Another Great Resource for the National Day on Writing - Peter H. Reynolds' "Finding the Words That Feel 'Write'"

Do you sometimes feel "stuck" when it comes to writing? Download a PDF of this article by New York Times best-selling illustrator and author Peter H. Reynolds — he offers great advice on "finding the words that feel write" and reclaiming the joy of writing just for oneself.

Happy National Day on Writing! 8 Tips to Inspire Students to Write & Other Resources

In honor of the National Day on Writing (October 20), we are re-posting these helpful writing resources for you! Be sure to comment below and let us know how you're inspiring your students to write — we love hearing what creative educators are doing in the classroom.

Peter H. Reynolds' 8 Tips for Inspiring Students to Write

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In his post "The Brave Heart: Protecting the Passion, Keeping Wings Outstretched for a Daring Journey," NY Times best-selling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds discusses how the pressure to write "correctly" can cause many beginning writers to pack up their creative wings. Encourage your students to write with wings outstretched! Here are a few quick tips from Peter to inspire bravery in your students.

1. Step off the path and write with your wings outstretched. Break a rule or two as you go.

2. Don't let a jumbled thought stop you — plant it and keep going.

3. Don't let a misspelled word slow you down. Go back and attend to it later.

4. Listen to your inner voice and transcribe what you hear without trying to edit it.

5. Try writing for yourself. Not for your audience. Try to ignore the critics' voices you may hear.

6. Invent a word.

7. Skip punctuation or invent your own ...__...> and see what it feels like.

8. Borrow an idea from your favorite author and twist it a few times. Turn it inside out. Make it your own!

What do you do to encourage your students to write? Let us know!