My new book—Tapping the Writer Within: Practical Ways to Help All Students Claim Their Wri-dentity—was published in February.  I combined the words writing and identity to forge a brand-new word: WRI-DENTITY. My book takes a close look at how we move from “I do” to “I am.” I’ve come to realize that I have been circling this idea (students’ identity-as-a-writer) in many of my other books.

Tapping the Writer Within looks at identity in the practical sense of the word, such as when a student says: “I’m a soccer player.” “I’m a big brother.” “I’m a Christian.” We want all our students to say: “I’m a reader.” In the same way, we want them to say with confidence: “I’m a writer.”

In the new book I offer practical structures, routines, and strategies to build that identity in our students. I include a chapter on how to deal with the “Never-Writer”—that kid who says: “I hate writing!” I suggest ways we can give a student like that a fresh start.

Stay tuned for more news about Tapping the Writer Within. In next month or so I’ll be hosting a book give-away. And I’m eager to hear from teachers who have read this book.

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