My interest in writing came from my love of listening to stories and telling them. My grandmother and her sisters, then my mother always fed me with stories every night in a decade where the only entertainment was the radio.

I listened to made-up stories, folktales, movie stories, and stories about my father growing up. I still remember a night-out during a trip, one of my mum's cousin started telling us ghost stories. All of the good stuff must have rubbed off because I started telling stories when I was 10 or 11.

I had a huge fan following amongst my younger cousins - bless the days when holidays were spent in each other's homes for a week or more.

I perhaps stopped because life interrupted my telling. School, college, work and growing up meant very little time with nieces and nephews.

When I started teaching creative writing, I got another eager audience and I started to tell a story a week after class. They were all ghost stories as Singapore is so much into that genre.

But in front of an audience, I almost always chicken out. Though I love making jokes, noises and voices, I have turned into an adult who can't goof around.

So this month I joined the Storytelling Circle in London. I'm going to beat my fears with training, learning and a lot of practice.

www.chitrasoundar.com

2007 has been filled with solitude. I have not been out much meeting other writers. I didn't attend workshops, literary events or anything.

I have been busy at my day job, slaving at a computer. I even postponed my vacation.

Then came the two weeks of vacation. I met new people, enjoyed new things, visited some amazing places including the Taj Mahal and then realised that my solitude has not really helped me much in my writing.

I need to get out there and enjoy things. I need to be among people who talk books, who breathe books.

So I went to three events - the first one was organised by SCBWI - we met an editor from Bloomsbury and the second was organised by the Book Circle to listen to Michael Rosen and the third was an event by PEN - a panel discussion. Both were revealing of the current situation in British books. These events gave me an idea of what went on in schools here. They introduced me to people who are passionate about books, covers, content, censorship, reading in classrooms, reading at home, cross-over literature and what not.

That is something I have been missing while I was sunk under paperwork in the day job. Who is going to understand my need to talk about reading at bedtime.

So here comes 2008 and I am all prepared to attend more such events.

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I've been in the UK for two years now. Even though I have not spent all the 24 months looking for an agent, I did try very hard.

With 17 titles in print and a bag full of new stories, I've been sending letters to agents in Britain. In fact, some of them very kind to read it fully and recommend me to other agents. But most have returned it with a standard note.

Research the agent, look at their websites, look at their authors' websites, google the agents, prepare a killer one-page letter, send the best manuscript, send resume and business-card - even then the road to being taken on is quite a slippery slope.

One day I will climb up and find an agent and that day, this post will be sure deleted. The count starts now.

www.chitrasoundar.com

Although I've met a lot of writers in America who write for magazines, I still find it surprising that in Britain, many people don't want to start with magazine writing. Perhaps it could be because there are not that many magazines for kids in this part of the world.

I always find magazine writing fun and challenging. It exercises the writing muscles, gives me an opportunity to try my hand at many things and at the same time gives me a chance to be published, to be read by many kids.

Many of my magazine articles have been included in educational databases, archives and even the encyclopedia. One of the articles has even been converted into an audio story.

Though it is not regular royalty income or sometimes does not pay really well, it brings the pleasure of being published that much closer. Sometimes I manage two articles in magazines in a year, sometimes I manage to land a column in magazine.

Writing regularly keeps my talents honed, my writing sharp and the deadlines give me a discipline to write. Yes, I am not writing the next NY Times Bestseller, but until then I am quite happy to earn my medals, slowly and steadily.

Many magazines I write for, are popular, highly renowned and maintain a high degree of quality. Writing for magazines also gives me the ability to write queries, do research for non-fiction, work with an editor and write to spec. That's a masterclass in writing, and I love attending it.

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Here is a quick Take 5 from me to other writers who are starting out in this journey.

5 Myths about writing for children

• It is easy.
• No standards exist for this kind of writing.
• Children will read anything you give them.
• It’ll make you rich.
• All stories should preach or teach.

• Read other books
• Meet other writers
• Write regularly
• Explore the world of writing
• Experiment with your own writing

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Michael Rosen was appointed Britain's fifth children's laureate at a ceremony in London this past Monday. Rosen's first poetry collection, Mind Your Own Business, was published in 1974, and he has since published more than 140 books including poetry, picture books and nonfiction; his next is a biography of Roald Dahl. His classic picture book We're Going on a Bear Hunt, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, won the Nestle Smarties Grand Prize in 1989. In addition to his writing, Rosen is well-known for his work as a live performer, broadcaster, teacher and critic. He is a familiar radio voice in the U.K., where he regularly hosts BBC radio programs.

