Encourage The Love of Writing

I completely forgot I Love to Write Day on November 15th--last Friday. So, here is a post I wrote in 2012 about this national day of recognition for those who love to write, and even those who do not. 

Two things I saw on facebook this morning triggered my thoughts for this post. One was Save the Date and the other one that jumped out for me was I Love To Write Day.

November 15, 2012 will be the tenth annual I Love To Write Day. I usually feature it in my post on that mid-November day. It's the one day of the year that everyone is encouraged to write. Doesn't matter what it is--just write! A thank you note qualifies, but so does a poem, a story, a two-paragraph description or memory piece. So, mark your calendars now. Save that date!

Personally, I celebrate this day every day because writing is something that satisfies me like nothing else. I'm willing to bet that my blood pressure evens out to normal whenever I write. It pleases me to string words together in hopes that they will touch the heart and soul of at least a few people who read them. Maybe my words will provide pertinent information or entertain someone. When I finish a writing project, no matter how long or short, I have a sense of accomplishment greater than when I do anything else.

I like words. I like putting words together. I like creating stories and poems from those many words. I enjoy doing crossword puzzles because they are filled with words, unlike those sudoko puzzles that irritate me to no end. Some people love them. Must depend on whether you're a number person or one addicted to the beauty of words. There is no doubt which category I fall into.

I've heard far too many people say they hate writing. They offer a number of reasons, but one I hear frequently is that it is because of a teacher (or teachers) who made it a chore instead of pleasure or who ridiculed the results of an assigned essay. Sad that they who should be the greatest proponents of writing for enjoyment sometimes end up being the biggest discouragers. Maybe part of it is because we were often assigned the topic, not left to create our own subject. On the other hand, when the teacher said to write on anything of your choice, we sometimes sat there with a blank slate in our mind.

I hope that teachers and parents will encourage children to write. We push reading at all levels today, which is wonderful. But I'd like to see more emphasis placed on writing. Mary Lane Kamberg, a Kansas author, has a fine book of tips for young people who want to write. She includes exercises in The I Love To Write Book--Tips and Ideas for Young People.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent, I hope you will do what you can to promote the joy of writing to the young people you know today. There's plenty of time before November 15th to plan an event or project to celebrate I Love To Write Day

I Love To Write Day

How could I possibly pass up I Love To Write Day? John Riddle, a writer, is the man credited for creating this national day to recognize the art of writing. You can read the history here.

This day is not restricted to professional writers. Far from it. Today is meant to encourage all people to write something. Anything! It is hoped that teachers will recognize the day with a writing project in the classroom. Hopefully, it will be something fun that will encourage children to continue to write and enjoy the process. 

Are you thinking What shall I write?

How about writing that personal letter to a family member or friend today? We all have good intentions of writing to someone and then life barges in and interrupts us so we put it off. No more putting it off. Today is the day! It doesn't have to be several pages, although it could. Even a short personal note to someone you care about will suffice.

Write in your personal journal. Don't have one? Today would be a great day to begin one. What do you write in a daily journal? Anything you want to, no matter how trivial or how filled with anger or how passionate. It's all for you, no one else, so pour out your heart.

Today would be a good day to write a family story. If you have a Family Stories Book started, add this new one to it. If you don't have a book of your family stories, today is the day to begin. Write one story, then add another some other time. Keep writing about the happenings in your family as far back as you can remember. Keep the stories in a 3 ring binder. You'll be surprised how fast it fills up if you write those stories on a regular basis. What a treasure it will be for your children and grandchildren. Don't wait. Begin today!

If nothing else, write a grocery list. It's not terribly creative but it IS writing. 

Ponder on the art of writing. Consider what life would be like if we did not have authors and newspaper journalists, poets and publishers, libraries and book shops. We cannot read if someone does not write.

Encourage The Love Of Writing

Two things I saw on facebook this morning triggered my thoughts for this post. One was Save the Date and the other one that jumped out for me was I Love To Write Day.

November 15, 2012 will be the tenth annual I Love To Write Day. I usually feature it in my post on that mid-November day. It's the one day of the year that everyone is encouraged to write. Doesn't matter what it is--just write! A thank you note qualifies, but so does a poem, a story, a two paragraph description or memory piece. So, mark your calendars now. Save that date!

