host names the bottom two. To stay in, these authors must complete a challenge. The winner moves onto the next round, while the loser is eliminated.

Challenges for the bottom two include: 

• Together they create a story, taking turns to say one word at a time. Any hesitation or ums – they lose!
• They’re given a topic and have one minute to say a story aloud. The best one wins.
• They become a character from the story they just wrote. Interviewed by the judges, the most authentic character wins.
• They  fight a tiger and the one not to die, wins.

Then it would be round two with nine authors. This would play out until the final week when only two contestants remain. It would be the ...

No spinning wheels are needed here. The two finalists get to choose their own genre AND intended age range. The audience can hardly contain themselves. 

There's a big golden envelope which the host slowly rips opens to reveal the topic of today's story. The authors have SIXTY MINUTES to create a masterpiece. Illustrators can be brought in if required.

When the hour is up, they read out the stories.  This time the vote is split 50/50 between the public and the judges. OOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!

The next day, the winner is revealed. Their prize: a publishing deal AND a sculpture of a spinning wheel for the mantlepiece. Oh yes!!!

I'm still trying to work out what can happen while the authors are writing to make it a teensy bit more interesting for the audience. Any ideas, please leave in the comments below. I might even send you a pen with a spinning top as a thank you. Or you could become a contestant!!!!

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Stories That May Never See the Light of Day By Tamsin Cooke

Becoming a writer means learning to deal with disappointment and heartache. Most of us, apart from the very lucky few, have had to deal with rejection right at the beginning of our careers. Trying to find an agent and then a publisher is a hard road full of twists and turns. But when you finally sign those contracts, it’s like rainbow fireworks bursting into the sky. Life is fabulous!!!

But what happens after your contracts with the publishers have run out? Maybe you had a 2 book, 4 book, 6 book deal - and then you write something new.  And you write a story that you absolutely love. Perhaps your agent loves it too and you work on it together, making it even better. Then the time comes for it to find a home with a publisher … but no publishing house wants it.

This happened to me recently and I was utterly heartbroken. I wrote a book for young teenagers and I was desperate to see it on a shelf in a library. (And yes, I had pictured it in my mind!) I wanted my characters to be let loose into the world and for readers to enjoy their adventures. But alas, none of this was meant to be.  

Since then, I have spoken to numerous authors and have realized that this happens far more often than people think. Authors who are incredibly successful have written books that may never see the light of day. Their agents loved them, but for whatever reasons, they were rejected. There is some solace in knowing that I’m not alone. 

My story did receive some wonderful feedback from editors and got very close to finding a home. This made it a little easier to deal with. Plus I paid great attention to why it was rejected and took their observations and advice on board. And as I write another story, I keep their feedback in the back of my mind. Because most authors don’t give up. We keep going, hoping our next story will be published. We are persistent and courageous! That’s what I tell myself anyway. 

Today I’d like to give a toast to all those books that haven’t quite made it. They might be languishing in a file on a computer, tucked away in a desk drawer or hidden in a box under a bed.  To all those stories, characters, and adventures - you aren’t forgotten. Your creators still believe in you! And who knows - maybe one day you will be self-published, or an editor might ring out of the blue, wanting to see you again ...

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1 

Life is Stranger than Fiction Right Now by Tamsin Cooke

I don’t know about you, but I am finding it hard to write. Maybe it’s because I’m trying to write a funny story for 7-9 year olds, and I’m not feeling that funny right now. 

Perhaps I should try writing a dystopian horror instead.  Except that wouldn’t be fiction! 

We are living through surreal dangerous times. So much so, my work in progress feels like an utter fantasy when it’s actually realism. 

Or it was. 

When I came up with the idea two months ago, I thought my main protagonists were fun, lively, a little bit mischievous, living in a ‘normal’ town. But now I realise they are full on rebels, as are their parents, living in some alternative reality.

For example: 

One of my characters gives the other one a hug. Not only are they standing so close to each other, they are actually touching! What about the two metre rule?  What are they thinking? Luckily neither of them has a cough!

Now wait for it. They go to a playpark and join other children. Can you believe what you are reading??? There are now six of them. Six children playing in the sunshine. How dare they? Surely the police will turn up at any second, disperse them and give them a much-needed lecture about being so reckless. 

My characters go to school. They eat crisps from the same packet. Plus their parents are at work and they're not key workers. Their parents are obviously selfish anarchists.

A month ago, my characters’ actions were just normal, mundane. But as I write them now, I pause. It feels strange - almost wrong. All the little things that we took for granted have been stripped away from us. And quite rightly so. We need to keep everyone as safe as possible. But it means the small activities such as going to the park or giving a friend a hug are fantasies. I know that in the near(ish) future, we will return to our normal ways. But I hope we’ll remember to appreciate the smaller things in life.

And so, I’ll continue to write my funny story, knowing that what's happening in my characters' lives is actually the norm. It’s only now that life is stranger than fiction.

Tamsin Cooke

Author of The Scarlet Files Series and Stunt Double Series

Website: tamsincooke.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsinCooke1