We should always encourage children to follow their dreams. Even when it's a temporary dream. Some children will dream of becoming a police officer, fire fighter, teacher, doctor, writer, and other fields. Sometimes, they will change their little minds later in life, but your support will show that child that you care. That's important because they are important.
Writing stories may or may not pay the bills. We cannot see the future. But no one will ever know if you don't try. So if you know a child who wants to be a writer, support them. Who knows, that child could be like Stephen King or Dean Koontz and become a best seller who goes on making big bucks selling their story to a movie producer.
Here are some things we can tell a child who does want to be a writer. Some of these things I wish someone would have said to me because support can change everything. And we all know how important it is to feel like you matter.
You want to be a writer? That's awesome! Would you like me to help you explore this field? (this is when you pull up websites that show writers what to expect). Both of you can have fun exploring author websites and see what they wrote. It also says "you're interested in what they like."
That is the coolest thing ever. Do you have a story idea? Here is something to write on. I'd love to read it when you're done.
OMG I knew it--it makes sense that you enjoy telling stories because I love reading them! What do you like to write about? Anytime you can be involved tells them they are important and how they feel is important too.
Some advice you can share with a child.
Writing is easy and hard at the same time. Anytime you need help, there is always someone you can reach out to and ask questions. You can be the adult they can reach out to.
Writing a book is not a race. Take your time. Be sure to go through the finished book and make corrections in spelling, gramar, and anything left out.
Reading a sentence outloud can help with editing (making corrections).
If you don't know how to spell a word, you can say the word into a cell phone and it will pop up. You can also ask an adult to help. Dictionaries are a big help too. If you have used a word too many times, you can use what's called a Thesaurus. These books give you different words with the same meaning. They can be found on the internet too.
Be part of the writing community. You can find them online at various social networks like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. You can also go to your local library and ask the librarian. She/he can help you find writing groups in your area who meet up at the library.
Depending on the age of the child, there may be some classes he or she can take, writing groups they can attend. Libraries are a great resource for anything writing-related.
Marketing is important if the child wants to publish their book. This is something that can begin before the story is finished. Learning about it now can help them later on as an adult when writing is more serious. I wish I knew about this before publishing my first book.
If you get a rejection from a publisher, it isn't the end of the world. It just means that publisher wasn't ready for your story. Don't give up. It wasn't personal so don't be offended by it. Just keep working on the story and try another publisher. It takes time. You can also choose to self-publish which means you would be handling both sides of the business. This is when being in the writing community can be very important. We support each other.
Marketing a book can become expensive too. If you don't know how to make the cover, you can hire someone to make one for you. You can also hire someone to edit the story for you (after you already made edits--don't skip that). You can hire someone to format the story so it will look professional. These are all things the publisher will do as well--you still need to edit your story. That's why it takes time. There is no magic number for how many drafts you go through. You're done when the story is as close to perfect as you can make it.
You should not pay someone to publish your book. If you are self-publishing, it is okay to pay for copies of your book.
You don't need an agent, although having one can help (if you find the right one). Just as some publishers only accept some genres, agents may only accept romance or mystery stories. Before sending your story to any of them, make sure they accept the genre your story is.
Make copies of your story. Don't send a publisher or agent your only copy.
Learn as much as you can. Read a lot. And keep learning.
Have fun with your story. Don't be afraid to tell people you want to write or you are writing. It could be an awesome way to make a friend or get a new fan.
Do you have any tips to share with a child? Reply below with your tips. Thank you!
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