“If you wish to be a writer, write.”

—Epictetus

“You will be judged, for your entire life, on the basis of how well you write. If you write well, people will think you are smart. If you write poorly, they will think you are dumb. That is perhaps unfair, but it is the reality, and you might as well face it now.”

–Robert Pasnau

Ever heard of NaNoWriMo? Short for National Novel Writing Month, it’s an amazing writing event that takes place every November.

I love that NaNoWriMo also has a Young Writers Program that’s open to children 17 and under. The challenge? Pump out a novel in 30 days.

According to the website, “The only thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The high-velocity approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.”

Free Resources

NaNoWriMo offers some great resources to help your students along their writing journey—”new and improved, 100% awesome, non-lame” Young Novelist Workbooks.

You can download the workbooks here absolutely FREE! Choose from:

• Elementary Student Noveling Workbook
• Middle School Student Noveling Workbook
• High School Student Noveling Workbook

Ready for a crazy, roller-coaster November? Register here for the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program!

“Looking back, I imagine I was always writing. Twaddle it was too. But better far write twaddle or anything, anything, than nothing at all.”

—Katherine Mansfield

     “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” 

—Toni Morrison

Image by Kevin Dooley under Creative Commons license   

Words matter:

write to

Learn what

you know.

—mary anne radmacher

© Mary Anne Radmacher. Used by permission.

maryanneradmacher.com 
maryanneradmacher.net

One year for Mother’s Day, my son Ben wrote me a long, sappy letter dripping with affection and appreciation. I’m sure he figured that if he was sentimental enough, I wouldn’t notice that he didn’t get me a gift.

Know what? He was right!

Sometimes, the best present isn’t wrapped up in a box. It’s the genuine expression of love and appreciation that you tuck into an envelope in the form of a special note or letter.

Not sure who or how? My friend Susan sent me a great link with some ideas. This week, sit down as a family with a box of special stationery, stickers, colored pens, and rubber stamps and write some notes to a few extra-special people in your lives.

Here’s a chance to make writing truly practical. Get started here!

It’s been seven years since 9/11. Can you believe it? Ask your kids to write a short essay, journal entry, or even a list about the events of September 11, 2001. Here are a few ideas.

Writing Prompts and Exercises

• September 11th is a Day of Remembrance. As we honor those who lost their lives on this day 2001, make a list of everything in your life that you are thankful for.
• Did the events of that day change your thoughts about your life? In what ways, if any, did you change?
• Write about your reaction to the September 11th attack.
• There were many heroes during the September 11th tragedy. Write about a hero or a heroic event that made an impression on you.
• TipLine – Gates’ Computer Tips writes, “Today’s [high school] seniors were in 6th grade when the attacks of 911 occurred. Wouldn’t it be a great writing prompt to ask, ‘How have your feelings and understandings about the attacks of 911 changed?’”

Additional 9/11 Ideas and Resources

BuddyProject.org offers suggested activities that your children can do as they research the events of September 11, 2001. Explore the various sites with your children and discuss with them the information that you find. Encourage older children to write about their findings and feelings.