We have a young friend who thinks he wants to be a writer. He is only about 8 or9 and has started a story about his best friend, one of his stuffed animal. How do I encourage him along , he is very sure this is what he wants but you know how kids at this age can be one thing one day and something else the next but would like to encourage him.

I use to write stories until I was told that it was a silly thing for me to be doing wasting my time like that when I was about his age, so it is dear and near to my heart to encourage young ones to try.

Any and all ideas are welcome, not sure that he is allowed on the computer so .........

Anyone who wants to write should be encouraged. Talk about books with him. Read books with him. Emphasize that in order to develop as a writer, you must be a reader. He's a bit young, but start him on the great childhood classics as soon as he is ready. I'm sixty eight, and I still reread Treasure Island and Kidnapped every year or two, and still love them. Eight years old, I can't think what might do for him now. You probably know better than me, I had no children.

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There must be sites for children to post their writing. Do some research. He'll be thrilled to see his work on a public forum, and he can read the work of others his age and see what stage his own work is at. I think he will be excited to keep at it. Maybe he can male some on-line writer friends.

--edited by Mimi Speike on 6/17/2015, 11:51 PM--