m. molly backes: How to Be a Writer

m. molly backes, about whom I'd never heard before I read this, has wonderful things for parents whose children want to be writers. I think it's good for enabling children to write whether they want to or not. She offers the following advice for parents (particularly a parent who had a daughter and asked lots of questions about how to help the daughter be a writer):

Let her be bored.

Let her be lonely.

Let her have secrets.

Let her get a job.

Let her fail.

Let her go without writing if she wants to.

Let her make mistakes.

Let her stay after school to work on the newspaper, but only if she wants to.

Let her sit outside at night under the stars.

Let her find her own voice.

Let her write on her clothes.

Find balance of safety, comfort, and happiness.

Love and support her.

Read all her details here: How to Be a Writer.