✍️📚 April 10 — Encourage a Young Writer Day (a.k.a. Future Bestseller Day!)
If you’ve ever read a kid’s story about a purple dragon who runs a taco stand on Mars, you already know: young writers are unhinged in the best way. And today, we celebrate that glorious creativity. Encourage a Young Writer Day is all about cheering on those budding storytellers, journal scribblers, and notebook doodlers who just might be the next big name on your bookshelf.
So grab a pen, hype up a kid, and prepare to be amazed (and possibly confused) by their imagination.
💁♀️ Affiliate Disclosure
Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a tiny commission—at no extra cost to you—if you buy something. Basically, you support this blog and a young writer’s dream. Win-win.
📖 The Story Behind the Day
Encourage a Young Writer Day was created by the folks at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)—aka the fairy godparents of kid lit.
Their mission? Simple: help kids discover that writing isn’t just homework - it’s magic.
The idea is that writing builds confidence, creativity, and communication skills. Plus, it gives kids a way to process their thoughts without having to explain why their imaginary friend is now a time-traveling detective.
In a world of screens and short attention spans, this day reminds us that storytelling still matters—and that every kid has a voice worth hearing.
✨ Fun Facts About Young Writers
Kids as young as 4 can start creating stories (even if it’s mostly chaos and stickers)
Many famous authors started writing before age 10
Writing improves reading skills and emotional intelligence
Journaling can reduce stress—even for kids
Some schools now teach creative writing as early as kindergarten
Fan fiction is often a gateway into serious writing (hello, future novelists)
🎉 12 Creative Ways to Celebrate
Create a “story starter jar” with prompts
Host a mini writing contest at home
Let kids illustrate their own book
Start a family storytelling night
Write a silly story together (take turns per sentence)
Give them a “real author” notebook and pen
Record them reading their story aloud
Visit a library or bookstore for inspiration
Turn their story into a comic strip
Help them type and “publish” their story
Mail their story to a relative (grandparents will cry happy tears)
Celebrate their work with a “book launch party” (snacks required)
🍝 Themed Dinner: “Write Your Own Adventure Feast”
🥘 Entrée: Alphabet Soup Remix
Ingredients:
1 can alphabet soup
Extra veggies or pasta
Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Heat, add extras, and spell out words before eating. Yes, it’s required.
🥗 Side: “Plot Twist” Salad
Ingredients:
Mixed greens
Fruit (strawberries or apples)
Nuts or croutons
Dressing
Directions:
Toss everything together—unexpected combos = plot twists!
🍹 Drink
Cocktail: The Writer’s Block Breaker
Vodka
Lemonade
Splash of soda
Mix and sip while pretending you’re editing a manuscript.
Mocktail: Creative Juice Cooler
Orange juice
Sparkling water
Splash of grenadine
🍰 Dessert: Notebook Brownies
Ingredients:
Brownie mix
White icing
Food coloring marker
Directions:
Bake brownies, decorate like notebook paper. Bonus points for writing a story on top.
🏫 Classroom Activities
Elementary
Draw-and-write story pages
“Finish the story” group activity
Create a class book
Middle/High School
Flash fiction challenge (100 words max)
Poetry slam (keep it fun, not terrifying)
Rewrite a fairy tale with a twist
💼 Workplace Activity
Start a “Bad Idea Story Contest.”
Everyone writes the worst possible story idea in one sentence. Vote on the funniest. Winner gets bragging rights and possibly a notebook they’ll never use.
🎬 Movie Pick - Matilda (1996)
Because nothing says “young writer energy” like a genius kid using books as her escape—and maybe a little telekinesis on the side.
📺 TV Episode Pick - SpongeBob SquarePants — “The Paper”
A simple piece of paper becomes an entire world of imagination. Meanwhile, Squidward struggles. Relatable.
📱 Hashtags
#EncourageAYoungWriterDay
#FutureAuthor
#KidsWhoWrite
#CreativeKids
#WritingInspiration
#StoryTimeFun
#YoungCreators
#WriteOn
#ImaginationUnleashed
#LittleAuthors
#BookishKids
#CreativeMinds
