They Want to Write More

This past week, I spent an afternoon reading through anthologies of student writing. My task was to proofread the books before they went to the printer, but I found myself swept up in the language, the imagery, the stories.

One moment I was laughing out loud at the brilliance of the wording, the next tears were welling in my eyes at the profound pain I was bearing witness to. These pieces were from the hearts and minds of 7th and 8th graders—some of the most honest writing I have ever read. (And don’t get me started on their accompanying bios—many of which were even better than their pieces.)

I talk all the time about how important expressive writing is, especially for our youth, especially right now in a world teeming with conflict, stress, and hurt. Our youth need supportive spaces to process intense emotions, explore questions big and small, and feel more connected to one another.

Reading through these stories and poems—which ranged from a short story so bizarre it reminded me of the Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All At Once to poems musing about what true friendship is—I felt so much … hope.

Because their pieces reflected what it means to be human. What it means to be at a time in life when everything is changing, when you are trying to figure out who you are and how you relate to others and the world around you. (Actually, isn’t that the way it is always?)

And these young writers captured it all so beautifully, with so much insight, grace, and, yes, humor.

Here are some excerpts from some of the pieces, so you can get a sense of what I mean:

The boy was never loved properly and the girl was never treated right. 

***

I never understood why people are full of malice until I saw what they face on a daily basis it is delirious and serious they’re next to violence while trying to grow up and be educated but they gave up on their education living in a nation without patience …

***

I remember the time when we would dance around in the kitchen 

Go to the store and you secretly would buy me things I want

And spoil me and my sister with everything

But now I regret wanting to get older 

And not spending all the time I had with you

Nothing could have warned us of what was to come

***

What you run from is what you end up chasing  

A constant pursuit with no escape, no matter how hard you try

Yet, you step away, retreating  

From the thoughts that shape our view

Pushing us farther from what feels true.  

***

I was in a dream. I was falling. I saw trees and was told to go on a quest to defeat dark magic.

Are you not in awe of not only their words but also what it makes you reflect on about life? And these are only excerpts.

I believe that writing throughout the year for many of these students has been healing (we’ll know more when we survey them next week). Or helped them recognize talents they may have never known they had. We know many of them are opening their Project Write Now notebooks at home to journal on their own, inspired by the poetry, art, and prompts they’ve experienced with us (proudly showing us their pages when we return each week).

We need to give our youth more opportunities to do more of this kind of writing. Not just through our programs but in classrooms everywhere. 

As if proving my point, I got a call that same afternoon from PWN’s education director who was reading through Post-its of testimonials at another school where we were finishing up a program for 8th graders. The students were creating time capsules out of their PWN notebooks, remembering their pasts, reflecting on their present experiences, and dreaming their way into their futures. On the Post-its, so many of the students requested more sessions and more writing.

Yes, they want more writing.

This is what our children need now more than ever. 

They need to experience writing as a tool to help them process and regulate their emotions, to help them make sense of their thoughts. But even more, to help them understand themselves better so they can embrace who they truly are. 

Writing is so much more than academic writing. And when given freedom, choice, and encouragement, our youth flourish as they discover their voices and create meaning out of their experiences.

Reading through these anthologies—inhaling the beauty, joy, and pain in their words—has already helped me create more meaning out of mine. 

And isn’t that what writing and reading are really about?