"Sam could not understand why people thought that writing and making up stories was so hard. If only they would try, they might find out that writing was really lots of fun."
~Library Mouse
Those words might come from a book character, and one that's a mouse, no less, but it is so true that people of all ages often struggle with writing. It's an art, really, and quite an intimidating one at that. Even the most successful writers are challenged by it.
Whether you're a child, a parent, a teacher, a librarian, or a caregiver who's trying to learn or teach writing, Sam the mouse has some wonderful advice for you! So, today we'll take a look at 2 out of the 3 picture books in Daniel Kirk's picture books series. We'll save the third for next week.
For those of you who are not already familiar with the very first Library Mouse book, Sam lives in a library, in a hole in a wall behind the children's reference section. He sleeps by day, and enjoys all that the library has to offer at night.
Sam is never bored. He reads and reads, anything he can get his hands on. And so, one night he decides to write his very own book. He borrows some paper and a pencil, and starts writing about what he knows best: what's it's like to live as a mouse.
He places the finished book on a shelf in the biography section, and a girl discovers it the very next afternoon. She shares it with the librarian, who's fascinated by it. But Sam's doesn't stop with just one book. He writes another and another...and soon everyone in the library is buzzing about the books, and wondering who this mystery author could be!
When the librarian writes Sam a note, inviting him to make a special guest appearance for "Meet the Author Day," Sam comes up with an extremely clever way of not revealing himself. In the process, he inspires children to write their very own books.
Then, he gets back to writing...
So, what valuable advice can readers take away from book #1? Well, to become a writer, you have to:
- Read. A LOT. Before Sam even attempts to write, he reads everything he can get his hands on. He's lucky to be surrounded by a wide variety of books and other reading materials, and he takes full advantage of those resources. You don't have to spend a lot of money to do this. You can...
- Visit the library often. Most of us can't get there every day or night, but it's so important to get into the habit of making regular weekly or monthly visits to seek out new materials. Before you go, you can search for books online, and even request materials from other libraries in the area. Whether you read them for fun, or for research purposes, there are so many to choose from. All you need is a library card.
- Be willing to spend time seeking out that "light bulb book." Think about what made the book so magical for you or your child. Was it the voice and style of the author's writing? Was it the subject s/he was writing about? We can learn a lot about great writing from the books and authors who mean the most to us.
- There's a writer inside each of us. And sometimes, all it takes is a pencil and a blank piece of paper to bring out what's already in our hearts. For others, it might take a computer and a mouse. We all can benefit from writing, whether it's a journal we keep to ourselves, a simple text or tweet, a short story, or a book we try to get published. In other words,
- Creative writing can be anything you make it. Forget the rules and just be yourself. Sam did!
In book #2, Library Mouse: A Friend's Tale
As this post is getting too long, I'll have to stop here. We'll take a closer look at the second picture book, and find ways to connect the two (and then move onto the third) next week.
Have a great weekend!
Here's the link to the next post in this series: Open 2 Books: The Mystery of Motivation.
