Like athletes, writers learn by doing. Good writing requires the same kind of dedicated practice that athletes put in. Young writers often lack the support they need to practice writing and develop their talent to the fullest, though. They find it hard to receive validation for their work. Feedback provided in English class may not produce the same sense of self-worth that being published produces.
Many schools lack adequate facilities to publish students' work, however.
The Internet can fill that void. Help can be as close as a mouse click away. A number of Web sites publish work created by students. Today, Education World investigates some of those sites. Lewis is creator and president of the KidsBookshelf .