ABSTRACT
A way to engage pupils in developing and enjoying their writing is to give them ownership of that writing: to give them a choice of what to write; how to tackle the writing process; to explore and experiment, and eventually, discover their writing voice and style; and be able to adapt what and how they write to suit a variety of purposes and audiences. Personal writing provides pupils with an opportunity to link their personal lives and school experiences, and to use writing to connect these two areas of their lives. It gives writing a meaningful and personal context. The increase in enthusiasm for writing in some schools when they were closed due to the Covid pandemic has been insightful. Blogging is a popular and successful way of promoting writing in the United States, Australia and Canada, and hopefully with additional funding will become a way of engaging young writers in the United Kingdom (UK).
