Be An Author Month happens in March every year—a whole month dedicated to inspiring every student to embrace their creativity, articulate their thoughts, and harness the strength of their voice.
Be An Author Month takes place every March, celebrating the power of storytelling and student voice. This year’s theme, “Tell Your Story,” empowers students to explore their unique narratives and share their perspectives with the world.
March is a global celebration of literacy, with events like National Reading Month, Listening Awareness Month, and March into Literacy Month. At Book Creator, we’re excited to make Be An Author Month✨ the highlight of the year by turning classrooms into hubs of creativity and storytelling.
Why 'Be An Author'?
Every student has a story worth telling. Writing and publishing a book can help students develop confidence, improve literacy, and express their individuality. For reluctant writers, storytelling through digital tools makes the process accessible and exciting.
The origin of Book Creator:
In 2010, Dan Amos developed Book Creator to help his son, who was struggling with dyslexia, engage with reading and writing. What started as a way to create personalized books for one child has evolved into a platform that empowers millions of students worldwide to share their stories in creative ways.
Through Book Creator, students combine text, images, and multimedia to craft unique narratives that resonate with their voices.
What is Be An Author Month?
Be An Author Month is an annual celebration launched in 2022, focusing on storytelling, creativity, and literacy across the curriculum. This year, we are introducing a Student Personal Narrative "Tell Your Story" Competition to spotlight student voices and encourage storytelling at its most authentic.
Be An Author Month Goals:
- Spark enthusiasm for writing and creativity 🚀.
- Strengthen reading, writing, and communication 📚
- Celebrate the power of personal stories 🌍.
What to expect this year
In 2025, Be An Author Month celebrates the theme: “Tell Your Story.”
- Student Personal Narrative Competition: Students can submit their original stories for a chance to be featured in a published collection of narratives. Winners will receive special recognition and prizes.
- Webinars and Workshops:
- Webinars hosted in partnership with We Will Write and MagicSchool to support literacy and storytelling.
- A special webinar for students featuring renowned author Jill Esbaum, where they can hear her insights and ask questions about storytelling and writing. This will compliment the Authors Studio activity books by Beth Campbell.
- Daily Writing Activity Resources: The journals below prompt to inspire students to reflect and share their experiences for both elementary and secondary students.
Why should we focus on student storytelling?
→ Cognitive Engagement and Learning: Storytelling activates multiple parts of the brain, engaging sensory, emotional, and cognitive regions simultaneously. When students use their voice to share personal stories or creative narratives, they not only retain information more effectively but also deepen their comprehension of the material. Storytelling requires synthesis, organization, and expression, which are critical for higher-order thinking and mastery of content.
→ Language Development & Communication: Telling stories encourages the use of rich vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and expressive language. These experiences build the oral language skills essential for literacy development and later academic success. Additionally, storytelling bridges the gap between spoken and written communication, reinforcing grammar, vocabulary, and fluency in both modalities.
→ Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) & Confidence: Storytelling empowers students to share their unique perspectives, fostering empathy, connection, and self-awareness. As students tell their stories, they develop confidence in their voice, build interpersonal communication skills, and learn to navigate emotions and relationships. Sharing personal narratives allows students to see the value in their lived experiences, cultivating a sense of belonging and identity.
→ Differentiation & Multimodal Learning: Student storytelling offers opportunities for differentiation, as each student can express their ideas in ways that reflect their strengths and preferences. Teachers gain insights into individual learning needs and styles by listening to student stories, allowing for more personalized support. Furthermore, the storytelling process can be enriched with visuals, gestures, and multimedia, catering to diverse learners.
→ Creative Thinking and Problem-Solving:Storytelling nurtures creativity by encouraging students to imagine, organize, and express ideas in innovative ways. Crafting narratives requires students to connect ideas, resolve conflicts, and consider audience perspectives—skills that are transferable to problem-solving in academic and real-world contexts.
→ Community Building and Cultural Awareness: When students share their stories, they contribute to a classroom culture of inclusion and respect. Listening to peers’ stories broadens students’ understanding of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures, promoting a more equitable and empathetic learning environment. Storytelling helps students see their own narratives as part of a larger human tapestry.
Focusing on student storytelling not only enhances academic outcomes but also empowers students to connect, grow, and thrive in a complex, interconnected world.
How to Participate in Be An Author Month
Starting February 10th visit the Be An Author Month Hub to access everything you need, including:
- Details about the Student Personal Narrative Competition, including guidelines, templates and teacher submission links.
- Attend webinars for teachers and students, including our Authors Studio on March 19.
- Classroom resources to integrate storytelling across the curriculum, including the March Monthly Journal.
Are you in?
Be An Author Month hub coming soon!

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Randi Ahrndt is Book Creator’s Director of Product & Learning. With over 15 years experience in education as a Principal, Literacy Coach and Elementary Teacher, Randi brings a unique perspective to our team. She is a wife and boy mom x3, who loves reading, tacos and travel.