One thing I know for sure is that everyone has a story. I was that fortunate kid who had mentors who encouraged me to write. The first and most important, of course, was my mom. Even when I was too little to read or write, she would take down the stories I dictated.
My mom also taught me touch typing at the age of six.
Later I had Mrs. Green, the Grade 3 teacher I wish every child could have. She told me, “If you want to be a writer, then you should write.” She treated my stories with the same respect she gave to authors like E.B. White
That’s the key, isn’t it? Be an encourager, not an enforcer. Let a young writer know you respect his ideas without judgment. That you love to hear her natural voice come through. That their stories matter.
When it comes to my granddaughter Clara, I practice what I preach!
