Inspiring a love for reading & writing

Last updated on November 16th, 2023 at 05:43 pm

I was only young when I knew that I loved to read and write. From the age of eight,  I had my nose permanently in a book or writing in journals and notebooks. There was never a time that elapsed that I didn’t have this drive to create stories, letting my imagination take over, or get lost in someone else’s imagination. Reading was the best way to go on a great adventure in my head or visit summer when winter and snow was upon us. Writing took it that step further and allowed me to make my own stories up, the way I wanted them to unfold and end. My mind used to race with ideas for the next adventure I would write about and still does to this very day.

But I struggled with it too, growing up. I struggled to voice how much I loved reading and writing for fear I would be labeled a nerd for wanting to read all the time, or being laughed at because my writing skills from the very beginning weren’t spectacular. We were taught to read and write in school but we weren’t inspired to love it. So I kept my passion for reading and writing to myself. I wasn’t aware of any support groups that I could get guidance from to improve my reading and writing skills. It was only in adulthood that I took the plunge and wrote my very first book and started this blog. I was tired of holding in my true passion, and tired of not being fully me. I only wish I had done it sooner in life and I think I would have, had I known more about places I could get guidance from like the Scottish Book Trust.

inspiretoreadwriteThe Scottish Book Trust support and promote in all areas of literature, reading and writing. Their main goal is to inspire readers and writers across Scotland of all ages. I am so impressed with how much they have to offer in terms of guidance and support. They can recommend books for all ages, support with writer development, inform you about book events, help nurture new and established writers. They really are out there to inspire you to love to read and write.

If you haven’t heard about them before you must check them out. They also are bringing reading and writing alive in the classroom by providing resources to teachers. Some of you may have even heard about their bookbug programme which is very well known in Scotland for providing free book bags to under 5’s. Most of these would have been given to parents, by their children’s health visitor, at various stages of the child’s life up to five.  It’s never too early to start teaching your children about reading and writing, after all it’s an important part of their development.

I was having a peak at their awesome website to learn more and found multiple ways to share books with young readers, podcasts, events, support for young adult learners, funding help, and ongoing project information. There is so much to learn about the Scottish Book Trust. Where else could you find such extensive support and guidance for all ages for reading and writing? The website is very user friendly and even colour coordinated for you! There is so much advice you can receive and don’t have to live in Scotland either. Let’s not forget the kids!!! They have a book tour, the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour!

inspirethekids

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour involves UK and international authors visiting schools not just across Scotland but England as well, to inspire children to love reading, writing, and illustrations. We need to inspire them from the start and have their reading and writing grow with them!

I feel inspired just getting to know more about the Scottish Book Trust. I only wish I would have had an agency like this when I was growing up to guide and support me with my reading and writing. It could have really helped me, as I was one of the few that didn’t give up even though I didn’t have support back then. I know many who have. It makes me sad to think that others would give up because they don’t know there are places like this that can really help them. Or for those parents maybe less confident in their own reading and writing skills and worried how they will help their children read and write, agencies like this are perfect for guidance!

I also think about the generations below me and below them, will they love to read and write as much as I do and did, growing up? With all of today’s technologies of video games, texting, social media platforms, will it be as popular? I always encourage my kids to read and write, it’s part of their overall development which I feel is so important, this is why I am helping the Scottish Book Trust spread the word. I think what they do is very important!  If you already have a love for reading and writing, great, why not take it to the next level? There is never an end to improving your reading and writing skills!

*This is a sponsored post but the opinions and photos are my own. 

12 thoughts on “Inspiring a love for reading & writing”

  1. Oh wow! That is ace. I adore reading and writing and so want to foster that in my children so tips are always welcome. I hadn’t heard of the SBT so will check them out. I do a ‘One for You, One for Me Saturday book review so check it out for some good reads.
    Thanks for the heads up. x

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  2. They seem like a really good nurturing type of place to be part of. You got me thinking and I don’t think there was anythingro encourage younger writers growing up and all that kind of stuff is always targeted at a more mature demographic. Really interesting post! 🙂

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    • Thank you. Yes, I thought the same thing. Its great to start young and have their passion for reading and writing to grow with them instead of trying to make them see the love for it in their teens and adulthood.

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    • Thank you Lucy. I can’t wait until my kids start school and I see if they are like me with their love for reading and writing. Buba definitely already loves to read nonstop. lol I love when they start to show their interests and hobbies. Growing up is so fun!!! 🙂

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    • Check out their website, might give you some great tips. Best thing to do is just try to make it fun and engaging and don’t push it too hard. Hopefully they will pick it up eventually. My brothers all hated it too but I was obsessed. Maybe it’s a girl / boy thing?

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  3. Like you I always loved to read…not as much with the writing. Not that I can’t write, I’m actually quite good at it, I am just not that confident in it. I am more of an academic writer I guess. I have always enjoyed being able to open a book and be able to be whisked off to another time and place and I really hope that my kids will be able to get that too. I already fear that technology has ruined their imaginations…my son more so than my daughter, but they both love it when I read them stories so I have hope for them yet!

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    • I agree it’s a fine line with technology. You want them to know about it and how to use it for future and to not be behind in the times but you don’t want them to get so into it that they don’t learn and love the fundamentals.

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