Boys and girls sometimes hesitate to talk or to write because their experiences do not seem to be worth sharing with others. They often fail to understand that teachers and classmates will be interested in whatever interests them. This is an unfortunate mistake. They should look forward eagerly to their turn to talk or to write, knowing full well that the practice and the training will mean a gain in power.

Whatever your subject, think for yourself. Then, and then only, will your writing be your own; it will have individuality; it will be different from the work of anybody else. Honest attempts to give the best expression to your own thoughts will call out the most helpful criticisms from your teacher. It is always a pleasure, and often an inspiration, to work with a young writer who is eager to be himself - not an echo of another person.

The composition entitled "In Franklin Park" (p. 186) was a good exercise for the pupil who wrote it, because it was a record of his own experience. Many pupils have found it stimulating because they, too, have had similar outings.

A friend of yours can tell stories by the hour, but it may be that he cannot easily write them. You eagerly tell your experiences to your brother, but you would be slow about putting them on paper. Writing is largely a matter of habit. Some of you who talk readily have not been accustomed to writing. The words that come so eagerly when you let the story tell itself halt on their way down the penholder, lag behind, and fail to put in an appearance. This you must not allow. Forget that you ever saw a grammar, or any other book about English. Write. Write for the sake of forming the habit of writing, and don't let your pencil interfere with the torrent of words. Not until you have finished what you have to say, should you take time for revising your work.