“Publishing Pirates,” Friend, Oct. 2011, 18–19
Publishing Pirates
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to help publish a book? Well, 11-year-old Anna M. from Edmond, Oklahoma, knows all about it!
One day, Anna had an idea for a story: What would happen if a girl went on vacation and ended up with a group of rowdy pirates from the past? Anna told her dad about the idea. He thought it was so good that they turned it into a book. A year and a half after they started writing, Anna was holding a finished copy of their book in her hands.
It was a long process, but Anna and her dad grew closer through the experience. After school they would sit in the school library and he would write while she did her homework. Without Anna’s great ideas their book never could have been written. It was a team effort, and Anna loved working with her dad.
Developing Talents
Anna has a talent for writing. To develop her talent, she writes a lot—stories, poems, songs, and even newspaper interviews with her family. She says, “If you have a talent, share it with others. That way you’ll get better at it and make others happy.”
Anna’s parents help her with her talents by showing her different ways she can be creative. They tell stories, paint and draw pictures, and make music together.
Achieving Her Dream
The greatest lesson Anna has learned by helping write a book is that the road to your dreams can be long and hard. But you can succeed with patience and hard work! “If you have a dream, don’t let anything get in the way,” Anna says.
Beyond the Books
When Anna isn’t writing, she likes to spend time with her friends. They like to ice skate, watch movies, and swim. Anna especially likes going to activity days.
Anna also likes to spend time with her family. Anna, her 14-year-old brother, Kyle, and their parents love being with each other. Anna thinks it’s fun when they all make music together. She is learning how to play the piano, and her mom plays the trombone.
Anna memorized the thirteen Articles of Faith for her Faith in God Award. It took a lot of work, but she did it!
What’s Next?
Anna is working on two more stories right now—one about a haunted house and another about two mischievous monkeys. She and her dad also plan on writing more stories about the characters in their pirate book. Anna is grateful for her writing talent and is glad she can practice it and share it with others.
If we work hard, we can develop our talents.
Just like Anna did!