For the Young Writers on Your Holiday List

I just got done hosting a chat with Karen Benke, author of the creative writing workbook Rip The Page, for the New Moon Girls. I hope those girls walked away feeling inspired, because I sure did! I can hardly wait to get the review copy of the book that Karen is generously sending for my library’s teen collection. It seems like a great gift for the budding writer on your holiday gift list — and if you know a whole slew of writers, you can email Karen through her website and get a 50% discount if you’re ordering 14 or more copies of the book. Perfect for classrooms, home-schooling groups, writing retreats, or very large, writerly families.

Here are some other great ideas for the budding writers on your holiday list:

• Magnetic Poetry. Make sure the set is age-appropriate, and tailor it to your giftee’s individual tastes. Shakespeare, Cats, and Artist sets are just a few options. There are special kits designed especially for kids, too.
• A Subscription to New Moon Girls. This gift, for the 8 – 12 girl set, gives all year round with bimonthly issues of a girl-written and edited magazine and 24/7 access to New Moon’s safe online social network. It’s the perfect place for girls to explore their creativity (writing, video-making, song-writing, and artwork) in a supportive environment, and for a real audience. I have worked with New Moon Girls in various capacities for about 8 years now, and that’s because I absolutely love what they do.
• Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith. This fun little journal gives kids complete freedom to, well, wreck it, therefore helping us all get past that “good kid” inside that sometimes keeps us from diving into our writing.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself-Book by Jeff Kinney. The perfect gift for younger writers and Wimpy Kid fans on your list, this journal encourages them to become writers and illustrators of their own life adventures. My goddaughters are each getting a copy of this from me, and I hope it will be the beginning of lots of creative expression.
• A Teen’s Guide to Getting Published by Jessica and Danielle Dunn. Full of teen-specific tips and resources, this book is a testament to the fact that teens can publish. Jessica and Danielle were teens when the book was first released. As an added bonus, there’s an interview with me in this book’s pages!
• Writing supplies! A box full of fresh pens, markers, notebooks, journals, stickers, stamps, glue, and other writing aids is easy to put together, and fun for a young writer to dive into. You can also customize it for each child writer on your list.

Do you have child writers on your list? What ideas do you have for inspiring their creativity this holiday season?