From PW Children's Bookshelf

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Booked Up is the new national programme encouraging Year 7 children to read for pleasure.

Booked Up is run by Booktrust. Booktrust is the independent reading charity that encourages people of all ages and cultures to discover and enjoy reading. Booked Up is supported by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

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Dear Editor,

Please find my submission enclosed. My story is so great because.... blah... blah... blah

I am a published writer, yada....yada....yada....

However, if you are not interested and sending a form rejection letter, please note that my menstruation cycle is between the 8th and 13th of the month. Please do not send any rejection letters starting from the 2nd until the 14th. During that time, due to hormonal imbalance, I am weepy, depressed and psychotic. If I receive a rejection during this period, I take it personally. I blow up, I throw up, I pass out.

However, during the week following 14th, I am usually in good cheer and high spirits. If you do send back my manuscript then, I'd happily shove it into another envelope and send it somewhere else.

Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for taking the time to consider my submission and for being considerate about my hormonal cycles.

Yours truly
Honest Jones

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A. Readability Statistics

When Microsoft Word finishes checking spelling and grammar, it can display information about the reading level of the document, including the following readability scores. Each readability score bases its rating on the average number of syllables per word and words per sentence.
1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Spelling & Grammar tab.
2. Select the Check grammar with spelling check box.
3. Select the Show readability statistics check box, and then click OK.

B. Versioning in Microsoft Word

Did you know that the in-built Version feature allows keeping old versions of your copy and also editing the original? You don’t need to maintain different drafts in different folders of your computer, if you exploited this feature.

After completing every draft, just click on File -> Versions -> Save Now. You can tag each draft with a comment just the way you would do to a typewritten bundle. Now you have enabled your document to store all the different versions in a single file.

You can retrieve any specific version by clicking on it. You can delete a draft that is not required by selecting the version and tapping the Delete button. No more draft mix-ups of your wonderful stories.

C. Saving paper?

Want to print two pages on a A4 paper? If you are using Microsoft Word, in your print options, look for the option Pages Per Sheet on the right-handside corner. Select 2 pages and hit the print button.

Of course if you are dummying a very simple picture book you can print 16 pages per sheet and see how it folds.

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1. Thou shall not tell, but show.
2. Thou shall not overuse adjectives and adverbs.
3. Thou shall write at least once a day.
4. Thou shall not waste time on the Internet.
5. Thou shall do thorough research.
6. Thou shall not store manuscripts in closets.
7. Thou shall not steal ideas from others.
8. Thou shall not post the only copy to an editor.
9. Thou shall always buy your friend’s book.
10. Thou shall not plagiarize.
    

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If I were to buy an animal soft-toy – what would that be? For many people it would be a large teddy bear. I remember once when were 16 or 17, one of my friends was out on a school trip to North India. His girl-friend was one of the catwalk queens of our class. Well, I was just the average jane. This guy who was a man of few words, never did mushy things, turned up at the railway station with a giant teddy bear. Guess who had to lug it home?

But I am not a large bear person. At least not in soft-toys area. I prefer the giraffe. Gawky yet elegant, quiet yet active, serene and agile. Nothing can beat the giraffe – the colour of its coat – what’s with the regular black coats on bears (like people in London travelling for morning work – everyone wearing a black suit)?

When I was assigned a story by Reading A-Z about an animal who wants to experiment with its dietary choices, the first thing that came to my mind was a giraffe. What a great circular story it is – the giraffe trying to fish and do other ridiculously ungiraffy things ever and finally deciding to go back to its normal diet. Just like me – I suddenly crave for the pasta or maybe even a plate of salad and then always returning to Indian food, cooked by my own hands.



Find out what happened to the giraffe when you read “What’s for Dinner?” published by Reading A-Z.

http://www.readinga-z.com/newfiles/levels/e/whatsfordinnere.html

Teachers, there is a lesson plan too, if you buy the e-book.

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Some people write about monsters and fairies. Some love ghosts. I love butterflies and rainbows to write about.

It all started when I entered a contest on the SCBWI website (www.scbwi.org). The contest was to write 50 words about what is at the end of the rainbow – a pot of gold or just disappointment?

