The writing life offers plenty of solitude. I love that on most days getting dressed for work means slipping on pajama pants and a sweatshirt. But sometimes I long for the company of other people. I want to put on real clothes and leave the house and talk about books and hear what other writers are thinking about. Oddly, I found my writing community when I started a writing group for young people in my city. The lessons they’ve taught me about writing and life fuel my work every day. Here’s just some of what I’ve learned from teaching and paying attention to young people:
1. Dedicate Space and Time to Writing.
In some ways, teaching writing to children is built on a single foundation: opening up time and space to write. For most of the young people I work with, their time is held captive by external stimulation: televisions, computers, cellphones, MP3 players, and more. If they don’t have these devices at home, they can easily find them at the library (where I teach).
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My life changed for the better this year when once again I dedicated my morning time to writing. No more early morning Facebook sessions. No more talking with clients or checking email until noon. Instead, I write. I read. I research. I do what the children have taught me to do: open up space for writing.
2. Accept What Shows Up.
When I started Dream Keepers, my writing program for at-risk children in the city, I envisioned working with girls. And for the first two years I did. But then the program transitioned to the library—and boys started showing up, asking to write. (At first I thought it was the treats we served—and it may have been—but even now when we don’t have goodies, the boys keep coming.)
At one after-school library program, when it was raining so hard I thought no one would show up, nine boys bounced into the room, dripping wet and eager to write. At another event, a boy whom the teacher described as a slower learner, wrote an amazing poem with juicy words.
As a writer, it’s been the wildest ideas and assignments that have led to the most interesting projects. In 2004, I was asked to write a book with a friend in two weeks. We finished the project in nine days. A year later, that experience became the seed for my book on writing marathons, Write-A-Thon.
3. Honor Your Passion.
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Like all writers, I will take on projects just for the paycheck. If the project does not connect in some way to my passion, I can struggle to get it done. Over the years, I’ve learned to be more selective about what I take on and found ways to better the projects that do not excite me. So writers: find a way to honor your passion in your writing. (Even if that means listening to music you love while you’re writing an article about the intricacies of tax policy.) - Por que ela usou escrever sobre política fiscal um exemplo de projetos que não são empolgantes? ఠ_ఠ
4. Prewriting.
At the beginning of every writing group meeting, before the students write poems or paragraphs, I invite them to make lists or mind maps. They jot down everything they know about the topic along with their ideas and memories. When I attended the Milwaukee Writing Project’s Summer Institute, several lessons focused on how prewriting can help students write with less fear. The students relax when they don’t have to worry about getting the right words in the right order. I do, too. Now, I start every one of my own morning writing sessions with mind mapping or some other prewriting tool.
5. The Golden Sentence.
When a group of us teachers work with students at the Milwaukee Art Museum, we end every session by having students choose and present their “Golden Sentence.” The Golden Sentence is a tool from Jim Vopat’s book, Micro Lessons in Writing.
A Golden Sentence is the most powerful sentence a student can find in his writing. On days when the students really struggle to come up with a product they like, the golden sentence reminds them they have the power to produce beautiful sentences.
There are days when I wonder why I am still doing this writing thing. Sometimes finding a golden sentence amidst the dregs helps me to move forward—or at least write again tomorrow.
About the Author: Rochelle Melander is an author, speaker, and certified professional coach. She is the author of ten books, including the National Novel Writing Month guide—Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and Live to Tell About It). She teaches professionals how to write good books fast, use writing to transform their lives, navigate the publishing world, and get published.
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