Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide

by Tina P. Schwartz

Overview

Edgar Allen Poe, Langston Hughes, Louisa May Alcott, and Stephen King are just a handful of famous authors who began their publishing careers in their teens. Many young adults would like to write and publish but few know where to begin. While there are many books on how to write and how to get published, none are written specifically for teens. Writing and Publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide fills this gap. In this book, author Tina Schwartz discusses many matters that are not often presented in guides to writing and publishing, such as the importance of mentors and critique groups, as well as courses and extracurricular activities that can be of great help to the up-and-coming teen author. The book explores various writing careers and the basics of publishing and marketing, including how to write query letters. Schwartz also provides tips on writing both fiction and nonfiction, as well as genres a new author can explore, like poetry and songwriting. With this resource, teens will find all the information they need to develop writing skills and build confidence as a writer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810869363
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/31/2009
Series:	It Happened to Me Series , #27
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	282
File size:	648 KB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Tina P. Schwartz has written and taught numerous programs on writing and getting published for teens. She is the author of Organ Transplants: A Survival Guide for the Entire Family: The Ultimate Teen Guide (Scarecrow, 2005).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

1 Reading 1

2 Careers and Schooling 17

3 Beginner Basics 63

4 Fiction Basics 81

5 Nonfiction Basics 113

6 Poetry and Songwriting Basics 131

7 Mentors, Professional Organizations, and Critique Groups 153

8 Publishing Information and Marketing Basics 167

9 Emotional and Gritty Realism 215

10 Contests, Awards, and Grants 235

Glossary 249

Resources and Contests 255

Suggested Reading 259

Index 261

About the Author and Illustrator 269

Editorial Reviews

Many teen writers would like to try their hand at writing their own material but do not know where or how to begin this daunting task (hint: read, read, read). Schwartz guides the amateur scribe through the delicate process of discovering what kind of material to write, finding an audience, determining when and where to get help, and even what to do if the writer does not actually enjoy reading. Publishing and marketing round out the contents. The intuitive table of contents makes the text extremely browser-friendly, and the Socratic question-and-answer format breaks the chapters into manageable segments. Sidebars feature interviews with writers specializing in a variety of genres, from poetry to songsmithing to fiction.

VOYA

Gr 9 Up—Schwartz does an excellent job of providing teenagers with age-specific advice for becoming professional writers. She employs a conversational tone and covers myriad topics including the importance of reading, jobs for writers, finding a mentor, getting published, and marketing a novel. The layout, however, leaves much to be desired. The summary boxes that accompany each career section provide decent information, but seem to be haphazardly placed. The tips laid out in hexagonal shapes throughout the book are distracting and, at times, irrelevant. Though Schwartz includes Q&A with real teenagers, many of the quotes offering their perspectives seem as if they don't really fit the questions posed. The childlike black-and-white illustrations add little. Finally, when listing books from various genres, many suggestions are out-of-date and/or unappealing to teens. The book's strength lies in its core information, its glossary of terms, and the resources it provides regarding contests and professional organizations.—Kelly McGorray, