Leaving My Writing Comfort Zone by Shannon Anderson

When I started teaching, I thought I wanted to stay in first grade forever. I loved the age and innocence of the kids. After all, first graders are adorable, love school, and think their teachers know everything.

Now in my 24th year in education, I’ve had experience in kindergarten through fifth grade, as well as teaching college-level education majors. There is definitely something wonderful about teaching every grade level and working with all of the different students. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to experience this if I had stayed where I was comfortable.

I’ve found that to be true for writing too. When my first picture book came out, I thought that was the only genre I wanted to write and publish. Picture books are beautiful and have a fun, young audience. I assumed I needed to stick to what I knew best.

After doing multiple school visits, I had more and more older students asking what books I had written for their ages. Challenge accepted. I wrote my first middle grade nonfiction book and a middle-grade novel. Then, I started exploring other genre possibilities.

I’m currently working on a Christian memoir for adults as well as two books for teachers. The next project I want to try is a chapter book series. When I teach my current 3rd-grade students, we don’t just write personal narratives all year long. I introduce them to poetry, informative writing, letter writing, and opinion writing, among others.

As young writers start to explore and learn about different kinds of writing, they figure out what they enjoy and what else they’d like to try next. It is through these trials and experiences we can grow to appreciate a variety of genres and improve our craft.

Life would be pretty boring if we only ate our favorite meal every day. If you find yourself stuck in a writing rut, or have never branched out to a different genre, try out a new one. What you learn may enhance your current projects or you may find a whole new form you enjoy.




Shannon Anderson is a children’s book author, third grade teacher, and national speaker. She’s the regional advisor for the Indiana SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), is the vice-president of the Indiana State Literacy Association, and was named JC Runyon’s Person of the Year for her work writing books for kids with social and emotional issues. You can follow Shannon on Twitter @shannonteaches or sign up for her free newsletter on her website: Shannonisteaching.com.