Morwenna Rose
Creator Profiles
In my normal life I’m a harp maker, harp teacher and a busy mum of two. But in my heart (and the quiet spaces between life’s demands) I’m a storyteller, and I’d love to share my stories with you.
Cards from this Creator
- The Book of Arralan Season One: The Land Beyond
- The Book of Arralan Season Two: The Prism
- The Book of Arralan Season Three: Ships in the Night
"I have always enjoyed telling stories and had a soft spot for the art of storytelling. If it wasn’t for my dyslexia I think maybe I would have become a children’s author"
Creator Q&A
Tell us about yourself
I am a mother of two delightfully wild boys, I am a harp teacher and maker and I live in Gloucestershire in the UK.
In truth, making audio is something I have always done, on and off, even as a 14 year old when I was a babysitter. I would create cassette stories for the children I babysat and they loved it!
I have always enjoyed telling stories and had a soft spot for the art of storytelling. If it wasn’t for my dyslexia I think maybe I would have become a children’s author. But now I want to be the first ‘Audthor’ (audio only author) to inspire other dyslexic people to find a way.
What inspired you to make this title(s)?
In lockdown I had this idea: what if I could create a story so that my sons and their friends could listen to, so they could have a shared experience while they were kept apart.
The first two books/seasons were released one episode a day. The truth is I wrote nothing down and when I started these stories I had no idea where the story was leading - it developed one episode at a time (and still does).
Each night when the children were asleep I’d record an episode, and in the morning before they woke up I’d edit it and send it out. Some days I’d forget to send it and I would get texts from parents by lunch, saying their children were desperate to know what happened next.
The story is as much an adventure for me as it is for the children, it grows a life of its own.
Now at Season 5 I’ve had to go back and re-listen to it all so that I don’t lose track, and for the first time ever I am writing just a few notes. At the beginning of each season/book I have a vague idea of what I want to include, but the story develops when the recording begins. I think this comes across and is in a way the special ingredient - it’s why children find it so easy to get absorbed into. We are genuinely discovering these wild adventures together.
"My stories also come with a promise: 'All my characters will end up safe and well in the end'"
Who do you imagine listening to your audio?
After much persuasion and imposter syndrome I finally decided to release the first two seasons as a podcast, and I did this via Spotify to begin with. I had no idea if anyone would listen, but it wasn’t long before I got emails from people all over the globe saying how much they were enjoying my stories. This was such a surreal experience and gave me the confidence to make a fourth and fifth season/book.
As a child the one thing I am most grateful for from my parents is that I had a screen free childhood. We had no TV, no computer and we lived on a farm.
This gave me the space to play and imagine all sorts of games and stories. I think children are more and more losing this free imaginative space to screens and I hope that Arralan will draw children and families back to it. Childhood is so precious and children’s imaginations are the jewel of the younger years.
Is there anything different about making audio for Yoto?
We love Yoto in our house! It allows children to truly enter their imagination. We are a screen-free household with only one night a week when we watch something together, so it's amazing to have a gadget that is helping, not hindering, this effort.
As a creator it connects me straight to my audience, and the creator support has been amazing!
One thing I do differently from other audio books is that I try to make it accessible for sensitive listeners. This doesn’t mean making the story bland, but instead helping the children navigate the tense moments. Each description has a warning of peril and often tips to help sensitive listeners through, so if you are the parents of a sensitive child then be sure to read each description. My stories also come with a promise: “All my characters will end up safe and well in the end”. My audience are young, and I want the children to know this so they can enjoy the adventure.
What’s next?
As long as people keep listening I will keep making them. I really adore it!
I now have a wonderful editor and sound engineer on board, Stewart McKee, who I found via Yoto - his son is an Arralan fan! This will speed up my production time a lot, and improve my audio quality as I really am very clueless in the whole recording technology side of things.
Arralan has always been a passion project that I fit around my other job (teaching and making harps) so the dream is that it can grow beyond the hobby phase and start earning its keep.
New to Yoto?
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Creator FAQs
Who are the Creators?
Our Creators are independent makers of music and spoken word content for children and families. Some have established audiences in other places, while others are beginning their audio publishing journey with Yoto. We put out a public call to join this initiative at the start of 2024.
Each of our creators have their own Creator Profiles where you can read more about them and their cards. Just click on their name on their card store page to find out more.
How can I become a Creator?
If you are just starting out, you might first choose to share your digital content for free in the Open Mic section of our community site Yoto Space, where you can start building an audience and get feedback from friendly enthusiasts.
Learn how to make a great Yoto Card by reading our Yoto Creator Guidelines. Learn about what makes the Yoto format unique, and how to create a really engaging and successful title that children will love.
If you're ready to start selling your content on Yoto, you can register your interest.
Can I learn more about Creator content before purchasing?
Yes, each card has an extended audio preview so you can listen to a representative sample before making a purchase. You can also read more about a card's creator by clicking on their name on the card page.
How is this different from the free audio on Yoto Space?
Open Mic on Yoto Space is where we nurture those creators who may be just starting out or wanting to experiment with a new title. It's a friendly community where they have space to share content for free, build an audience and get feedback. We are delighted to see several creators make the leap from there to become Creators on the Yoto Store, where they can now monetise their work.
What do I do if I don't like a card that I've purchased?
If it simply isn't to your taste, purchases are covered by our usual returns policy. If you believe a title breaks our Creators Content Guidelines, please report it.
Are more Creators cards being added to the collection?
Yes, more titles and more creators will be added over the coming months.