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Does your child love creative writing? Advice me please...

13 replies

earwig1 · 16/03/2013 17:55

My 10 DD loves writing, she always has but lately she seems to spend hours writing stories and now she prefers to use a laptop rather than writing by hand. Her teachers have always commented that she has a real talent for writing, but mainly is her love of it and obvious enjoyment she gets that drives her. She's very lively, not the quiet type at all, and she's a bit too chatty at school but when she writes she really concentrates. I'd like some advice on how best to encourage her, do you recommend entering competitions? A creative writing course for kids? or just letting her get on with it? Any advice, especially from parents of very creative kids would be appreciated.

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earwig1 · 16/03/2013 17:57

One more thing, out of curiosity really, she keeps saying she wants to be a writer when she grows up... what are the signs of a "natural born writer" and how unusual is it?

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caughtinagiggleloop · 16/03/2013 18:13

The only trait of a writer is that he or she writes. And when they're not writing they're coming up with ideas. I'd say let her decide what she wants to do. Competitions and things may be OK if she wants to but don't try to sign her up for things unless she's really keen. As soon as it stops being fun and an outlet for her creativity and becomes something she has to do, you're in danger of putting her off it.

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earwig1 · 16/03/2013 18:25

thanks loop, that makes sense...

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lljkk · 16/03/2013 20:20

DD's writing was described as "exceptional" by her teacher the other day . This from a teacher who doesn't hand out praise generously.

I dunno, I think you just have to let them take it where they will. I was considered a gifted writer and I did grow up to do lots of writing: social science research papers for publication! I feel in retrospect that teachers were too quick to pigeonhole my talent for creative writing when really, good writing skills can be utilised in so many ways. By the time I was early 20s I found math & physics more rewarding, probably because they didn't come so easily to me.

Dd entered the children's Radio2 contest recently, but I'm not holding my breath for a win. A lot of so-called contests are slight cons to lead into vanity publishing, do your research.

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Becp · 18/03/2013 10:26

My daughter is the same she loves to write & also reads a lot too. I tried to encourage her by suggesting competitions etc but she wasn't keen, she seems to do just for her own pleasure. We bought her a file to keep all her stories in and a big art pack to illustrate her work, it'll be nice to look back at as she gets older Smile

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Idratherbemuckingout · 23/03/2013 16:15

I wrote my first story aged 5 when my parents bought me a Petite Children's typewriter, and I've never stopped since and that is 50 years on now!
Just encourage her to read but don't go thinking she is exceptional in any way as loads of people write really well - you have only to go on any writer's forum to find that out.
Make sure she knows her grammar and spelling ( it is advise me please you meant not advice me please) and punctuation.
If she only wants to do it for her own pleasure, just keep on supplying the paper and she will be fine.
Teach her to touch type and she will be quicker - best thing I ever did was to buy a paperback on touch typing when I was about 16.
Make sure as she gets older she has a go at editing and revising her work.
Maybe encourage her to write a short novel as she gets older.
I stuck primarily to pony stories being a pony mad girl and I did get some published as I got older - in things like Pony Magazine. So maybe look for kid's publications that accept work from youngsters.
Get a Writers and Artists Yearbook.
Lots of stuff you can do.
Good luck to her.

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booksteensandmagazines · 24/03/2013 20:25

There is a magazine called Wordsmith aimed at keen teen writers - so 11+ really. It is a bit dry I think but its a place where children can get stories or poems published or where they can read about writing.

www.booksteensandmagazines.com/view/wordsmith

Otherwise encourage her to read as its a fantastic source of ideas and I think the idea of keeping a scrapbook of her work, like Becp does, is lovely.

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daytoday · 26/03/2013 12:24

I think the worst thing you can do to is send her to creative writing courses.

The best thing you can do, in my opinion, is just keep her reading, as opposed to writing. Find creative days in museums etc. Just follow her lead.

That she enjoys writing is enough.

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formicaqueen · 30/03/2013 21:30

Keep up the reading. The more she reads, the more scenarios and language she will hold mentally.

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mrz · 31/03/2013 10:16
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harms8 · 17/02/2014 10:37

Mine loves books

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mummy1973 · 23/02/2014 22:09

My dd is like that. Lots of paper, books and chats about ideas but only when she asks!

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McFox · 23/02/2014 22:20

I'd say just let her get on with it and not make competitions etc a part of it unless she wants to do them.

Much like Lljkk I write as part of my career, scientific content mainly, but if you're not a born fiction writer it can be difficult for schools etc to know what to do with you!

As long as your dd is enjoying what she is doing, then just let her develop her own talent I'd say.

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