"An Encouraging Word"

Last week I was invited to our local high school to be a speaker on a panel of writers. The other members of the group were Bobbe Nelson (A LAND SO DEDICATED), Marsha Marks (101 AMAZING THINGS ABOUT GOD) and Dee Merian (COUNTERFEIT HORSE RACE). 

We arrived at the school at eight in the morning and began the panel discussion around nine. The first audience consisted of ninth and tenth graders and the second session audience was composed of eleventh and twelfth graders. At this high school the enrollment is so high that the auditorium is not big enough to seat all the students at the same time. So they had to come in two groups.

Each of the authors got a chance to speak to the students for about twenty minutes at each session. Although each writer had a different viewpoint, the focus of the talks was the same. The students were encouraged to write, write, write.

For my part I urged them to keep journals and to jot down notes on what was happening to them in their world. I also told them that each family has a collection of stories within the lives of its members and these should not be forgotten. 

Marsha Marks told the students to dare to dream big. She related how she had contacted the Hallmark Card Company and sold herself to them on pure bluster and bravado. Of course it also helped that she had a knack for writing verses for cards. Still Hallmark made it a policy never to go outside for its verses, but they made her the exception to the rule.

Bobbe Nelson spoke even more directly to the need to preserve our heritage through stories. She urged the students to talk with their parents and neighbors about their history. And then when it is collected, to write it down.

Dee Merian talked about the need to be active in high school and well rounded. She urged involvement with the school newspaper and the local newspaper. She also explained the charm of unique stories and how they can get you noticed.

After the sessions there was a chance for the students to come and visit with us. I was amazed at how many kids are actually interested in writing stories. They wanted to know how each of us got published and how we got someone to take us seriously as a writer.

In these on-on-one sessions I stressed that if I could get published, they could get published. I wanted them to know a writing career is a possibility and that they should never think it isn't. I hope that by telling them this they will believe it and will strive to see their works in print.

When I was in high school as well as in college no published author ever came to my school and offered me that encouragement. Hearing someone who was a writer tell me something like that might have given me more incentive at an early age to seek a writing career.

The students were really responsive to this "Meet the Authors" type of event. I hope that it will be repeated in the future at this school and that other schools adopt it. Kids need all the encouragement they can get and this is a good way of giving it to them.

If you are a high school teacher reach out to your local authors and get them to come to your school and talk to your students. You might have the next John Grisham, Dan Brown or Danielle Steel in your class and an encouraging word might just get them started.

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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