Happiness is...a good book (Summer Reading edition #12)

So You Want To Be a Writer?
Author: Vicki Hambleton and Cathleen Greenwood
Published: 2012
Pages: 186
Age Range: 10-14
Genre: Non-Fiction
Cover Score: **
Overall Score: ***
Rating: G

First Sentence: You pull into the parking lot of your favorite bookstore, knowing that this time it’s not going to be jut to meet your buddies. Someone else is expecting you—YOUR FANS!

This is a starter how-to guide full of encouragement for young aspiring writers. It’s chock full of information to get you started including:

• short bios and sketches of famous/established authors telling how they got started and sharing their writing habits
• q&as with young authors
• tips on finding the time and space to dedicate to your writing
• establishing your style and voice
• a collection of resources for writers
• how to work with a writing group
• basic story archetypes and genres
• quizzes and exercises
• journaling and prompt ideas
• the publishing process (proposals, contracts, agents, publicity)

There’s not really anything new here but it is very accessible and user-friendly, and the tone is encouraging and empowering. It’s a great start-up for the target audience, full of tips and advice.

I even found a few great reminders for myself:

• You can’t be a writer if you’re not writing!
• Learn to trust your gut.
• Focus on the writing and expressing what you feel inside and don’t worry about the rest. (For now!)

Fiction and non-fiction, poetry, journalism, screenplays, and lyrics are all touched on so anyone who is interested in writing of any kind should find something to get them going!