What It Means to Take Writers Seriously, Especially Children

When someone says they’re a doctor, a lawyer, or an accountant, people nod respectfully. But when someone says they’re a writer? The response is often a polite smile followed by, “Oh, that’s nice. But what’s your real job?”

This dismissive attitude isn’t just annoying, it’s damaging. And when it’s directed at children who are just discovering their creative voices, it can shut down something beautiful before it even has a chance to bloom.

So let’s talk about what it actually means to take writers seriously. And more importantly, let’s talk about why this matters even more when the writer in question is eight years old.

Writing is a real skill

Writing is not just a hobby. It’s not something people do to pass the time until they find a “proper” career. Writing is a craft that requires deliberate effort, continuous learning, and years of practice to develop.

Think about it this way. Nobody expects a pianist to sit down and play Chopin after a few casual sessions at the keyboard. We understand that musical skill takes time, discipline, and serious training. Writing deserves the same respect.

When you take a writer seriously, you acknowledge that:

• They’re developing a legitimate skill
• Their work has value and meaning
• The time they invest in writing is time well spent
• They deserve resources, guidance, and support

This applies whether the writer is a 45-year-old professional working on their debut novel or a 10-year-old crafting their first short story.

Why children need to be taken seriously as writers

Children are natural storytellers. Watch any group of kids playing, and you’ll see narratives unfolding, heroes, villains, adventures, and dramatic plot twists. They instinctively understand the power of story. But somewhere along the way, many of them stop. Why?

Often, it’s because the adults around them didn’t take their writing seriously. Their stories were dismissed as “cute” or treated as less important than maths homework. They were told writing was a nice hobby but not something to pursue seriously. And just like that, a spark gets extinguished.

When we take young writers seriously, we send a powerful message: Your voice matters. Your stories matter. You matter.

This isn’t about inflating egos or pretending every piece of writing is a masterpiece. It’s about recognising the courage it takes to put words on a page and share them with others. It’s about nurturing a skill that will serve them throughout their lives, regardless of what career they eventually pursue.

What “taking writers seriously” actually looks like

We agree that all writers, including young ones, deserve to be taken seriously. But what does that look like in practice?

1. Listen to them

This sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked. When a child shares their writing with you, give them your attention. Don’t multitask. Don’t rush through it. Read their work with genuine interest and ask thoughtful questions.

“Why did you choose to have the dragon live in a library?”

“What happens to this character next?”

“How did you come up with this idea?”

These questions show that you’re engaged. They communicate that their creative choices matter.

2. Provide real resources

If a child shows interest in writing, invest in that interest. This doesn’t have to mean expensive courses or equipment. It could be:

• A dedicated notebook for their stories
• Books in genres they enjoy reading
• Age-appropriate guides on storytelling
• Time carved out specifically for writing

When you provide resources, you’re saying, “I believe in what you’re doing enough to support it.”

3. Offer professional guidance

Young writers benefit enormously from working with experienced mentors who treat them as real writers: not just kids playing around with words. Professional guidance means teaching them about craft: things like character development, plot structure, and how to revise their work. It means giving them honest, constructive feedback that helps them grow. It means setting expectations and challenging them to improve.

This is exactly why we created the Creative Writing Club for Kids and Teens. It’s a space where young writers are taken seriously, where their work receives real attention, and where they learn skills they’ll carry with them for life.

4. Celebrate their work

Publication isn’t just for adults. When young writers have opportunities to share their work: whether that’s reading aloud at a family gathering, submitting to a school magazine, or participating in a writing showcase: it validates their efforts in a tangible way.

Celebration doesn’t mean empty praise. It means acknowledging the hard work that went into creating something and giving that work a platform.

The confidence factor

When you consistently take a young writer seriously, they start to believe in themselves.

Confidence is everything in writing. The act of writing requires you to put your thoughts, ideas, and imagination on display for others to judge. That’s terrifying at any age, but especially when you’re young and still figuring out who you are.

When children receive validation for their writing: when adults listen, provide resources, offer guidance, and celebrate their work: they develop:

• Confidence in their ability to express themselves
• Agency over their creative choices
• Resilience to handle criticism and rejection
• Identity as someone whose voice has value

These aren’t just writing skills. These are life skills.

The long game

Taking writing seriously is a long-term commitment. Whether you’re a writer yourself or you’re supporting a young writer in your life, there are no shortcuts here.

Writing well takes time. Lots of practice, revision, feedback, and more revision. It takes reading widely and writing regularly. It takes showing up even when inspiration doesn’t.

But here’s the beautiful thing about investing in a young writer’s development: you’re not just helping them write better stories. You’re helping them become better thinkers, better communicators, and more confident human beings.

Writing teaches you to organise your thoughts. It teaches you empathy: because to write characters, you have to understand people different from yourself. It teaches you perseverance, because finishing anything worth finishing requires pushing through the hard parts.

These are gifts that last a lifetime.

A note to the young writers reading this:

If you’re a young person who loves to write, I want you to hear this directly: your writing matters. It doesn’t matter if no one else has read your stories yet. It doesn’t matter if you think your writing isn’t “good enough.” The fact that you’re putting words on a page, creating worlds and characters out of nothing: that’s remarkable. Keep going.

Find people who take your writing seriously. Seek out mentors who will challenge you and help you grow. And never let anyone convince you that writing is just a hobby unless you want it to be.

Ready to take the next step?

Whether you’re an adult writer looking for guidance or a parent wanting to support a young writer in your life, I’d love to help. Consider joining me in a one-to-one coaching programme where we can work together on your craft, or explore our Creative Writing Courses designed to help writers at every stage of their journey.

For young writers aged 9 – 15, the Creative Writing Club offers a supportive community where their work is valued and their skills are nurtured by experienced mentors. Because every writer, regardless of age, deserves to be taken seriously.

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