Why writing tips for kids? Well, a few months ago a friend asked me for some tips for an aspiring author. When I told her I have over fifty blog posts she might check out, she elaborated: the aspiring author happens to be in the 5th grade. So… we’d be looking at more basic tips than my usual posts.
But, I figured that some of my readers might have kids of their own who could do with those same tips. So here’s what I told her.
Write every day
This is a writing tip that applies to to everyone. If you don’t write every day, you won’t get better. Writing every day becomes a habit, and you can accumulate those ten thousand hours that (allegedly) make you an expert.
Read widely, especially the classics
In Australian schools, at least, the classics are often neglected in favour of trends or books that will appeal to average readers or tick a political box. This does not create the perfect conditions for a well-trained literary mind. So, I recommend starting with children’s classics (ideally written pre-2000), and then moving onto adult classics.
Yes, plenty of adult classics are suitable for tweens. I know of 11- and 12-year-olds who appreciate Jane Austen, Mark Twain, and even Charles Dickens, for example. Those aspiring young authors who enjoy writing fantasy or sci-fi can begin the classics in those genres—George MacDonald or Jules Verne, for example. This is the best way to stand on the shoulders of giants (and begin to learn where such aphorisms arose so they can used appropriately!).
Read the Bible
And on that note, whether or not you are a Christian, the Bible is the backbone of Western literature. It will be difficult to fully understand the classics above without at least some knowledge of the historical events, parables, culture, and language of the Bible. The Bible covers also important literary styles—narrative, poetry, and prose discourse—that are invaluable for the aspiring author.
Observe people
Observing people is another writing tip applicable to all. I have written about the complexities of human behavioural research here, for example. But for the younger person, being aware of others and their behaviours can help make their writing more realistic.
Don’t be afraid of or offended by criticism
Criticism is how you grow as a writer. It can be terrifying for younger people to put themselves “out there” with their work. I remember the dread of being laughed at and embarrassed by teenage peers. But getting into the habit of giving and accepting criticism early will give them a good grounding in the life of an author.
Bonus tip: enter competitions
One great way for young writers to get high quality criticism can be via competitions. The judges critiques are usually be experienced writers, editors, and readers. Competitions also offer deadlines and the chance of winning, placing, and getting noticed. Sometimes there’s even a prize!
I got some positive feedback from the 5th grader on these writing tips for kids, and she’s already putting them into practice. But she had one more question—how do you include those fancy symbols between scenes in a chapter? Fonts, or glyphs, my friends. (Not to be confused with gifs!)