About Original Ink
What is a Creative Studio?
Imagination. Collaboration. Storymaking.
Original Ink is a creative studio — a place where ideas are imagined, shaped, and shared. Founded by writer and educator Dr Daniel Ingram-Brown, author of Bea’s Witch and the Inks Academy series, we use writing and drama to make stories that inspire wonder and wellbeing. A creative studio is flexible, collaborative, and idea-driven. At Original Ink, the process begins with writing but grows into storymaking — inviting teachers, children, and communities to join the adventure.
What We Do
Books, Workshops, Publications and Resources.
We bring story to life through three strands:
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Books – Stories for children that open doors into imagination and adventure. Our main focus is the Inks Academy series, but we also promote other works, such as Bea’s Witch.
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Workshops & Author Visits – Creative writing and drama workshops for schools, author visits, CPD for teachers, and downloadable sessions on themes like Romans, Vikings, Environmental and Science Topics.
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Publications and Storymaking Resources – From reflective texts like The Writer’s Cauldron to practical Storymaking Lesson Plans for teachers, our resources explore how stories are made and how storymaking can inspire creativity, learning, growth, and wellbeing.
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Original Ink is more than the sum of its parts. The Inks Academy books spark the imagination, written under the mysterious name Briar Blackwell. From there, storymaking expands into workshops, where children and teachers create their own maps of adventure. Alongside this, reflective publications explore the practice of writing and education, led by Dr Daniel Ingram-Brown.
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Together, these strands form a creative studio: stories written, stories made together, and stories reflected on — all inspiring wonder, courage, and wellbeing.
How it all connects
The Writer’s Cauldron & Bea’s Witch
A ghost story. A reflection. A resource.
The Writer’s Cauldron (coming soon) blends research, reflection, and practice, exploring how stories are forged and how writing can transform. The book reflects on the process of writing Bea’s Witch, a ghostly coming-of-age story written as part of Daniel’s PhD.
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Bea’s Witch tells the story of Beatrice Crosse, a twelve-year-old adoptee haunted by a prophetic ghost. Both magical and moving, it explores themes of identity, belonging, and courage — echoing the heart of Original Ink’s mission: stories that inspire wonder and wellbeing.
Alongside the book, Daniel offers a workshop called “Spark to Story: Maps and Objects.” In this session, children explore how real-life objects and places can ignite imagination. Daniel shares insights into the writing of Bea’s Witch and invites pupils to create their own stories.
Our Approach
Stories are maps.
They chart new worlds, spark curiosity, and open pathways for learning. Through writing and drama, we guide children and teachers to make maps of imagination and growth, co-creating stories that engage even reluctant readers and writers. Our approach nurtures reading for pleasure, builds confidence, and develops ownership of creative work.
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We also model the craft of writing through Q&As, readings and writing alongside students, showing young people what it means to live as a writer. Rooted in postgraduate research and practical experience in education and theatre, this approach encourages empathy, critical thinking and imagination — helping learners shape meaningful stories and see new possibilities.
About Daniel
Author. Educator. Theatre Maker.
Dr Daniel Ingram-Brown is a writer, educator, and researcher with a PhD in Creative Writing and Education. He is the author of several children’s books, including the Inks Academy series and Bea’s Witch.
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Daniel is a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and has worked with First Story as a writer-in-residence for several schools, and the Story Makers Company at Leeds Beckett University. His work brings together creativity, research, and teaching — always with the goal of helping people find and tell stories that matter. He is particularly interested in how stories can spark imagination, build empathy and open up new ways of learning. Through both his writing and his workshops, he creates spaces where children and adults alike can explore, question, and grow through story.
