Writing Tips from 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.  

New Poster from Peter H. Reynolds — International Teacher Appreciation Year!

We're BIG fans of National Teacher Appreciation Day — and Week — and we were thrilled to hear how many of you enjoyed the Brightest Stars poster we posted in honor of wonderful teachers. However, we think teachers also deserve a whole year of appreciation — and we love all teachers around the world. Together, one educated planet will move the world to a better place. Download this International Teacher Appreciation Year poster by Peter H. Reynolds. We're so thankful for all you do — may you feel appreciated all year long!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! A Special Poster for You...

We are so grateful to the many teachers who are inspiring their students and moving the world to a better place. As a thank you, we've re-released our popular "Brightest Stars" poster. You can download the PDF for free now through January 11, 2013!

Peter H. Reynolds' 8 Tips for Inspiring Students to Write, New Poster, & Other Creative Resources

In honor of National Poetry Month, we decided to post some 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!

Download this guyku (haiku) poster by Peter H. Reynolds for free, now through May 9, 2012. Enjoy!

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

Peter H. Reynolds' 8 Tips for Creative Publishing

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NY Times best-selling author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds loves encouraging people to publish their writing and art. Do you have dreams of sharing your creations? Check out the following tips from Peter — and don't wait to take the next steps on your creative journey! Peter writes....

1. Keep a Journal. This may be the single most important thing I ever did to ensure I captured my daily creative thoughts. Many times I would write letters to my daughter Sarah — sharing how I saw the world. This is a great way to focus your writing and spark new ideas. In fact, I drew my book The North Star in my journal. The trick is just getting it down — and then sharing it.

2. Just Do It. It’s the old Nike thing — “just do it.” It’s true. When kids ask me how they can do what I do, I tell them: “Just keep practicing — draw every day — you just keep going — it’s the only way to get better and find your own style."

3. Publishing — Lite. I get nearly daily requests from people trying to “get into the business.” And I advocate for very low-level self-publishing.

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• Share! Take your story or picture book, even in rough form, and photocopy and staple it. Now do a couple of things. Give a few copies of your book away. Strategically give copies to two or three teachers who teach students at ages that match the level of your story. Or sell them for 50 cents a copy.

• If you’re feeling more ambitious, do the web print-on-demand thing. If you can sell 25 copies to friends and relatives, then it’s a sign you’ve got a support network ready to cheer you on. The real test will be if you get requests for additional copies.

4. Go Back to School! If you’re writing children’s books, the most important feedback is from teachers and kids. Go to classrooms, read your work aloud, and talk about how you write and/or draw. Educators love showing kids process. Share with them. What’s your inspiration? Your favorite books? Model your curiosity, exploration, and discovery. By reading your work aloud, you get the reality test — what words are working, and what pictures get the laugh or the “ooh” and “ahh.”

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5. Set Goals! If you don’t commit to your creative expression, time slips away and takes with it all the possible art, words, and creation that you could have brought to life. Tell yourself, “This holiday, I am going to have my story done for my children.” Carve out time, schedule it in, and make it a priority!

6. Create Your Ritual. My bedtime has become my ritual time for my daily creativity retreat. I have everything there by my bedside — my little altar — blank journals and pencils, surrounded by books. Stacks of books with words. Stacks of books with no words. Invitations to be inspired.

7. Unleash Imagination. I recently met an artist whose wife and children are also quite artistic. As accomplished as he was with realistic drawing, the artist struggled with one big challenge — imagination. When his kids asked him to draw a dragon, he was stumped. If it didn’t exist in front of him, he couldn’t draw it. I told him, “Think what it is similar to. You do know how to draw a dragon. You can draw a horse, you can draw wings. Now paint it green, and you’re halfway there. Block everything else out and only see that drawing in your head.” I’m drawing in my head.

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8. Be Uncareful. Sometimes people never start a project because they’re afraid they’ll make a mistake or it won’t look perfect. This happens with kids and adults, in classrooms and in the workplace. My book The Dot tackles that fear head on. I’m delighted to hear that message resonating with so many people, including art educators around the world who have seen kids pack away their artistic selves, year after year, until only the “class artist” remains. I’m out to change that, and part of my mantra is telling kids (and grown-up kids) to be uncareful! Don’t worry about doing it perfectly — just do it, get it out, experiment, enjoy the happy accidents you’ll inevitably make. My book Ish, sequel to The Dot, tackles how to handle that paralyzing syndrome of trying to “get it right.”

Have you tried any of these tips? Do you have other tips to offer? Comment below to give us insight on how you keep your creative juices flowing.

New Posters from Peter H. Reynolds

Welcome your students back to the classroom with a new poster decorating the walls. Start your class on a creative thinking journey with these tips from Peter H. Reynolds on living with purpose. Choose from two options or hang up both!

New Poster: Think Outside the Box!

Learning to think independently is an essential skill of all creative learners. Inspire your students to be original by hanging this beautiful poster by Peter H. Reynolds in your classroom!

New Poster: Who Inspires You?

Teachers inspire their students every day. Hang this poster in your classroom to help your students appreciate all the guiding stars in their lives!

Give Your Students an Affirmation of Awesomeness!

Peter H. Reynolds often emphasizes the importance of noticing and rewarding each and every student. Look around your classroom and see which students have been flying beneath your radar. All of your students want to feel connected with you, so we've created these Affirmations of Awesomeness for you to use! Pass them out to students as you notice them excelling, caring, helping, or just being themselves.

New Poster: I Believe in Me!

Check out this free downloadable poster! Give your students the confidence to put pen to paper and express themselves. This PDF includes two versions of this beautiful poster featuring a poem and illustration by Peter H. Reynolds. Inspire your class to reach for the stars!

For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: NEW "My Dream" Poster by Peter H. Reynolds

Invite your students to follow in Dr. King's footsteps and share their dreams with the world! This new blank poster by Peter H. Reynolds provides the perfect canvas for them to express their hopes for their lives, their communities, and a better future. Enjoy!

Students vow to be more creative in a "Pledge-Ish"

When creative Ambassador Anna Adam worked with her Tech Club students on Animation-Ish, at first the kids seemed afraid to make mistakes. So, after hearing the book "Ish" they came up with a "Pledge-Ish"

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Upon hearing about the amazing students, Peter H. Reynolds created this piece of art!