Parents Resources
FIRST!
Just in case there is any confusion, we are in NO WAY associated with Young Writers (with an ’s’) who operate out of Peterborough and who offer competitions and publish anthologies of young people’s writing.
SECURITY
We care as much about your children’s safety as you do! Please be assured that we do not disclose your child’s personal details without your permission. Also, we do not allow anything on the website that has not passed through us, which is why we do not, for example, have an open chat room.
If you or your child follows a link from our site to another please be aware that we have no control over their safety policies so check them out before giving them personal information.
WHY ‘YOUNG WRITER’?
‘Young Writer’ magazine was conceived in 1995 and established by Kate Jones, herself a mother and a teacher. Since September 2007, it is produced by Warners Group Publications, publishers of the leading writing titles for adults, Writers’ News and Writing Magazine. All of us involved with ‘Young Writer’ know what fun writing can be and we want as many young people as possible to catch the bug - boys and girls. It is much more than a vital life skill (though it is certainly that). It can be a life-long hobby (cheap and one you can do anywhere, on your own or with friends) and, for some, it can be a way to earn a living.
You can help your child by encouraging their interest, by enthusing over their efforts and, of course, by subscribing to ‘Young Writer’ for your child. In the magazine there are lots of ideas to inspire writing, writing tips and, perhaps most importantly, writing by other young people. Your child will realise that it is cool to write! We are happy to read poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, funny pieces and serious ones.
We are aware of the requirements of the National Curriculum and design our technical articles to help. Many primary school teachers, for example, are not English specialists so teaching the Passive Voice or finding an angle on Reported Speech that isn’t just pedestrian can be a bit daunting. The magazines build into an ongoing reference and as we don’t take advertisements they don’t date. Even with the competitions, even though the deadlines will have passed, you can enjoy using the writing challenges we set. (Then when your pupils have had a go you can read them the winning pieces from the following magazine and see how other young writers responded!). You’ll also find little articles, on ‘to’, too’ and ‘two’, for example, or on ‘there’, their’ and they’re’. Could be handy!
‘Young Writer’ is great for many reluctant readers who often enjoy reading pieces by their peers. It shows that both boys and girls can write and that age is not a barrier. The youngest child we have published was 3! Her Mum wrote down the words of a song she was singing. Helping someone with the recording aspect of writing is fine; but all the ideas and the thoughts should be by the young writer. If you are helping you may have to zip your lip! Nor do the children have to be ‘clever’, top set, A* pupils to produce a piece of writing that works. We have published pieces by children with special needs that are really worth reading. To get chosen for publication gives a huge boost to confidence. Bright children who love writing will be stretched by finding that they are not unique. There are other terrific young writers out there!
The confidence given by getting selected for publication is immeasurable! But please be aware that we don’t just value clever, top set at school, A* pupils. You know that your child is special and worth listening to. So do we! We believe that writing is a game that anyone can play and that it is a level playing field. What matters is the quality of the ideas and the way they are expressed. The youngest young writer we have published was 3! Her Mum wrote down the words of a song she was singing. It’s OK if you help your child with the recording part of the writing, so long as all the ideas and all the words are theirs (sometimes you may have to zip your lips so as not to interfere with their thoughts!).
All of us are different. You know your children. Some may want to show you what they are writing. Some will want you to get involved and help them. Anything they send us should be their own unaided work, though it can be writing they have produced together with another young writer; collaboration can be very productive. Some will want privacy; allow them that.
If your child send us a piece of writing (s)he should keep a copy as it would be too awful if it got lost.
ILLUSTRATIONS
If your child enjoys drawing we’d love to see examples of their work. We need illustrations for the pieces we publish in ‘Young Writer’. We also need regular sets of page numbers.
FREE BOOKS FOR YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY
Publishers send us books for review, from picture books for little children to novels for young adults. We can let you have them FREE for your school library in exchange for a review by a child of the age for whom the book was written. Some schools have used reading partnerships, linking, for example, a Year 5 or 6 pupil with a little one to read the book together and for the older child to write the younger child’s comments down. The reviews are published in ‘Young Writer’ or on our website and are really useful both for book makers and for book buyers. This sense of purpose can be a great motivator for your pupils to read. Just ask us and we’ll send you some.
CONTACT US
If you want us to do something we aren’t, do get in touch. If you have any queries, do ask us. If you don’t like something we are doing please tell us. We can work together to make ‘Young Writer’ perfect for YOUR child! Telephone +44 (0)113 200 2929 or email youngwriter@writersnews.co.uk
SPREAD THE WORD
Do encourage the writers in your classes to take out their own subscriptions as a move towards becoming independent writers. And please tell your friends and teaching colleagues about us. We would be most grateful for your help.