by Heather Wright
iUniverse, 2010
ISBN 978-1-4502-2542-7
$13.95, 68 pp, ages 13 – 18
www.wrightwriter.com
This guide to writing fiction speaks directly to young writers and provides tools to help them become successful in their writing endeavours and to have fun doing so. The author gives advice and blank templates for setting and achieving goals, recording ideas and writing first drafts. For those who are stuck, there are strategies for using the writer’s knowledge and experience to jumpstart the writing process. A variety of ways to start a story are outlined (e.g., introduce the main character or begin with action or with the setting) as well as practical advice about how to write dialogue that works and description that doesn’t bore the reader to tears. There are also chapters on editing, motivation, connecting with other writers, and taking advantage of inspiration when it strikes. The author’s love of writing and enthusiasm for sharing her expertise with young writers shines through this guidebook, making it a wonderful resource for young writers.
Reviewed by Diana Mumford.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Mar/Apr 2011 issue.