SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER . . .

Since so many of y0u have asked me how you can be a writer, too, I’ve decided to start a new page where you can get some tips and even practice your skills. Each week I’ll add something new to each category, so visit often -- and start your writing life!           

TIPS FROM 2/6/08

WRITING TIP #7  Read!

                   Reading gives you ideas for things to write about. It isn’t copying to use what you’ve picked up in a great story for a great story of your own. That’s how many great writers learned their craft.

Try It:  Think about the last book you read that you really liked. Go to your favorite part. Picture yourself in the situation the main character was in at that point. Imagine how you would react, what you’d say or do. What would a  scene with YOU as the star look like?

                WRITING TIP #8  LIVE!

                            People often fall into the trap of thinking “I have a boring life—I don’t have anything to write about.” If your life is boring, the thing that’s boring about it might just be the way you’re looking at it.  Pay attention to what’s fascinating about ordinary, everyday life. That’s the stuff great stories are made of.

Try It! For one day, keep a list of everything that might possibly be turned into something interesting in your life.  Is your little brother truly unique? Do you have a dog like nobody else’s? Is it common for your family to burst into song in a restaurant?  You’ll be amazed at what you’ll come up with.

                WRITING TIP #9  WRITE!

If you’re going to be “good” at writing someday, you have to give yourself permission to maybe be a little bit bad at it at first. Not everything every published writer has ever written has been published. Not everything you write will be a masterpiece either. When you were learning to ride a bike or scooter, or to skate or do a cheer, did you get it perfect the very first time? Writing’s the same way.

TRY IT:  Write that scene you imagined in Writing Tip #7. Just write it for fun and don’t try to make it good. When you’re finished, read it over and do one of three things: (1) decide it’s great just the way it is; (2) see how good it COULD be and work on it some more; (3) throw it away. Those are all good responses for an author like you!

TIPS FROM 1/27/08

WRITING TIP #4  Read!

 When you read, you improve your vocabulary, and to

 be a good writer you need to use good words 

Try It:  Take out the book you’re reading now (maybe it’s a Lily or a Sophie?)  Using a fun piece of paper and a cool pen (we don’t want this to be too much like school), write down all the words you didn’t know before you came across them in the book. Can you write a hilarious paragraph using all those words?

            WRITING TIP #5 Live!

                             The main reason new writers can’t think of

                             things to write about is because they aren’t

                             looking at their own very cool lives – and

                             everybody does have experiences like nobody

                             else’s

                             Try It: Sit down with your best friend (maybe

                             over a plate of cookies!) and write down all the

                             experiences that you have each had that the

                             other hasn’t. (Have you seen a calf be born, but

                             she knows how to water ski?) Those are all

 perfect things to write stories about    

          WRITING TIP #6  WRITE! 

                              As you’re writing in your journal or making up

 stories, remember that you won’t finish

everything you start to write.  There are lots of

starts out there that stop short of an entire

 book, or story, or even paragraph. But the

 important thing is to start anyway, and keep starting over --  and over again.

                             Try It:  Pick one of the things you‘ve listed in the

                             exercises and start a fresh new story or poem

                             about it. Write until you’re tired of it. Guess

                             what?  You’re becoming a writer! 

TIPS FROM 1/13/08

            WRITING TIP #1  Read!

When you read a lot, your brain stores away how a story should be written.

Try It: What’s your absolute favorite book of all time? (Surely it’s one of mine!) Read the first page and n0tice the very place where you knew you were going to read on. That’s how you start a story.    

            WRITING TIP #2 Live!

If you only sat down to write after reading other people’s books, what would you have to write about except, well, other people’s books? If you want to come up with your own stories, you also have to get out and experience things.

Try It:  Imagine there’s a new girl in your class you want to get to know.  Make a list of five (true) things you would tell her about your life that would get her interested in you. Now you have five things you can write about. Couldn’t think of five? Come back next week and we’ll work on that.         

          WRITING TIP #3 Write

If you want to be a writer, you have to write, and if you want to be a good writer, you have to write all the time. 

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