Give the Gift of Writing: Inspiration this Holiday Season

December 2014 eNewsletter

The Gift of Writing: Inspiration This Holiday Season

Vote for Nichole McAfee to Present at the National Charter Schools Conference

Free Poster: 13 Lessons Learned from “On Writing” by Stephen King

Upcoming Conferences

Have you received a handwritten note from someone lately? I just did, and let me tell you, it really brightened my entire day. A few days after a phone conversation I had with a friend, a letter arrived in the mail. It was a simple card that said “Our friendship has saved me a lot of money…” on the cover, and on the inside it said, “On therapy.” There was a sweet note from my friend that lifted my spirits and put a smile on my face the rest of the day.

The letter I received got me thinking about how writing, and the words that we write, can be a wonderful gift. A thoughtful letter from a loved one can really make an impact on a person’s day and attitude. I know it did on mine. It was the best gift I’d received in a long time. This holiday season, I challenge you to send the gift of writing to someone you love. I guarantee it will be something they will always cherish.

Below are some photos of a variety of handwritten messages that I thought would bring some inspiration (and humor) to your day.


And for those that would like to take it a step further, check out some of these really cute handwritten gift ideas:

Handwritten Recipe Towels	For those who can’t speak until they’ve had their coffee, what about a handwritten personalized coffee mug?
Pillows with a handwritten note ironed on.	Create a hand painted canvas with your own message.

Nichole McAfee, School Leader of Joy Preparatory Academy and a WriteSteps advocate, was asked to present a session at the 2015 National Charter Schools Conference titled, Ready, Test, Score! Essential Tools for Common Core Writing Success.

The conference is doing something different this year, and they’re asking people to vote for sessions that they think should get accepted. The voting ends on December 19. We’d really appreciate if you could take a few minutes to vote for Nichole’s session and secure her as a presenter!

To vote for Nichole, please visit the official #NCSC15 Session Selector at: //conference.publiccharters.org/FORMS/REVIEW/cfp_login.php?formid=16151993&speakerid=16165261

Once you enter your email address and create a free account, all you have to do is give the thumbs up for her session, Ready, Test, Score! Essential Tools for Common Core Writing Success. It takes about three minutes to do.

The entire WriteSteps team appreciates you taking the time to vote for Nichole’s session!

Do your students need some writing advice? Best-selling author Stephen King has some great tips that everyone can learn from. Hang this poster in your classroom for some writing inspiration for your students.

Sending warm wishes of peace and happiness to all of The Inspired Writer readers and their families this Holiday Season!