National Author’s Day: What is it?
Do you know that wonderful feeling you get when you are lost in a good read? That feeling that all your worries, issues, etc., just evaporate, even if your book is open for just a few minutes? At Dailies, we hope so! Reading is essential to learning and growing as a student. It can help improve your concentration and focus, increase empathy, enhance your imagination, and improve your mental health and sleeping habits. Often, we do not give much thought to the work that goes into publishing a book or the years of writing and re-writing an author must go through to get the book from their minds and onto the bookstore shelves. National Author’s Day is an annual holiday celebrated on November 1st to recognize and show appreciation to those who have contributed to the literary world.
The History of National Author’s Day
In 1928, a teacher and avid reader named Nellie McPherson established National Author’s Day. She was inspired by one of her favorite authors, Irving Bacheller, who responded to fan mail she had sent him by gifting her a signed copy of his new book. His generosity and kindness so moved her that when she recovered, she used her position as the President of Bement, Illinois Women’s Club to promote her idea of dedicating a day to celebrating authors and their work. The holiday was eventually recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1949.
How Do We Celebrate
Every November 1st, people across the country celebrate the holiday. One of the best ways to celebrate is by purchasing books from your favorite authors, sharing your love of their writing on social media, or maybe trying to write a little yourself. Going to the bookstore and buying a book is one of the best ways to mark the occasion. If you already have a favorite author, try searching for some of their older works that may not be well known. Once you have your book, you can share a post on social media with the hashtag #NationalAuthorsDay to elevate the writing to a larger audience. (Don’t forget to tag Dailies! We want to see what everyone is reading!) If your favorite author has a social media presence, follow their account! You can also write reviews for their books! Another great way to celebrate is to try to write a little bit yourself. It may seem daunting, but the best way to start is just putting pen to paper and writing whatever comes to your mind. It can be a poem, short story, fiction, or nonfiction; it does not matter! The famed author Margaret Atwood said, “You become a writer by writing.” Let the words flow from you, and see how cathartic it can be! (You may also gain more appreciation for how much work goes into the craft for your favorite authors!)
Conclusion
National Author’s Day is a wonderful way to celebrate favorite authors, learn about new books that you are interested in reading, or even try becoming a writer yourself! Some of Dailies teachers’ favorite books are on our social media accounts, so follow us!
Written by
Lauren Kelly Read all posts by this author