Help Motivate Students to Want to Write

Many students may be discouraged as beginning writers, which can prevent them from wanting to write. Their English classes may be more focused on persuasive and research essays, which can come off as very overwhelming at times. There are many different writing strategies and techniques that can help motivate students to want to write and excel at writing. The first step is to let them write about things that interest them during their free time. This can range between a list of places they want to go, explaining the rules of their favorite sport, or rewriting an important memory they may have had. Whatever it is they choose to write about will inspire a student to want to write because it is something they enjoy and can relate to.

Many people love to tell stories, so why not encourage them to write it down instead?  Suggest that the story may make their idea feel more real if they wrote it down. After they write their story they may want to continue it or even start another one. Having an audience read their stories helps boost their confidence in writing as well as feeling more comfortable being creative. Giving a writer positive feedback on their stories or writing assignments will also inspire them to want to continue writing. Helpful feedback will also help a student improve on their writing techniques. Writing in a journal is an easy and creative way to start writing. It doesn’t matter what you write about or how you write it; as long as you are writing is what’s important. The more someone writes the better they become at writing.

Finding the right atmosphere to write can also make a difference in one’s writing. Writing outside can help inspire new ideas and can be very peaceful as well. Finding a quiet place at home, away from all distractions such as the television, phones and etc. will help you be able to focus on your topic or new idea. Keeping your phone on silent or tucked away can be a huge advantage when writing. The phones become easy distractions, and most people are constantly checking it, which takes away valuable time for any type of project or an assignment and your concentration is not completely focused on your work.
And lastly, the most important tip about writing is to read more. Without even noticing it, the more you read the more you understand how to write. You can start to grasp different writing techniques from authors that can help you express yourself in your writing. Reading aloud can also help you find your writing voice, and you can start to feel more connected with what you write. Reading aloud can help you catch any errors that your work may have and also help you better understand the content, and make it easier for you to notice something that just doesn’t belong. Writing and rewriting is the best way to approach a successful paper or another writing project. Writing only one draft won’t be as helpful, because breaking it down in steps will make your topic seem less intimidating. No matter what you are writing for or about, don’t be discouraged. Writing expresses your personality and makes your ideas and arguments visible. Ready, set, write!

Tayla M.

Boston Tutoring Services