The National Council of Teachers of English has designated October 20 as the National Day of Writing™. So, what are you going to write? Don’t quite know where to begin? True, nothing’s quite as scary as staring at a blank page, but you can do it. Start slow. One sentence at a time. Soon, you’ll have a poem, a journal entry, a story, the first chapter of a novel, or just a really poignant FB post. Go ahead. Unleash your creativity. Put it in writing.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL DAY ON WRITING
This day is actually an initiative of the National Council of Teachers of English — built on the premise that writing is critical to literacy but needs greater attention and celebration.
As they see it, people tend to think of writing in terms of “pencil-and-paper assignments,” but no matter who you are, writing is part of your life. It’s part of how you work, how you learn, how you remember, and how you communicate. It gives voice to who you are and enables you to give voice to the things that matter to you.
For the past 11 years, the group has seen thousands of people share their responses and engage in activities around the theme of #WhyIWrite. Their collective voices are raising the volume on this issue. They are looking forward to their best National Day on Writing yet.
Recent NCTE initiatives include:
creating the first standards for reading, writing, and literacy assessment;
defining 21st century literacy and the skills needed to achieve it;
developing influential position statements on intellectual and academic freedom; and
championing diversity in literature and the development of culturally relevant teaching practices.
What’s good writing?
Excellent question. Good writing comes in all shapes and sizes — from comic books to The Great Gatsby. Unless it’s a personal journal of some kind, your readers will ultimately decide.
How do I begin to write?
Start small. Make it a habit. Write everyday. Don’t stop. Don’t edit yourself. Just keep going. One page a day. Start tomorrow. Or right now.
How do I start a story?
There are many ways to start a story. Some ideas include: starting with action or dialogue; asking a question; describing the setting; or introducing yourself to readers in a surprising way. If all else fails, there’s always “It was a dark and stormy night…”
NATIONAL DAY ON WRITING ACTIVITIES
(Keep track of all the writing you do)
Text message? Birthday card? Tweet? Keep track of them all, and find out how much you really write! Share your numbers with friends and see who writes most.
(Play some language games)
If not for our writing prowess, we couldn't participate in spelling bees, Scrabble, Categories, Taboo, Mad Libs, Hangman, and many others. Celebrate your word power with a round of your favorite word game.
(Write something outside your comfort zone)
Have you ever written lyrics to a song? A sonnet? A piece of flash fiction? A toast? Venture into an unfamiliar territory, writing-wise, and let those creative juices flow. You may surprise yourself.
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