'National Writing Day', 24 June

Simon O'Donovan
Jun 24
3 min read

NATIONAL WRITING DAY

National Writing Day is a celebration of the power of words. Whether it’s a letter, diary, poem, postcard, text message or novel, writing helps us share our thoughts, memories and feelings with others. Most of us write every day without thinking about it, but writing has changed enormously over our lifetime – from fountain pens and typewriters to smartphones and social media. Today we'll explore writing, communication, memories and creativity through discussion, quizzes and activities.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WRITING

Writing is one of humanity's greatest inventions. It allows us to record history, share ideas, express emotions and stay connected with people we care about.

Discussion Questions

What is the first thing you remember writing?
Did you learn to write with a pencil or pen?
Did you ever keep a diary or journal?
Have you ever written a love letter?
Do you still send birthday or Christmas cards?
What famous books have you enjoyed reading?
Have you ever written a poem, story or song?
How important is handwriting today?
What would you write if you knew people would still be reading it 100 years from now?

FACTOID – ANNE FRANK'S DIARY

One of the world's most famous diaries was written by a young girl called Anne Frank.

During the Second World War, Anne and her family hid from Nazi persecution in a secret annex in Amsterdam. Between 1942 and 1944 she wrote about her daily life, hopes and fears in a diary she called "Kitty."

After the war, her diary was discovered and published as The Diary of a Young Girl. It has been translated into more than 70 languages and remains one of the most widely read personal accounts in history.

Anne once wrote:

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

IDIOMS, SAYINGS & PROVERBS ABOUT WRITING

Discuss the meanings of idioms, sayings and proverbs such as The pen is mightier than the sword, Read between the lines, The writing is on the wall and Dot the i's and cross the t's. Which of the sayings have you heard used in everyday life.

NAME THESE WRITING IMPLEMENTS

A recognition, recall and naming activity, asking members to identify a variety of writing implements. You could also discuss when was the last time they used any of them.

HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED – COMMUNICATION DISCUSSION

Ask members to think about how communication has changed during their lifetime. From handwritten letters, postcards from holidays to birthday cards through the post, how often do members write today as compared to in their 20s?

Which ways of communicating do theyprefer?
Do they miss receiving letters?
Has modern technology and smartphones improved communication?

CREATIVE ACTIVITIES

Members can really get creative with these activities and use their imagination and composition skills ...

Write A Letter To Your Younger Self

What advice would you give your teenage self? What have you learned about life, friendship, happiness and success?

Wish You Were Here Postcard

Imagine you are on your dream holiday. Write a postcard home describing where you are and what you can see.

Compose A Haiku

Oush the boundaries and compose a short Japanese poem with three lines and a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. It has to be based on nature and use visual imagery.

Example:

Morning sunlight shines

Birdsong drifts across the garden

Summer breeze arrives