I’m talking to my cousin’s 8 year old daughter R online. My cousin did NaNoWriMo with me last year, and this year I suggested her kids try the Young Writers Program. R’s goal is 6,000 words and right now she has 450! (K’s goal is 500 words, she’s 7.) Her story is called J.R. Stinker Puff, and it’s about a ghost by that name. There is a birthday party for Jillian, the 8 year old main character who loves to go to school and do animal experiments. J.R. Stinker Puff, the ghost, shows up and meets three kids and their parents.

Kids have such great imaginations, don’t they? It’s really inspiring to me. She loves to read, and now she’s writing her own story. And we can talk about it. She asked what my character’s name is and what she likes to do. I swear, it’s like talking to one of my “writer friends” (albeit at a lower level, but not bad). I mean, I’m not telling her everything about my novel. I’m not telling her what it’s really about. But it’s enough to talk about it a bit.

Is this foreshadowing my future with my own someday children? I think it just might…

Okay, I told her I am trying to figure out what to write in Lily’s next diary entry, and asked for ideas…

• R: well does she have any sisters or brothers
• Me: nope
• R: does she live with her mom and dad
• M: yes
• R: what is the story called again
• M: Swimming in the Garden
• R: dear diary today i went to the garden and ran though the flowers
• R: maybe that could be it
• M: thanks, i think i can make it work 🙂

Don’t worry, if I do use those words I won’t include them in the word count. But yeah, I can do something with that as the general idea.

• R: okay
• R: anything else you need help with

OMG, my 8 year old cousin is helping me write my novel. HOW CUTE IS THAT?! 😀