reading-writing connections · tcrwp

Living Like a Writer: Why do you read and write?

Stacey Shubitz

I had the absolute pleasure of listening to Pam Muñoz Ryan deliver the keynote address at the TCRWP Writing Institute this past Wednesday. (And to make things even better, she even signed my copy of Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride for me.) The topic of her keynote address was “Reading to Write, and Writing to Read.” She posed two challenging questions to us as members of her audience. I’ll pose the same questions to you right now (i.e., as some food for thought this weekend). The questions are:

Why do I write?
Why do I read?

Ryan encouraged us to think deeply about those questions, answering with the truth behind them.  Hence, as you walk through your life like a writer this weekend, take some time to think about those questions. Perhaps they’ll lead to some writing in your notebook.

Finally, I’d like to share a direct quote from Ryan’s keynote speech, with you, that might also serve as some writerly inspiration (it did for me):

“At an auspicious time, we’re often brought back to our beginnings and our belongings.”

Have a great weekend and happy writing!

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Published by Stacey Shubitz

Stacey Shubitz is a K-6 literacy consultant and former elementary teacher. She is the author of CRAFT MOVES and other professional books on writing workshop. Her forthcoming book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.

13 thoughts on “Living Like a Writer: Why do you read and write?”

  2. Pingback: Memoir Monday: Origins of Writing « TWO WRITING TEACHERS

  3. I read because I love stories and words. I write because I have stories to tell. I want the children I work with to understand that their stories are an important part of who they are. Young children are bursting with stories and writing is a great medium for helping them see the connection between stories and words and writing.

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  4. Pingback: Memoir Monday: Origins of Writing « TWO WRITING TEACHERS

  5. To be honest, I write because I have stories bursting though my skin and like Pam Munoz Ryan, I sometimes write to have them heard. I, too attended the institute (Hi, Stacey!) and was inspired by all that I learned. I thought about how I write to formulate ideas so I can achieve a greater sense of clarity in my own mind. I write to communicate the “human-ness” of this path we all walk…to bring attention to things that matter…or should. And, I write to share both tragic and funny stories from my own life in the hopes that they may reach another in ways that comfort, inspire or entertain. But in the end…I simply know I have to write because I AM a writer.

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  6. Thanks for the post!

    The why is the most important question we can ask ourselves. The more we can clarify why we write, why we read, why we move forward with our writing, the easier it will be to partake in that writing, or share a love of writing with others…

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  7. I have been thinking about the two questions. It is hard to say since there are so many reasons to read depending on the purpose. I read to learn (with professional books), YA/middle grade books to match books to students (and enjoyment since there are so many great books), adult chick lit and women’s fiction for fun, classics to see glimpses of history and think about how writing has evolved, Spanish novels to expand my vocabulary and pick up on the natural flow…

    I write for personal reflections, to bounce ideas off other people, to create mentor texts, to show gratitude, to get my thoughts down on paper…

    Those are two great questions, and the list of reasons could go on and on.

    I really enjoyed reading your response to Lennye as well.

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  9. I think that we read to step out of our own lives and enjoy the suspense, romance, mystery that may be missing from our own. It helps us to look through another lens (cultural, gender, religious, etc.) Why might our students read? For the same reasons we do or to simply enjoy a good story or to learn about something new. What a great question to pose to students at the beginning of the year. I think we write to be heard — it cathartic — it is sometimes easier to write what we cannot say. We write to hold onto our life, our memories.

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  11. I think, within the context of a narrative unit, kids need to understand that WHY a new paragraph is created (e.g., a new person is speaking, the setting changes). If you can show that to them, with the help of a couple of great mentor texts, then they’ll come to understand why writers use paragraphs and how those paragraphs help a reader. In terms of exposition, I think we tend to start them off with the notion that a paragraph follows that “hamburger” structure. However, after my kids went through one personal essay unit, I always let them play with the number of sentences in their paragraphs (i.e., in later expository units).

    As for teaching introductions, there are some great lessons in Lucy’s book on personal narrative that are quite good. Ralph Fletcher has some good craft lessons too in his book.

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  12. Thanks for sharing this post today! I’ve already spent a week with my new bunch of students (an EIP class, which means lowest of the low without special ed papers) and have a couple of teaching questions.

    First, I find that some lower grade teachers tell students that a paragraph has to be four or five sentences in length. How do you get students to understand two good sentences are better than 5 weak sentences? (In “How to Steal a Dog” Barbara O’Connor uses a one sentence introduction).

    Second, do you have other suggestions for teaching introductions?

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  13. It sounds like you have had an amazing institute this week! I would have loved to seen Pam Muñoz Ryan speak. I love her books.

    I will post about the questions later on this weekend.

    Is it almost time for you to officially start your new job?

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