WRITING WITH PURPOSE

In today’s fast paced society, where children are growing and developing their own ideas, at a more rapid pace, then children of the past. We as writers need to be aware of how our work, could and will, effect the way children view the world.

The future of our children, truly lies with the writers of today. Before sitting down to write a piece geared towards children or young adults. Today’s writers need to take into account the ages of the children reading their material and put some serious thought and consideration into it before publishing it.

If violence is depicted in the stories our children are reading, then what kind of example are we teaching them. I believe in giving children, teens especially the true facts, telling the story how it is, showing them that every action has it’s
consequences.

However also keeping in mind, ideas are drawn from written words.
When setting out to write a book for children and young adults, we as writers need to consider for ourselves, the consequences that could arise and realize, that everyone, being young or old, paints a different picture to every story.

Writing a fiction story that makes reading enjoyable for young people, brings forth a healthier generation of children, then that of violence, involving, guns, knives and gangs ect.

What happened to the days of Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys? Fiction stories with adventure minus the violence and supernatural characters depicted today? What happened to characters like Ramona and her family and the stories of issues “real” children face in their family life, friendships and school days?

Today rather then stories, of real life issues and real to life characters. They have been replaced with more fictional characters. Do you we really want our children, thinking that wearing long black trench coats, hiding guns, knives and even throwing stars and trying to conquer the world single handed is the way the world of today works?

Children and young adults, truly do form ideas from stories they read. There is nothing wrong with writing of supernatural events, gang related characters, serial killers and so forth, but should it been written in a book geared towards our young people? Or kept on a more adult written level?

The stories our children of today read, the video games they play and the shows they watch on television. Have truly brought us into a society, where teens especially think they are unbreakable. There is more street violence and more crime then ever before and we as writers should really consider the changing times as we sit down to write a piece aimed towards our young people.

Perhaps bringing to light, the real issues in today’s world and mixing it with issues of the past on a more upbeat, child oriented manor, will help in creating a better future of our children of tomorrow.

E.j Van Amelsvoort