Parents Resources
SECURITY
: We care as much about your children’s safety as you do! Please be assured that we do not disclose your child’s personal details without your permission. Sometimes, for example, if a child wins a competition we put them in touch with their local newspaper, but only with parental approval. Also, we do not allow anything on the website that has not passed through us, so we do not, for example, have an open chat room.
If you or your child follows a link from our site to another please be aware that we have no control over their safety policies so check them out before giving them personal information.
WHY ‘YOUNG WRITER’?
: ‘Young Writer’ magazine was conceived in 1995 and established by Kate Jones, herself a mother and a teacher. Since September 2007, it is produced by Warners Group Publications, publishers of the leading writing titles for adults, Writers’ News and Writing Magazine. All of us involved with ‘Young Writer’ know what fun writing can be and we want as many young people as possible to catch the bug - boys and girls. It is much more than a vital life skill (though it is certainly that). It can be a life-long hobby (cheap and one you can do anywhere, on your own or with friends) and, for some, it can be a way to earn a living.
You can help your child by encouraging their interest, by enthusing over their efforts and, of course, by subscribing to ‘Young Writer’ for your child. In the magazine there are lots of ideas to inspire writing, writing tips and, perhaps most importantly, writing by other young people. Your child will realise that it is cool to write! We are happy to read poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, funny pieces and serious ones. We respond to each piece that is sent to us.
The confidence given by getting selected for publication is immeasurable! But please be aware that we don’t just value clever, top set at school, A* pupils. You know that your child is special and worth listening to. So do we! We believe that writing is a game that anyone can play and that it is a level playing field. What matters is the quality of the ideas and the way they are expressed. The youngest young writer we have published was 3! Her Mum wrote down the words of a song she was singing. It’s OK if you help your child with the recording part of the writing, so long as all the ideas and all the words are theirs (sometimes you may have to zip your lips so as not to interfere with their thoughts!).
All of us are different. You know your children. Some may want to show you what they are writing. Some will want you to get involved and help them. Anything they send us should be their own unaided work, though it can be writing they have produced together with another young writer; collaboration can be very productive. Some will want privacy; allow them that.
If your child send us a piece of writing (s)he should keep a copy as it would be too awful if it got lost.
ILLUSTRATIONS
: If your child enjoys drawing we’d love to see examples of their work. We need illustrations for the pieces we publish in ‘Young Writer’. We also need sets of page numbers and a smiley face for our ‘Playtime’ column.
CONTACT US
: If you want us to do something we aren’t, do get in touch. If you have any queries, do ask us. If you don’t like something we are doing please tell us. We can work together to make ‘Young Writer’ perfect for YOUR child! Telephone +44 (0)113 200 2929 or email youngwriter@writersnews.co.uk