A writer’s mind works in mysterious ways – the god of the fictional world, you see. This somehow made me a recollect a spring watch newscast on British television. Oh yes, there is an autumn watch too.

Now put these two together, a butterfly starts chasing the rainbow to discover the pot of gold under it. What happens? Will the butterfly be disappointed?

You will have to find out by reading Chasing the Pot of Gold, published as an e-book by Guardian Angel Publishing.



Spring is a gift of life. Why don’t you give it to someone? You can purchase it from Guardian Angel Publishing or from me directly. Here are the links.

http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/chasinggold.htm
www.chitrasoundar.com

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Long ago, yaks were nomads. They wandered from place to place, never settling down. Well, Muri the eagle thinks yaks are fussy. On Muri’s suggestions, he discover landscapes that are not quite so suitable. But he finally decides to go it alone on an unbeaten path that leads him to the snow-capped Himalayas, just right for him.

Gola walked into my heart and mind as I worked on a non-fiction topic about yaks and Buddhist Thormas about Tibet. I found that though yaks have been domesticated since the 1st century AD, they have rarely graced the pages of children’s picture books. With that Gola’s story tumbled out of the snow. Gola is very special to me. He has been with me since 2003, changing his story so many times, refusing to leave my mind and heart.



You can read Gola’s story in “Where is Gola’s Home?” published by Tulika Books, India (Dec 2006) in 5 bilingual editions. Find out how to buy here - http://www.tulikabooks.com/bilingualbooks10.htm.

Why don't you buy this as present to young readers you know?

www.chitrasoundar.com

I was asked about creative non-fiction recently by a writer I met at a conference. Here are some links and books I suggested to him.


http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/childrens_writing/62230
http://www.writing-world.com/children/nonfiction.shtml
http://www.pitt.edu/~bdobler/readingnf.html

Book titles

=== Creative Nonfiction: How to Live It and Write It (Paperback) by by Lee Gutkind
=== The Art of Creative Nonfiction: Writing and Selling the Literature of Reality (Wiley Books for Writers Series) by Lee Gutkind
=== Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life by Philip Gerard
=== Writing Creative Nonfiction: Instruction and Insights from Teachers of the Associated Writing Programs by Philip Gerard
=== Writing Creative Nonfiction: Fiction Techniques for Crafting Great Nonfiction by Theodore A. Rees Cheney
=== In Fact: The Best of Creative Nonfiction by Lee Gutkind

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Read between the lines
Spring is not all about love
It's about selfish pleasure.

(C) Chitra Soundar, Aug 2006

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Summers fade away
Sunshine gets colder sometimes
Love is fickle, I know.

(C) Chitra Soundar, Aug 2006

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"Never read an Indian novel by an Indian author" - Guilty as charged - until last week.

I was waiting for a friend, I was meeting for lunch. He was late and I was lucky. I walked into Waterstones and picked up Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things.

I flipped through the pages as I waited for my friend and the first page grabbed me. I couldn't put the book down. I thought about the characters after I put the book down. I even had dreams about the characters and I was sucked in fully.

What a way to write - she has broken every rule in the book to give a rare treat. The viewpoints jump, adjectives abound, adverbs are all over - but the language is music. It takes you on a journey that you want to travel. A journey where you forget airline security, baggage-check in, terrorist attacks. A journey back into a world where you're somewhat familiar with and enjoy her description of something familiar.

I'd say the joy is doubled when you are an Indian because you get the inside jokes, you have seen the object she is talking about.

Intricate, complex, compelling and somehow rewarding - as if I had been let in on a family secret. I was happy to have been included. I am still thinking about the characters in the book - especially Velutha.

Whatever bad happened in this week, I am inclined to forgive God, because I read the God of Small Things.

www.chitrasoundar.com

It was a curious incident. This book was on my shelf for almost a year. I write picture books and easy readers. I didn't want to cloud my mind with Middle-grade / YA fiction. I don't read novels - I read crime thrillers - something that solves a mystery or a puzzle.

But someone who knows me well told me I should read this book. You'll like it, she said.

I picked up the book on a Monday and finished it cover to cover by Wednesday. I couldn't talk about anything else for more than two weeks.

What a way to enter another person's world! The perspective was not just hilarious, it was honest. It talked about life in B&W and not in colour.

Well, hats off to Mark Haddon.