Personally, I celebrate this day every day because writing is something that satisfies me like nothing else. I'm willing to bet that my blood pressure evens out to normal whenever I write. It pleases me to string words together in hopes that they will touch the heart and soul of at least a few people who read them. Maybe my words will provide pertinent information or entertain someone. When I finish a writing project, no matter how long or short, I have a sense of accomplishment greater than when I do anything else. 

I like words. I like putting words together. I like creating stories and poems from those many words. I enjoy doing crossword puzzles because they are filled with words, unlike those sudoko puzzles that irritate me to no end. Some people love them. Must depend on whether you're a number person or one addicted to the beauty of words. There is no doubt which category I fall into.

I've heard far too many people say they hate writing. They offer a number of reasons, but one I hear frequently is that it is because of a teacher (or teachers) who made it a chore instead of pleasure or who ridiculed the results of an assigned essay. Sad that they who should be the greatest proponents of writing for enjoyment sometimes end up being the biggest discouragers. Maybe part of it is because we were often assigned the topic, not left to create our own subject. On the other hand, when the teacher said to write on anything of your choice, we sometimes sat there with a blank slate in our mind. 

I hope that teachers and parents will encourage children to write. We push reading at all levels today, which is wonderful. But I'd like to see more emphasis placed on writing. Mary Lane Kamberg, a Kansas author, has a fine book of tips for young people who want to write. She includes exercises in The I Love To Write Book--Tips and Ideas for Young People.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent, I hope you will do what you can to promote the joy of writing to the young people you know today. There's plenty of time before November 15th to plan an event or project to celebrate I Love To Write Day.  

One Big Party For Writers

November 15th is I Love To Write Day. A man by the name of John Riddle is the brain behind the idea. He began his grassroots campaign to bring writing to the attention of everyday people nine years ago. Like so many ideas, he started small and each year the number of people taking notice has swelled.

Nine years ago, his idea was only a seed and it's blossomed with 20,000 schools signed on to participate last year. His goal for 2010 is 25,000 schools. This Delaware author of 34 books has dubbed I Love To Write Day as the biggest party for writers. It certainly is as it spreads across the USA.

November 15th is the day Mr. Riddle selected to urge people to write something. It's not a day for only professional writers, this one's for every last person in our country. Today is the day to sit down and write a personal essay, write a poem, or write a letter to someone. Write in a journal, write a postcard, write song lyrics. But write! Write anything you like, but write! .

Learn more about I Love To Write Day at the website Mr. Riddle uses to spread the word. http://www.ilovetowriteday.org/ Then share it with your friends, your family, your school administrator or your child's teacher. If they can't participate this year, they can plan for it in 2011. It would be a wonderful learning tool in schools across our nation.

You don't have to write with the aim of publication. Write for personal satisfaction. Start a folder for the things you write every November 15th. Celebrate I Love To Write Day with me and thousands of others.

Celebrate I Love To Write Day with words--the ones written by you!

National I Love To Write Day

I feel like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! Yesterday was the eighth National I Love To Write Day, but maybe the day after is still appropriate to recognize this celebration begun by author, John Riddle.

Mr. Riddle is a longtime freelance writer whose work can be found in newspapers and magazines of note. In a recent interview, he said that he has always loved planning events and encouraging others to participate. He decided he needed a website, and when he was making plans for it, he opted to use I Love To Write in the site address. It was the seed of an idea that developed into this national recognition event, which continues to grow each successive year.

Mr. Riddle said his thought was to encourage others to write a poem, an essay, a letter to the editor--anything at all. He felt that many would like to write but think they don't have the time or the skill. By naming one day of the year, November 15th, as I Love To Write Day, it creates a certain freedom for those willing to try. Schools by the thousands have incorporated the day into their curriculum. The children of today who are exposed to this national celebration may find the joy of writing as they progress through the many levels of their education. And for that, I would like to thank Mr. Riddle.

I love to write and now maybe many others who have never made the attempt will also find the satisfaction and pleasure in it. When you get your 2010 calendar, flip the pages to November and put a big red circle around the 15th. Next year, you'll be ready to celebrate by writing something.