Is There a Novelist Hiding in Your House?
You might not recognize them at first.
They could be hiding behind a drum kit, making a mess of your kitchen in the middle of the night, or rolling their eyes when you ask about homework.
They might not raise their hand in class.
They might hate spelling tests.
They might get distracted, or daydream, or scribble in the margins.
They’re the ones who pause in the middle of dinner to say, “That would make a great first line for a story.”
Or who stay up late sketching fantasy maps instead of finishing their math homework.
Or who notice the exact way the rain hits the window and tuck it away in their memory for later.
But here’s the secret:
That kid?
Might be a novelist.
And not even know it yet.
Rogue Socks: Great Name for a Band (and Maybe a Book)
My 16-year-old son is a drummer. He plays in a band with a couple of friends, and lately, his brain has turned on in the best way. He’s tuned like a radio to rhythm and to his own identity. Now, everywhere he goes, he’s listening for the bass line, and he’s scanning for band names.
I broke a coffee cup the other morning and he quipped:
“Broken Coffee Cup. Great name for a band.”
His sister spent all morning looking for matching socks.
“Rogue Socks. Great name for a band.”
He must’ve said, “Great name for a band,” a dozen times that week. That’s generative creativity in action. That means he’s generating - or creating - mountains of ideas: more ideas than he could ever use for his one band’s name.
But . . . imagine turning that into a story.
What if he invented a character who starts a new band every week, each with its own bizarre name and even stranger bandmates? The Pickled Hotdogs gravitate toward polka songs and are made up of four portly middle-aged gentlemen with this kid as their drummer. Grate Escape is a metal band, draped in black with heavy eyeliner. Suddenly, my son has 30 potential chapters and something different to write about every single day. He had a whole novel hiding in his casual observations.
Aha! Found you, novelist! Masquerading as a drummer. Very clever.
That’s the kind of magic we tap into at A Novel Idea.
Plan the Work. Then Work the Plan.
Here’s the thing: most kids (and let’s be honest, adults too) dive straight into writing when inspiration strikes. But without a plan, they stall out.
At Novel Camp, we help them channel that early excitement into a scaffold—a map they can follow, even when the motivation dips.
They’ll learn how to:
– Build characters and backstories
– Develop plot twists and pacing
– Outline a full novel
– Understand story arcs, anti-heroes, and momentum
– Set reasonable daily writing goals
– And keep going when the novelty wears off
It’s like my son and his drumming. He would play all day if he could. But his body needs rest to grow. Writing works the same way. It’s a rhythm. A process. A practice.
And that’s why Novel Camp: The Jumpstart is at the very beginning of the summer. We want to catch those sparks early—and give kids something to build on all summer long.
When camp ends, your kid will still be writing.
They’ll be texting their camp friends and their mentor (hi, that’s me!) for encouragement or writing prompts.
They’ll plug away—500, 1,000, even 5,000 words a day—until you barely recognize the writer sitting in front of you.
They’ll start the school year not just with a story idea, but with identity. As a writer. As a novelist.
What Happens When They See Their Name in Print?
It never gets old.
A kid flips open their printed book. Touches their name on the book’s spine. Feels the weight of their story in their hands. It’s not just a digital file. It’s real.
“Wait… I wrote this?”
Yes. You did. And once you know that? You don’t forget.
So… is there a novelist hiding in your house?
Whether your child is already writing stories or just blurting out band names at dinner, they might be more ready than you think. Want to find out what they can do?
📚 Novel Camp: The Jumpstart (2 Weeks)
A high-energy, story-structure-rich experience where kids build their book from the ground up.
✍️ Shorts Camp (1-Week Sessions)
Creative bursts of flash fiction, spooky tales, poetry, songwriting, and more. A different theme each week—and yes, we publish those too.