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"Elusive", the word that brings visions of fairies, or if you prefer the goddess of muse. What if you are describing a character in your story, a mysterious one as elusive? How many times can you use the same word? Don't you need some other words or phrases that would help characterize? The digital thesaurus, in one click, was able to generate a long list of words that you could use instead of elusive. Not so elusive after all, eh?

So, here is a short list of words that could fit in the place of elusive, depending on the tone, purpose and context.

If you are using the word elusive many times over in your draft, remember to replace at least some of them with these alternatives.

While the scene I attempted for my story eluded me, I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures with the elusive word. Next time I am stuck with a blank screen with a blinking cursor, I know what to do. Just pick up a word and look for all its elusive meanings.

www.chitrasoundar.com

The most common topic among writers would be about rejections. Conversations can become never-ending when it comes to talking about rejections. Number of rejections, rejection from biggies, form letters, no responses, reasons for rejection. The list goes on and on.

As writers we hate the form letters, a check mark against one or two among a list of reasons and the most dreaded phrase in the history of rejection, "Not suitable for our needs". We can't see the editors' face or their shrug when they tick against a reason on the form. We cannot see their frowns and smirks when they dash off a form letter rejecting our masterpieces. And that makes us insecure about the response. Was the submission really not suited to the editors' needs or is the editor being polite? Was my writing good quality, would it have passed if the topic were right? How do I find out if they really mean what they said? And very often we complain, " If only the editor told me what was wrong with my piece!"

And then out of the blue you get another rejection letter. So what's new? This one is different because it's not a form letter. It clearly states what's wrong with your piece and why they couldn't accept. It also states how this article didn't interest the editor - due to lack of clarity, structure, content or whatever other things an article is supposed to have. And the editor also tells you not to be discouraged and hopes you would submit to them again in the future.

Now you got what you always wanted - a rejection letter that explains why. It has brought professional criticism from someone who didn't think your work is au fait. Obviously the article has not been accepted. Isn't this what you always wanted - constructive criticism?

What happens now? Do you feel encouraged? The form letter was a blanket of security that you didn't appreciate earlier. The form letter camouflaged the criticism and the censure and told you what you wanted to know. But the detailed rejection pushes you back into the dark tunnels of insecurity, only much farther. It questions your rationale in your belief as a writer, it makes you wonder whether you were wrong to have even attempted to do so. If the criticism is more honest, the setback is further down. You might not be willing to write or submit anything for the next few days.

Grass looks always greener on the other side. While you think getting detailed criticism is better than a form letter, once you get a criticism, you are not sure how to handle it. Perhaps this editor was in a bad mood. Perhaps your article was the tenth one about the same topic he reviewed on the same day. Perhaps he had to chew someone and your submission landed on his desk at the most opportune moment. You try and justify the article and the injustice of the comment. Don't worry, it is human to be doing this.

So when do you become divine? After you put aside the letter for sometime, lick your wounds in private and eat some comfort food, you will be back to normal. Now you are ready to tackle the letter again. Read it carefully and review your article again. If you were an editor, would these comments make sense? At the back of your mind, did you feel that these problems did exist when you wrote the article, but sent them out anyway? Using these comments, would you be able to chisel the piece and make it better? Can you add value to your piece by more research and better structure?

If yes, then you are a professional. You have learnt to make the best use of a bad situation. You have chosen to learn from your mistakes. That's what a good rejection letter should help you to do.

But there is another side to the coin as well. You go through the piece you have written, and review the rejection letter. You see no problems like the editor has pointed out. You check the guidelines and there seems to be no anomaly there too. After an objective analysis, you reach a conclusion that the editor was not justified. Perhaps he did have a bad day after all. So what do you do?

Do what Mahatma Gandhi did. Once a journalist handed over a 10-page essay filled with accusations and baseless allegations against Gandhi. Gandhi skimmed through the pages and found it to be garbage. He dumped the sheets after removing the paper clip that held the pages together. When asked about it he said, " the paper-clip was the only useful part of that document".

While most editors are professional and try to help an upcoming writer as often as they could, the proliferation of web sites and ezines have made many wannabe editors into editors. So it is possible that you do once in a while encounter someone who is not a 100% professional and who is also learning the trade and the craft as days go by. Haven't you heard about great writers, who raked in fortunes, were turned down innumerable times? Don't waste your time on unjust rejections. Set them aside and move along.

