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Writing Motivation for StudentsAlthough the article below was written with traditionally-schooled students in mind, it offers a useful look at one of the best motivators I've found for homeschool writers-- writing contests. They make an excellent addition to the school curriculum, and they can sometimes be substituted for more traditional writing practice. There are contests available for almost any age and writing genre, so start browsing, and consider how you might implement them into your school year. I think you'll find that writing contests can spark amazingly creative work from students. They're well worth your teaching time! I have begun a list of good, homeschool-friendly writing contests that I am aware of-- CLICK HERE to see it. If you know of any other good annual writing contests, please let me know, and I'll add them. Enjoy! Janice Campbell ***** Writing Contests for Teens - Something to Do With a Boring Summer!By Michelle L DevonSomewhere between standardized testing, number 2 pencils, and bubble in the circle...children lose their love for learning. With the loss of funding in most schools, and in some places so much so that there is not enough money to supply even text books, the fine arts programs take a back seat to math, science and language. Learning stopped being fun for kids somewhere around the time that the music programs were slashed, fine arts and art classes were removed or made extracurricular, and school libraries have to make do with what they can get through grants and donations. All children need a way to escape, to be transported to magical times and places, faraway lands they may never visit in real life, or take a trip through history. Video games have become the way of the future, but there's not a lot to be learned from a video game. So how can children learn while also enjoying the experience? By reading! The problem is, reading isn't as exciting to children as it once was. Computers, video games, internet, and other such modern marvels have taken the place of a good book in many youngster's lives. There is nothing wrong with these kids loving the internet, and there is much that can be gained by using the internet. In fact, a lot of these children use blogs as a creative expression and outlet, so they are writing. So why not take that writing these kids are doing and put it to some creative use? There is a way. Several small publishers have opened up writing and illustration contests to young readers. These contests allow children to use their creative talents while also having a chance to be published in books or periodicals sold all over the country and even receive royalty contracts or scholarships. One such publisher, who has created contests for kids this summer, and they also plan to keep contests running for children all year round, is Koboca Publishing. I recently spoke with Bo Savino, the author of Reggie & Ryssa, and the Summer Camp of Faery, one of the books used for facilitating this contest through Koboca Publishing, and here is what she had to say about the children's contests: "I am very excited about the contests... [They are] going to be a great thing to energize kids...I love that most of all." While most traditional writing and illustration contests have entry fees, Koboca Publishing's contests for kids don't have any entry fees at all. When I asked why Koboca Publishing decided not to charge an entry fee, here is what they had to say: "No entry fees.... and [we] could probably make some money from entry fees...but [we] want it available for all kids...and some won't be able to do it with entry fees." There are other small publishers and magazine publications / periodicals that offer writing and illustration contests for children too. Some of these charge small entry fees, some charge no entry fees, but they all offer a child a way to see their name and their art or work in print, while at the same time bringing back a love for literature and the arts. To find these contests, simply use your favorite search engine and search for children's literature or writing contests. Be sure to always check the authenticity of the contests before entering or allowing your child to enter into the contest. These contests can help foster a love for the fine arts again, by getting kids involved in the literary and illustrative process, making them a part of something bigger, along with some noteriaty that all kids crave. Why not pick up a few copies of some interesting books for your kids today and get them started on a journey into the unknown that reading can bring? After a few books, help your kids get involved in writing or illustrating for publishing companies that hold these contests for the types of books they enjoy. Not only will this help bring a love of the written word back to your child, but it just might keep them busy during those long summer months and you will no longer hear, "Mom, I'm sooo bored. There's nothing to do!" Good luck to all who choose to enter contests this year! Michelle L Devon is a freelance editor and author for http://www.accentuateservices.com as well as for various traditional publishing houses. You may contact her at http://www.MichelleLDevon.com. For more information about Koboca Publishing's Kids' Contests, you can visit their site at http://www.kobocapublishing.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Writing-Contests-for-Teens---Something-to-Do-With-a-Boring-Summer!&id=237227
© 2002-2006 by Janice Campbell
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