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Creating Writers

Image via http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Glenfinnan_Viaduct.jpg

Image via http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Glenfinnan_Viaduct.jpg

The most important thing is to read as much as you can…it will give you an understanding of what makes good writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary” – J.K. Rowling

Author of the best-selling book series in history, J.K. Rowling knows a thing or two about writing. Children and adults alike have become enthralled in her world of witches, wizards and magical creatures. The seven-book Harry Potter series has inspired a range of movies, merchandise, websites, and theme parks dedicated to ‘the boy who lived’ and his adventures. Harry Potter is still as popular today as he was when the final book was released in 2007—so much so that ‘Muggles’ (non-magical folk) throughout the world can even play the wizarding sport of ‘quidditch’.

These popular books are not only great for encouraging children to read, they can also be used to inspire them to write. When students are able to write about something they are passionate about, or that builds on their creativity and imagination, wonderful things can happen.

As Rowling suggests above, reading a range of texts by a variety of authors can be just as important in creating good writers as the process and act of writing itself. While few authors achieve the kind of success J.K. Rowling has had in her career so far, you may have a budding author in your class, who just needs a small push to get their creative juices flowing.

Rowling's writing career also demonstrates lessons on persistence. She began writing the Harry Potter series during a train trip in 1990, but it wasn’t until 1997 that a publisher accepted her manuscript, after eight others had rejected it.

This week, Curriculum Press is encouraging you to develop your creative writers with resources and tools to assist you in coaxing the creativity out of your students.

10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know cover

10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know
With mini-lessons, mentor texts, writing process strategies, and classroom tips, this book will help you motivate your students to take on any writing task with confidence and competence.

I Can Write Like That! cover

I Can Write Like That
This book provides an extensive, annotated bibliography of author’s crafts found in 150 high-quality children’s books, along with the tools to help you match books you already have with the crafts they demonstrate.

Make Me a Story cover

Make Me a Story

This guide demonstrates how to use digital stories to lead your students through all phases of the writing process, with specific suggestions for writing exercises and ways to motivate reluctant writers.

For more ideas, tools and support for teaching creative writing, be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter feeds, which we update daily.

Kind regards,

The Curriculum Press team