If you have chosen to write, and you believe in your ability to write and your ability to learn, then don't be discouraged by honest critiques, learn from them. If you are confident of your talent and your goal of becoming a writer, set aside your doubts and ignore invalid censures. Either way, how you handle your rejections is a confirmation of how professional you are.

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P.G.Wodehouse wrote a collection of short stories about Golf. In one of the stories, he talks about an eccentric genius millionaire (definitely not about me, even if you think I am that old), who can study a set of books and apply precision and he can achieve anything the first time correctly. Apparently he did do well in golf as well.

Well, I wish writing were such a task. Only that I know it is not. Sadly, many aspiring writers I know and read about apparently think of it that way. There are two extreme polarities into which some aspiring writers fall under.

First is the self-doubting, self-loathing, self-recriminating variety that demands perfection first time onwards. The second group is a set of people who assume that by reading all the craft books and reading the personal experiences of successful writers, one of their unwritten manuscript would magically get transported to the desk of an editor who would publish it as soon as the printers can find a free slot and they are on the bestseller list from day one.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), it doesn't work that way. Either way, both the groups are assuming that any art or craft, comes all in one go, at a near genius level, to whoever asks for it. Either they have not heard about great painters practicing their art before painting their one-in-a-lifetime masterpiece or they decide to skip all the sweaty portions and skip to the stories about the wide halls of fame.

Whether you train to be an architect, doctor (don't we know how experimental their learning can prove to be), painter or something as mundane as a computer programmer (believe me even after ten years, I still can't get over the monotonous humdrumry of it), you learn the basics in theory and a lot of practice. You get to make mistakes, get shouted at by your tutor, boss or even strangers. Then you slowly get the hang of the fundamentals. Then you begin to work towards optimum quality and if you are lucky, you might be talented and hardworking enough to work towards perfection and masterpiece. (I am not sure you have a masterpiece in computer programming, though.)

So, why are aspiring writers avoiding the actual writing? Why do every writing guru have to reiterate the need to write every day. Why does every book insist on mandatory word count every day?

What would happen if doctors don't do internships? I used to live in Chennai, that is the center of medical technologies for India, next only to New Delhi, India's capital. I have seen many doctors in my family and friends' circles learn their profession, one day at a time, one patient at a time, one medical topic at a time. Interns do long hours, dirty chores and a lot of reading before they can practice. God only can save us all, if that is not mandatory.

Coming from the same analogy, why do novice writers assume that their expertise, skill and quality of writing would suddenly be at a peak, with no practice whatsoever? Why do writers be told to write? Isn't that ironic?

I attended couple of sessions of a local writers' group that has been operating for 3-4 years. Some serious members have been with the group for long; some like me were shopping for a good group. But some believed that they wanted to be writers, but wouldn't find the time to write. They expressed surprise and envy at people who found the time to write everyday, irrespective of our day jobs. Now why would you want to be a writer, a best-selling one at that, if you don't want to write at all?

My message to aspiring writers, who are looking for the teeny-weeny shortcut to stardom, is - don't kid yourself and don't waste time. Don't ask questions about the craft, without practicing it. Don't ask whether writing in first person, present tense is better than omnipresent point of view written in the past tense! Don't ask whether there are enough markets for personal essays or poetry. Don't ask if you need to revise once or many times.

Just write. Worry about everything else later.

Hmm, when I started writing for children, I felt my way around, feeling the walls, getting hold of door knobs and opening wrong doors. But slowly I was moving towards the right path and then found my way into this long and tough road called Writing for Children.

Twice this month, there were queries about where to start by beginning writers and both times they were snubbed by experienced writers with careless advice and marked indifference. It pains me to see someone turned away without being offered some useful help on how to start writing for children. Is it because experienced writers dont want more competition or is it because they don't have time for helping others? Either way, I don't care for such indifference.

So here is a gist of what I told the beginning writers who asked these basic questions - What should I do to become a children's writer?

Here are some basic guidelines.

a) Use the Internet as your starting point. There are 1000s of articles on
writing for children. Go to www.google.co.uk and type children's writing
b) Visit www.scbwi.org - they have material that will be of great use. You
could think about becoming a member.
c) visit www.childrenswriter.com and www.institutechildrenslit.com for
detailed articles.
d) visit www.write4kids.com for articles and a discussion board on writing
for children.
e) visit www.highlightsfoundation.org - for interesting articles and
information on reputed courses.

