Encouraging and praising your young writer Is easy as well as necessary, but where does your young writer go from there? Where will that finished piece end up? In a closet or a drawer? I hope not. What about a contest? A magazine? Or an anthology? That can be accomplished even at the earliest age. But is the piece ready? If not, how does the young writer revise and get the piece ready for submission? And when ready, where should it be submitted? And how? This workshop, Mentoring Your Young Writer, will answer all the questions and more.

SOME THINGS YOU’LL LEARN IN

MENTORING YOUR YOUNG WRITER

I. Talk about young writers

a. their creativity

b. their inquisitiveness

c. their honesty

d. their vision of the world

e. their difficulties

f. their emotional problems

g. their humor

II. Being supportive

a. more than a “that’s good”

b. more than hanging on refrigerator

c. taking time to read other things by young writers

d. taking time to share what you learned from a “young” writer

e. taking time to listen to long drawn out scenes and never ending plots

f. Research markets and contests for and with your child writer. Unlimited markets on the Internet.

g. Join writer groups and writing newsletters

III. Being financially supportive

a. Have a well-lighted writing area that is strictly “theirs”

b. Good writing tools: books, journals, paper, shelves, filing storage, computer, word processor

c. Subscribe to magazines that publish young writers.

d. Buy books written by young writers

e. Provide lots of reading material, not only good fiction, but books on writing

f. Learn how to use your word processing program. (Word 2000 for Dummies) and teach your writing child

g. Provide market guides whether you purchase them or take your child to the library to research

a. Take your child writer to writing conferences and workshops. There are many inexpensive ones close to you.

b. Look for inexpensive, simple writing courses your child can take in the summer.

c. Look for summer writing camps held at various college campuses

h. Spend lots of time together in bookstore. Pick out a book together, get something to drink and spend time sharing the same book

IV. Become a child again

a. Read same book and discuss characters, plot, and ending

b. Spend time together journaling. Go on nature walks and write scenes together. Take your journals to the mall or another public place and people watch. Use the time to be quiet together. Always listen, don’t suggest, don’t correct, don’t add to, or take away. Be completely accepting of your child writer’s creative ideas.

c. Read books that your child writer likes to read. Talk about them. Share what you liked about the character, the plot, etc. If you child doesn’t like that book, don’t preach. Ask why. Look at her/his opinion as important and crucial. Say things like, “Good point,” or “I never thought about it like that.” Give your contrasting opinion in an equal way, not a superior way. For instance, “I see where you’re coming from, but I liked that fact that….” Discuss.

v. Your Child’s work

a. Shop with your child writer at an office supply for creative materials and ways to publish his/her work.

b. Be your child’s publisher (with his/her permission, of course) and make up books for family members and friends. Donate one to the public library and his/her school.

c. Have an autograph party

d. Whenever your child has something published or places in a writing contest, contact the local newspaper for coverage.

e. Save everything, yes everything your child writes. First drafts, everything and store them in a good, sturdy storage box

vi. Question and answer period