This month, the National Literacy Trust published the Children and Young People’s Writing in 2024 survey, and reported that daily writing habits have reached “crisis point” with less than a third (29%) of children enjoying writing in their free time (the lowest level recorded since their records began). As someone who has built not one, not two, but three careers from the joys and benefits of writing for pleasure, I found the report particularly worrying.
In recent years, education and publishing communities have focused onreading for pleasure, but I’ve often wondered why more people weren’t talking about writing for pleasure, too. If reading allows us to see the world through someone else’s eyes, writing gives us the opportunity to express our ideas, explore our dreams, and communicate in a way that is deep and meaningful to us.
We all know the benefits of creative writing, especially when it comes to young people trying to find their place in the world. It strengthens communication skills, promotes the art of self-expression, provides an outlet for emotions, becomes a form of therapy, and improves skills like problem solving, reasoning and empathy. Not only that, writing for pleasure is scientifically proven to boost our mood.
So why are the majority of children choosing not to do it?
Of course, we all know that children have a wealth of entertainment options vying for their attention in today’s technology-focused world. Teachers are strapped for time, money, resources, and government support when it comes to the arts. And parents and carers are juggling homework, hobbies and extra-curricular clubs on top of their own busy lives.
It’s our job to give children that first taste. To showcase the many ways they can write for fun, and to provide the right kind of environment in which to do it
A few years ago, I thought I’d cracked the writing for pleasure conundrum. After completing a creative writing degree, I spent 10 years running after-school writing workshops for children aged seven plus. My motto was simple; children could write about anything they wanted as long as they were having fun. I created games like the "One Word Game" and "What’s Your Problem?". I designed worksheets, activities and certificates. I offered writing prompts and story starters. I devised timed writing challenges to music with different dance moves when pupils reached the end of a line or paragraph (try it – it’s hilarious!!), and I told pupils to forget about their spelling, punctuation and grammar.
What I was doing wasn’t a secret. And it wasn’t rocket science. It’s what lots of authors talk about when they visit schools. It’s what teachers wish they could dedicate more time to. It’s what the Open University explored in their June 2024 Reading and Writing for Pleasure Framework, and it’s what Children’s Laureate 2019-2022 Cressida Cowell pushed for with her Free Writing Friday campaign
Little Star Writing offered time, space, autonomy, laughter, freedom, community, a relaxed environment and permission for children to use their imaginations in any way they wanted. I swear if I bottled the energy and creativity in those workshops, it would be worth millions. My new children’s fiction series – Race To Imagination Island – is all about the power of our imaginations, and has in fact been inspired by the thousands of creative, quirky and cheeky Little Star Writers I’ve met over the years.
With Little Star Writing and Authorfy (an online platform I launched in 2016 to connect children to their favourite authors), I often think about the pupils I taught, and whether they are still choosing to write for pleasure. My gut tells me they are, even if it’s not quite as often as before. Because once you discover a passion for writing, it becomes almost impossible to ignore.
It’s our job, though, to give children that first taste. To showcase the many ways they can write for fun, and to provide the right kind of environment in which to do it. In light of this, I’ll be launching a YouTube channel today, to mark National Writing Day, which will share – among other things — the games, activities and writing challenges I created for Little Star Writing, so that others can give them a go.
I firmly believe that, as an industry, we can do more to inspire more children all over the country to write for fun. With lots of authors already speaking passionately about their love for writing in schools, what if publishers or like-minded sponsors could help fund events for schools without budgets? What if bookshops or libraries could launch writing clubs with content found on sites such as Authorfy and the National Literacy Trust? What if teachers could trial a whole-school approach to writing for pleasure, such as Free Writing Friday? What if parents and carers could encourage children to write at home with my new Write for Fun YouTube channel or the relaunch of the BBC 500 Words competition?
All it takes is for one inspiring author, one enthusiastic teacher, or one passionate parent to give children the time, space and autonomy to write for pleasure and they’ll hone vital creative skills that will serve them throughout adulthood, the workplace and beyond.
Race to Imagination Island, published by Farshore, is out on 4th July 2024
