Telling the truth is not always easy. As a non-fiction writer, I now find myself immersed in digging around and finding ways to explain the truth to children through my writing. Therefore, when I was asked by a local elementary teacher to speak to the second graders at her school, I felt I had to be honest and apologetically replied, “But I haven’t ‘published’ anything yet.”
“Yes, I know which is fine. You are just like our students with their ‘Works in Progress.’ It is perfect,” she responded. I sighed a deep breathe of relief and started planning for my visit.
As I thought more about it, I realized I have a very broad view of writing that includes a collection of my children’s earliest messages which look like scribbles to the outsider, but carry great meaning. I started to wonder why their hieroglyphic messages were valuable enough for me to keep hidden away in a treasure box while my unpublished picture book biography and blog posts were not enough to justify my work as a writer. So I started to realize that maybe the truth was…I am a writer with many “Works in Progress.”
That’s me holding my graphic organizer displaying the very messy process of my “Work in Progress.” Photo Credit: Beth Mengwasser
With this newfound belief in myself as a writer, I visited the second graders and shared my writing process. I showed them how messy writing is and how I use graphic organizers to plan out my work. I explained how I revise and revise again using different colored pens and sticky notes. I even admitted that I often have to walk around and frequently write standing up. I even confessed that I am not so good at sitting still and that I have green putty at my desk to help me concentrate.
A thank you note from Aeson. Photo Credit: Jen Stratton
I then talked about why I write and how I am writing to solve a problem that I found on the library bookshelves. I told them that in my research I could not find picture books about athletes who play adaptive sports. So, to solve that problem I am writing books and blog posts about people with disabilities who play sports. The students were amazed at the accomplishments of the athletes in the sports stories that I shared.
After telling them about Nick Springer, a wheelchair rugby player, quad-amputee and the subject of my first book, one boy raised his hand and asked how Nick could catch or throw a ball without hands. I said, “I think we need to shift our perspective here. I need you to not just look at Nick’s disability but to think about how he can do things in exceptional ways.” A hand then popped up from a girl in the front row and she demonstrated how Nick could use his elbows and residual limbs to throw or catch the ball. Then, more hands shot up and the students started shouting out ways they thought Nick could do anything from playing wheelchair rugby to driving.
In the end the visit exceeded my expectations because I was able to tell the truth about my writing process while sharing the awesome stories of athletes I have met who play adaptive sports. And, to my surprise by telling the truth about my messy writing process, I was able to validate the writing experience of those students who learn differently. Overall, it was a great visit, and to be honest I hope to do more in the future. Until then, I will keep working on telling the amazing true stories of athletes who redefine the possible.
Keep believing in the possible!
Jen
P.S. If you would like me to speak at your school or organization, just email me at jlstrattonpossiblebooks@gmail.com.
Jen Stratton and Team Possible 