Developing Personal Writing Projects

A young writer makes plans for layout on post it notes
 and publication using the draft of the text to inform 
the necessary process.
Recently I had the opportunity to work with two groups of keen young writers to assist them to identify and launch a personal writing project. in the process I have been sharing some of mine, both big and small.  I took the time to outline the process followed in each project. I outlined the time each project took and what I discovered in each writing journey. I encouraged these less experienced writers to ask questions in order to build their knowledge of what a personal writing project may require.

I wanted to challenge the long held practice that the first logical action after identifying a writing project is to always immediately start drafting. For generations schools have reinforced this approach. It does the young writer a disservice. It does teachers and learning outcomes a disservice too.

 I acknowledge, on occasions we might need to begin with some writing to discover what we know, or need to know. We might need to undertake some writing to capture the essence of an idea we wish to explore and don't want to lose. However, writing isnt always the starting point and young writers deserve to know this important distinction.

In the first of a series of three writing workshops I assisted young writers Years 4-6 to identify and launch a personal writing project. This provided an opportunity to enhance voice, choice and the growth of essential agency. This workshop incorporated lots of opportunity to talk, ask questions, ponder possibilities and make notes. 

The mantra-'Writers make decisions' was embedded and re-affirmed in each session. The provision of models and support are vital ingredients in the process of identifying a writing project. To address this, I brought a broad range of text types to participants to explore. I asked the question, -What can you see that is like what you wish to write? Participants were then asked to choose from a range of pre-writing rehearsal and research options to launch their inddividual projects. The aim is to set each writer up to be successful. 

The important and continuing contribution made by each writer's notebook was highlighted. I made mention of how I use my notebook as a launching pad for such projects as these. Making notes, recording observations, recording memories, making lists, drawing, recording research findings, experimenting with ideas, writing in the style of mentor authors were actions I identified from my notebook writing life.

At the conclusion of the workshop I asked each writer to articulate their intentions for the coming week. My intention is to highlight personal accountability. 

Reading mentor texts to examine layout of text
 and illustrations. In this text a single poem
is presented across the pages of the book.










Examining non fiction texts to harvest ideas
on language style, the writer's tone.

We identified and unpacked some possible actions writers may undertake to lay the foundation for a successful writing project.

What Writers May Do To Prepare For Their Writing Project?

• Take photographs of the subject or theme

• Visit a library to research

• Research using the internet

• Research from personal reading

• Reread older writer’s notebook entries as research

• Visit a museum, or a place of significance

• Interview someone with related knowledge

• Find out more about a particular culture

• Record a conversation with an expert

• Imagine being a particular character in different situations/locations

• Gather related artefacts /ephemera

• Read books on the chosen topic, a time period, a person.

• Read lots of different texts to discover How you want  to write about the subject

• Talk to other writers, make notes

• Visit a setting with connections to the project

• Gather opinions

• Make lists of ideas, memories, potential titles

• Write/ask questions

• Draw to clarify and visualize ideas and concepts.

In the second workshop, writers reported back on their progress, shared successes and discussed potential barriers to progress. I set up a Check in Group to enable writers who required additional support to receive feedback. Work on pre-writing, planning, drafting and ilustrating across a range of projects began to emerge.

For young writers to envision how writing works, they need to be able to see how more experienced authors engage in a range of writing related actions, beyond actual writing. These pre-writing strategies are critical to the eventual outcome of the writing project. Such processes are not bound by age or genre. Young writers are capable of doing such things too. No two projects are the same, The length and breadth of each project becomes and individual undertaking. 

In the third and final workshop the focus was firmly on the future of the projects, namely, publishing possibilities. Examination of a range of books created by students as well as those published by established authors and illustrators was undertaken. Publishing represents a phase in the process for young writers to enhance their sense of agency. It is an opportunity to exercise their options with regard to the final design of their writing. I drew participants attention to the obvious link between projects and personal interest. Personal interest is clearly a strong driver for ultimate writing success.

I found myself impressed with their observations and their plans for their respective projects. Inexperienced writers need to be exposed to project possibilities in order to develop a vision of what is achievable.

The young writers researches how other
 young authors present their poems and
illustration in a class anthology.











This young writer reads a book about beauty tips
created by another young author, before launching 
a personal writing project of their own.

If you still need convincing, with regard to the inherent value of personal writing projects, a number of writing studies reveal that better learning outcomes were achieved when children engaged in self-chosen writing projects, as opposed to writing tasks regulated by others. (Brophy 2008)  (Garrett and Moltzen 2011).

Alan j Wright

A young writer scribes and plans illustrations 
for their personal writing project.



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