Living a Writerly Life

I love that Writer's Workshop isn't just about learning how to write but learning how to think and act like a writer too.  Lucy Calkins is all about that.  Because of her wise words, my writers are learning to emulate writing mentors, taking on some of their habits.  This post is all about our Tiny Topics Notebooks, and how they help young writers live a more writerly life.

Since writing mentors are always prepared to jot down potential writing topics, my kids made their own place to hold those ideas so that no matter where they were, they'd be prepared.  A Tiny Topics Notebook is perfect, because it's small and quite mobile, since it lives around the writer's neck.  

How did I make these cute little things?  I bought small memo books that are bound on the side.  I took them to Office Max and asked them to cut each memo book into thirds.  (First they have to remove the metal binding comb.  They replace it with the plastic one after cutting, I believe.)  The kids then decorated a small piece of white paper which was then taped onto the front of the memo book.  

The Tiny Topics Notebook goes home and returns to school each day.  (I found that a parent letter lets parents know how to support me in this.)  When it's time for Writer's Workshop, their Tiny Topics Notebooks sure do come in handy, and what's more, they're learning that writers are always on the lookout for stories from their lives that are begging to be written about.  Thanks Lucy Calkins!