National Encourage a Young Writer Day

What is NATIONAL ENCOURAGE A YOUNG WRITER DAY?

Observed each year on April 10th,  National Encourage a Young Writer Day sets aside a time to support and encourage aspiring writers. Young is a relative term and while the focus is surely on young teens, let’s not discount young writers that are just starting out after college or graduate school and need support to develop and hone their writing style and skills.

I never knew this day of observation existed but now that I do, it is time to shout it from the rooftops, or the internet, to stimulate and encourage the generations behind me to become writers. The world needs good writers.

Today, people of all ages write in code, “lol,” “nvm,” “btw” looking to say more with less. Spelling and grammar are a thing of the past and our communication has become a test of who can say the most with as little effort as possible. That is not necessarily a good thing.

National Encourage a Young Writer Day is a good time to talk to these young writers about their ideas and thoughts on the written word. A fresh perspective and some new ideas are welcome. Let’s encourage and stimulate those thoughts.

What can you do to encourage a young writer?

Give them a journal. Journaling is a great way to begin to form the habit of embracing thoughts as they occur and expanding on them in a comfortable and private manner.

Mentor a young writer. Contact the guidance office in your school district or a professor/chair of the department at a local college and ask about mentoring these young writers.

Teach them to love to read. Start a book club and inspire thoughtful discussion encouraging an open forum for their opinions.

As content writers, what advice would we give a young writer?

• Believe in yourself.
• Start small. You do not have to write a novel!
• Write, then write, and write some more. Keep going it is a practice.
• Read, read more, and read even more.
• Do not get discouraged.
• Ask for help.

And as we love to say here at Put Another Way, “Find your Voice!”

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