← Writing · Year-long project
A children’s series on online safety.
An open process journal. The series is a year-long endeavour, documented here in stages — concept, research, writing, illustration, and the small decisions that shape a book for young readers learning to move through the digital world.
The four stages
01
Concept & research
Defining what the series is for, who it is written for, and what is already in the conversation.
Underway
02
Drafting
First-pass manuscripts, structural reviews with early readers, and rest between rounds.
Upcoming
03
Illustration & design
Visual direction, accessible illustration practice, and the relationship between word and image.
Upcoming
04
Production & release
Producing the series, sharing it with young readers, and listening to what comes back.
Upcoming
The journal
Beginning
The first entries here will outline why the series matters now, the early shape of its audience, and the questions guiding the research. This space will stay honest. Not every week will carry an entry, and that is part of the shape.
[placeholder — first journal entry forthcoming]Reading what others have written
Notes from a survey of children’s literature already addressing online safety, what feels alive in it, and what feels like a checklist. The point of the survey is not comparison; it is learning how the conversation is currently held.
[placeholder — research entry forthcoming]The first character
An early sketch of the protagonist and the world she moves through. Why the choice was made to lead with curiosity rather than warning, and what the difference looks like on the page.
[placeholder — draft entry forthcoming]Originality and care
The series will be written and illustrated from a clean slate. No existing characters, story worlds, or published illustrations are used as a base. Research sources, when quoted, will be attributed. Anything sensitive — particularly the experiences of children online — will be handled with the help of professionals working in the field, rather than improvised. Decisions about publication, distribution, and any accompanying materials will be made with the welfare of young readers placed first.