Degrees of Faith

Many high schools students loathe to do it, but really learning to write well is one of the most important skills that students can leave high school with. There are virtually no careers that do not require any writing. Even those who are interested in science and technology fields that are math heavy will often find that they have to spend a great deal of time writing in order to explain their research to others. What can students do to make sure that they improve their writing skills as much as possible during their high school career?

Writing is a form of communication, and the ability to communicate well with others is an essential skill in the workplace. By taking classes that require them to write business correspondence and other forms of technical writing, students can get the practice that they need without the high-pressure setting of the workplace. Learning how to write business proposals is important for any students who plan to shave their own business one day. Another important skill that can be developed in high school is the ability to write an effective business plan.

Educators recognize the importance of writing and that is why they look for ways to reinforce this skill throughout the high school careers of students. From standardized tests to mandatory technical writing classes, educators are working hard to make sure that high school students leave school with a firm grasp on this necessary life skill. If you are a parent you can go a long way in helping educators with their task. Talk to your child about the importance of developing good writing skills, and it will benefit now and well into the future.

One of the first things we learn as children is how to write. We wrote shapes, letters, numbers, etc. As we grew up we learned how to put words together and write good sentences. Then came writing papers and creating our own stories. Many people have the gift of writing great stories or pieces of information. Becoming a good writer can be learned and if you are already a writer you can be better accomplished 3 ways.

The first way to start is to write about things you love, things that interest you, or make up stories about some of your favorite things. It is so much easier to write about things that you enjoy or are passionate about. This is a good way to start because it brings out your creativity and helps you see what it is like to write with passion and excitement.

The second way to become a better writer is to take a class. This can be fun because you will learn tricks and ideas on how to write incredible stories. Classes can be a way to help you organize your thoughts and teach how to put information together to create a story that flows.

The third way to become a better writer is to write more. It is funny how just writing more and taking the time to sit and write all kinds of things can make you a better writer. It is like an athlete who trains when a writer writes. It becomes your training and helps you to figure out your writing style and how you perceive the things you write about. Becoming a better writer is possible and can be accomplished with these 3 simple ways. Writing is a way to take all that passion within us and pour it out for everyone to see and be moved by.

Every November first, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide engage in a yearly writing contest. This contest has no entry fee nor does it have any actual prize. The rules are that a participant writes a 50,000 word novel in the thirty days of November. National Novel Writing Month was founded by a group of friends in the late 1990’s as a way to do something different. Over the years, the initial small group invited more people, who then also invited people, and so on. At the start of this years’ contest there were people in over sixty countries participating.

While the actual organization employs only a handful of full time staffers, volunteers in all of the countries, regions, states, and cities run the actual events that make up NaNoWriMo. All during the month the volunteers help to bring together the participants for writing parties and charity events. NaNoWriMo Mo is also done in schools throughout the US as a way to get kids involved in writing and reading.

This event provides a way for people from all walks of life worldwide to gather together on the website and make friends. Many of these friendships translate over to real life and there have been some couples who met, fell in love, and married because of meeting through NaNoWriMo.

Although no one has to see what a participant writes, there are numerous ways to share, revise, and potentially publish works created during NaNoWriMo. Several famous authors got their starts participating, including Water for Elephants author Sara Gruen and Erin Morgenstern, who has written the Night Circus. Both of these authors have NY Times bestsellers and credit NaNoWriMo for getting them started.