Show some support and care for future generations by getting invovled with this importnat day that helps to foster inspiration for the special craft of writing!
National Encourage a Young Writer Day Timeline
Early Children’s Literature in English
John Newbery publishes “A Little Pretty Pocket-Book” in London, one of the first books marketed specifically for children and often cited as a starting point for English‑language children’s literature.
A New Kind of Story for Young Readers
Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” appears, blending fantasy and wordplay in a way that treats children as imaginative, thoughtful readers and helps shift attitudes toward writing creatively for the young.
First U.S. Children’s Book Award Spurs Young Readers
The American Library Association establishes the Newbery Medal, the first children’s book award in the United States, raising the status of writing for young readers and highlighting authors as models for aspiring young writers.
Creative Writing Arrives in School Classrooms
During the progressive education movements of the 1960s, English teaching in the United States and United Kingdom expands beyond grammar and recitation to include personal and creative writing, giving schoolchildren more chances to author their own stories.
National Writing Project Expands Youth Focus
The National Writing Project, founded in the 1970s, launches broader K–12 initiatives and summer programs during the 1980s that emphasize student writing workshops and teacher training, significantly increasing structured opportunities for young writers.
826 Valencia Opens to Support Student Writers
Author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari open 826 Valencia in San Francisco, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center that becomes a model for encouraging creative writing in young people and inspires similar centers across the United States.
NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program Launches
National Novel Writing Month introduces its Young Writers Program, inviting kids and teens to draft novels each November with tailored word-count goals and educator resources, making long‑form creative writing more accessible to youth worldwide.
How to Celebrate National Encourage a Young Writer Day
Schools, non-profit organizations, student groups and so many others can get involved with National Encourage a Young Writer Day in creative ways, starting with a few of these ideas:
Host a Writing Workshop
Professional authors, writers and teachers might want to celebrate National Encourage a Young Writer Day by hosting an event that helps them to hone their craft.
Invite writing students from local schools to attend an in-person event or have one online that extends the reach of who is able to participate.
Hold a Writers’ Sharing Circle
Mentors and role models for young writers can help them grow in their work by starting a writers’ circle that creates an opportunity for sharing.
Young writers can read excerpts from their poems, creative nonfiction or fiction writing, providing a safe space for constructive feedback and encouragement.
Gift a Journal to a Young Writer
Most writers will confess that the best way to become a better writer is to simply write more! Journaling is one of the best practices to hone the craft of writing.
While it doesn’t need to be anything fancy, National Encourage a Young Writer Day might be just the time to make a special gift of a blank book, journal or special pen to a young writer to give them a boost of confidence.
Access Resources to Encourage Young Writers
Some people might want to be encouraging to a younger creative but perhaps are looking for some tools and resources to help. Check out a few of these to gets started:
- Kwame Alexander’s Free Write: A Poetry Notebook by Kwame Alexander
- Write Yourself a Lantern: A Journal Inspired by the Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice by Michelle Obama
- Just Write: Here’s How by Walter Dean Myers
History of National Encourage a Young Writer Day
National Encourage a Young Writer Day was established in 2010 with the purpose of cultivating relationships and fostering growth in young writers by giving them special attention on this day.
The event was the idea of Floridian Kim Griswell, who hoped it would inspire and motivate younger writers to keep moving forward with their craft.
By 2012, the event had grown and collaborations with literary organizations, schools and libraries were fostered. As the event grew over the years, global recognition began in countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada who were also celebrating the event.
As National Encourage a Young Writer Day continues to grow, it’s quite likely that the future of writing a literature will continue to become more fruitful as well!
Facts About National Encourage a Young Writer Day
Writing Helps Young Brains Organize Thoughts
Research in educational psychology has found that when children engage in regular writing, especially expressive or creative writing, they strengthen skills like planning, organizing information, and self‑regulation.
One longitudinal study of elementary students showed that explicit writing practice improved not only their written expression but also their ability to structure ideas in other school subjects, suggesting that writing supports broader cognitive development.
Creative Writing Can Support Mental Health in Adolescents
Studies of adolescent expressive writing have shown that giving teenagers structured opportunities to write about their experiences can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve overall well‑being.
In one randomized trial, high school students who completed short, guided writing exercises about personal challenges reported fewer emotional problems and better school engagement months later compared with control groups.
Early Writing Skills Predict Later Academic Success
Large‑scale educational research has found that children’s early writing skills, including the ability to compose simple narratives and coherent sentences in the early grades, are significant predictors of later reading comprehension and overall academic performance.
A meta‑analysis of multiple studies concluded that writing is not merely an outcome of literacy, but a driver of it, with early writing instruction linked to stronger outcomes in middle and high school.
Digital Media Has Changed How Young People Write, Not Whether They Write
Surveys by the Pew Research Center show that most teens write frequently through text messages, social media posts, and online chats, and many feel that these informal genres make them more comfortable expressing themselves in writing.
Teachers report that while digital habits can introduce problems like casual language in formal work, they also see students writing more overall and experimenting with voice, audience, and style in ways that were less common before smartphones and social networks.
Youth Writing Programs Have Launched Thousands of New Authors
Organizations such as 826 National and the Young Writers Project run after‑school and community writing programs that serve tens of thousands of students each year, pairing young people with adult mentors and publishing youth work in print and online.
Evaluations of these programs have found increased confidence, higher rates of assignment completion, and a stronger sense of identity as writers among participants, especially those from under‑resourced schools.
Young Writers Are Published Earlier Than Ever
With the rise of youth literary magazines, online platforms, and contests, it has become increasingly common for teenagers to publish short stories, poetry, and essays before they graduate from high school.
Publications like Polyphony Lit and Teen Ink review submissions exclusively from young writers, and some contributors go on to secure traditional book deals or literary awards, demonstrating that serious literary careers can begin in adolescence.
Guided Journals Can Help Teens Develop a Writing Habit
Research on habit formation suggests that simple, structured prompts and consistent daily cues make it easier for adolescents to sustain a regular writing practice.
Guided journals and workbooks that provide short, focused prompts have been shown in school and clinical settings to increase how often young people write on their own, which in turn is associated with improved self‑expression and greater confidence in academic writing tasks.