Get hold of one of these books - collectively they hold a lot of info.

Writing Children's Books for Dummies (For Dummies S.) ~ Lisa Rojany Buccieri, Peter Economy -- (Paperback - May 17, 2005)


Writing a Children's Book: How to Write for Children and Get Published
~Pamela Cleaver


The Writer's Guide to Crafting Stories for Children (Write for Kids Library)
~Nancy Lamb


Picture Writing (Write for Kids Library)
~Anastasia Suen


Writing for children and teen-agers
~Lee Wyndham

Writing for Young Children
Claudia Lewis

Writing and Illustrating Children's Books for Publication: Two Perspectives
~Berthe Amoss, Eric Suben


How to Write for Children (Allison & Busby Writers' Guides)
~Tessa Krailing


Write for Children
~Andrew Melrose


How to Write Books for Children - and Get Published
~Louise Jordan


Writing for Children (Teach Yourself Educational S.)
~Lesley Pollinger, et al


Market Books

Book Markets for Children's Writers
~Marni McNiff
The Writer's Bookstore

Writer's Handbook Guide to Writing for Children
~Barry Turner (Editor)

Magazine Markets for Children's Writers 2006 (Magazine Markets for Children's Writers)


Visit bookstores and browse at different books. Think about where your idea will fit in. Once you find a similar book, buy it and then study the contents. Check number of words, chapters, writing styles. Unless you are a trained artist, do not attempt illustrations. Just do the writing.

Once you have written the material, put it away for a month and write another story. Come back to the first story a month later and edit it. Edit it until you think it is as good as the published books in the market. Visit the library and bookstores regularly to be up-to-date on books coming out.

Keep a notebook of all the books you have read, with details about the publisher, illustrator, number of pages/chapters, ISBN number etc.

After you have 3 finished pieces with you, try to attend some writing workshops / events organised by SCBWI or the Highlights Foundation or any other reputed organisation. Hobnob with other writers and find out what others are working on.

That should be a lot to start off with. If you have questions or comments, feel free to post it here.

How do you deal with everyday problems? I deal with it in my writing. In many ways. Sometimes, I write in my diary to an imaginary friend. (Oh yeah, the imaginary friend - another everyday problem I haven't dealt with yet.). Other times, I talk to people who are open and honest with me. I talk to people who will let me say what I want, cry if I want and laugh with me at lame jokes. But sometimes talking to people and not discussing the problem is not enough.

Sometimes I need a hug. Just a hug. I don't need someone to reason, explain or rationalise. I need someone just to hold me and tell me everything will be alright. If not tomorrow, at least in another zillion years.

But I am not lucky enough to have a hug everytime I face a problem. So I opt for the alternative. The best in town, folks. Writing. Write a story. Make your character suffer all possible problems. Slowly solve the problem, unravel it and find the deeper meaning. All in one day? Can you write a novel in one day? Well, who is asking you to write a novel in one day? Write a short story, write a flash, write a poem, write a limerick. The key thing is face the problem on paper. Sometimes it is easier to handle it when it happens to other people.

When things go wrong at work, when you have embarrassed yourself at the office party, when you have said absolutely the wrong thing in front of a conference room full of people, when you get a ketchup smudge on your blouse exactly 'there', when your shoe-heels drop off just when the prince gets close to kiss you, when everybody else gets the joke about you, when living
is pure hell, don't hesitate, sit down and write. Leave this world, create another person, creature or a bot - put it through the mill, teach your creation a lesson, bring it to a satisfying end.

Well, look at the clock. How time flies when you are writing something interesting! What happened to the problem? Hmm, after it happened to my fictional character, it seems pretty small. Almost gone, just leaving a faint trace, just enough to remind me that I conquered it after all.

a) Create a short reading time every day. During this time, switch off
TV and put your mobile phone in silent mode. Read as a family. You can read
the same book or each of you can read a book.

b) Share your thoughts. Over dinner, discuss how you feel about the
book you are currently reading. This way your child too will be encouraged
to critically examine the book he/she is reading.

c) Keep a booklist. On the fridge or in a notebook, keep a list of
books each of you read. This list will be quite useful when you have a
second child or also to discuss your child's reading habit.

d) Organise activities related to the reading. For example, if your
child is reading a book about volcanoes, try to do a home experiment of
making a volcano. Or bring home a video about volcanoes.