Writing to Discover What You Think

One of the things that makes me the saddest as a person and teacher is that so many students go through school never realizing the joy of reading and writing. Many grow up thinking reading means filling out work sheets to "find the main idea" or "match the short u sound with the picture of an umbrella." And they grow up thinking writing means filling out grammar worksheets. 

I taught a Developmental English class a few semesters ago at a community college. One of the assignments I required was a writing journal where they would have to freewrite daily. This included at home as well as in class freewrites. I would give them daily prompts and they had to write honestly and freely for a specific amount of time. At first they didn't like the idea, since they thought they hated writing, they didn't value it, and they certainly didn't see themselves as writers.

But after a while, they all loved it. I remember one student saying to, "I didn't know writing could be like this. I didn't realize you could write about yourself."

I would often ask them to share their freewrite, if they wanted to. Again, many were reluctant, but after I shared mine, they would open up and start sharing. The prompts that I gave them were personal, thought provoking, and forced them to be reflective. After one session, one student remarked that writing was like a personal therapy session. And it really was. Writing helped them realize things about their lives, their pasts, and their futures. It forced them to think things they would have never thought, or could have imagined thinking.  Writing has that magical power. 

But unfortunately, some students will never experience that. Grammar and mechanics definitely have their place in the classroom. But something is deeply wrong when students' only association with writing means filling out grammar worksheets. 

As writers, we are told to write everyday. I honestly find that hard to do, but it is something I still strive to do. But as a picture book writer, what does that mean? How do I write everyday? Does that mean write something new everyday? Revise something? Brainstorm everyday? Read and take notes or study the craft of writing?  I think yes to it all. I think write every day can mean do something writing related everyday. 

But I also think just the physical act of writing is sort of like muscle memory.  Keeping your hand moving, somehow keeps your mind moving too.   

Several years ago, I came across these two quotes. And I'm constantly reminded of them. 

“How do I know what I think until I see what I say?" 
-E. M. Forster

“I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.”
-Joan Didion


Sometimes, we write to simply discover what it is we want to say. Or to discover what we think about something. Writing your thoughts forces you to....THINK. (Imagine that.)

So, when stuck, I think it would be good to engage in the same types of personal prompts I use for my own students.  It may not seem like it is picture book related, but it's going to force me to think about life. And aren't all picture books about some aspect of life? Friendship, love, relationships, fun, food, etc...? So maybe something I write could spark a picture book idea. 

Therefore, I wanted to encourage you to do the same. And I found a fantastic resource to use for yourself or for your students. The following image prompts are from a website called www.thoughtquestions.com. They deliver a new picture prompt each day.

Mandy Yates is currently an elementary reading specialist and children's book writer. She has an MFA in creative writing from Spalding University and has been published multiple times in Highlights Magazine. 

She also assists Mira in teaching The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Books. http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html, as well as The Chapter Book Alchemist  http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/the-chapter-book-alchemist.html .

Find some of her teacher resources over at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mandy-Yates.

And you can follow her on Pinterest, Twitter,and Facebook.