Kids Have Books to Write
How Writing Can Heal Us ... as Young Minds and Hearts Get Creative
In May of 2022, the small county seat town of Uvalde, Tex., experienced horror at one of its public schools. A response of some community members to the tragedy was to organize this--a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called The Story Inventors Club. It was created to give elementary-age children in and around Uvalde a chance to enrich their lives by tapping their rich imaginations. Both the children and the community will experience joy in their creations.
Proceeds from a novel set in Uvalde provided early seed money for the organization, but the strength and long-term viability of The Story Inventors Club will depend upon contributions from the literary industry, from supportive local and regional community and business organizations, and from readers anywhere who find comfort, escape or inspiration in fiction and the writing arts.
This is not a flash-in-the-pan venture. Nor is it intended to be another tribute to the children of the tragedy or a memorial. Rather, the Club was launched as a working legacy organization with a core purpose of instilling appreciation for creative writing in a new generation while helping them develop intellectual and writing skills. This investment in children is a positive way for the entire community to move on from tragedy.
Studies routinely show that elementary-age children benefit from creative writing activity. Benefits include giving them a tool for self-expression, developing their "voice" and their self-confidence, growing their cognitive framework, and organizing their thinking. The Story Inventors Club was established to assist in cultivating these important life skills.
