What can a young teen do with poetic and drawing talent..?

carrot

Wed, Nov 29 2006, 1:53 pm

Develop it! Take lessons! Branch into painting, sculpting, etc. and just really develop the talent so it doesn't remain in potential but becomes something real that she can take pride in.

As a side effect, the more she develops it, the more she actually creates, the more tangible things there will be and people will see them and give her recognition. I.e. hang her paintings on the wall and get compliments from Shabbos guests.

As far as the poetic talent goes, get her published.

HindaRochel

Wed, Nov 29 2006, 3:24 pm

Write!

See if you can't have her write and illustrate something up for a specific Mitzvah, event or tzeddakah. Have her write and illustrate something for a shut in; an elderly person who doesn't have many visitors, someone in a nursing home, anyone who needs good cheer.

Suggest she try and make a book of poems for whomever to see...they can be something private, something she shares with family or friends, or something you try and get published.

Why does she need her confidence boosted? Does she not believe in her own talents? Try and find an art teacher/writer as a mentor. She might believe someone outside the family.

Have her start a blog and display them on the blog. Allow comments. If you do this I suggest using livejournal for her blog. I've yet to get any nasty spam or comments there. You will want to control the blog most likely and her access to it, but with her art and poetry up and access open she'll start receiving comments from others. People are generally very nice, or at least I've found them so, on livejournal, so she'll get a lot of positive feedback. When mom says your work is tops there is a tendency for a teen to shrug and think, "Well, she have to say that." When five others say it, of different ages and outlooks, one's confidence grows.

Perhaps you could even start a thread here (ask the moderators) of my child's works? Then let her reap nachas from the praise.

su7kids

Wed, Nov 29 2006, 3:29 pm

I also have a son who has incredible comedic and writing abilities. He's in yeshiva right now, and I don't want to detract from that, but am wondering how to develop that.

We keep encouraging him to write and he does. He took creative writing as one of his high school credits, but I know he needs more.

amother

Wed, Nov 29 2006, 3:33 pm

HindaRochel wrote:

Write!

Suggest she try and make a book of poems for whomever to see...they can be something private, something she shares with family or friends, or something you try and get published.

She has been published numerous times in places like Hamodia, Yated. People think she got adult help and she didn't. I think she'd like to see some monetary gain for her work. That would make her feel great.

HindaRochel

Wed, Nov 29 2006, 3:59 pm

Take her work to a regular publisher then. Show them that she has been published in some of the newspapers etc. and see if she can get her works published in a book. I don't know how many poems and drawings she'd need, but if she has been published, and she has retained rights to those works published in the magazines/newspapers, well there you go! If her works are all Jewish oriented then try the Jewish publishers. Write or call to find out how you go about it.

Get her a subscription to a how to get published magaizne. I forget what they are called but there is at least one out there.

IBR

Wed, Nov 29 2006, 9:27 pm

To the original poster if this teen is a girl go to chanalesings.com chanale has a place for poetry and there is an anouncement on her site that there are auditions gonna be help for woman in ny I don't know when but check it out. also maybe your teen can submit his/her work to jewish press or poetry.com or Mimaakim is another jewish cricle for teens who write or sing they are in ny also.