One of the main questions I get from teens is “How do you become a writer?” (To which I say, first and foremost, yay, writers!). My short answer, which I don’t at all mean to be flip, is that you become a writer by writing. Write a lot, write often and don’t worry all the time if you’re writing well. Read things that make your heart sing. (Read other things too, but notice most when something makes your heart sing).
But, of course, when people ask how you become a writer, what they really want to know is how to get published. The short answer is: write something you’re proud of, show it to people who know about writing (writing groups, writing teachers), edit it until you feel it’s at its best, then pitch an agent. But there can be many steps between here and there. It’s never been a better time to be a teen interesting in writing for publication.
My friend and fellow author Yvonne Ventresca (author of the awesome Pandemic) has compiled a far better list of resources than I could hope to pull together for you, so take a quick hop over to her “Resources for Teen Writers” page. It’s an awesome resource you’ll want to bookmark and refer to again and again. Click here to check it out.
Happy writing!
