So, You Want To Be a Writer

"So, You Want to Be a Writer?" is a children's song, sung to the tune of "Oh, My Darling Clementine". So, you want to be a writer But you're not sure where to start? Grab a pencil and some paper And write down what's in your heart! Bonus activity: Explain to children what that "inner voice" is...that voice that says things like "Mom's gonna' be so mad when she sees this report card!" or "I'll be so disappointed if I don't win the spelling bee." The inner voice is pure and unedited...all you need to do is capture it and write it down. Give children a pencil and some paper and have them go someplace quiet (their room, the backyard, the library). Instruct them to listen to that inner voice and simply write down what it says. When they are finished, tell children they've made a journal entry and that journal entries can be highly prized. Many authors publish their journal entries. Journal entries should be saved, as they can later be turned into poems or stories, like "D-Day: The Day I Brought Home My Fourth Grade Report Card".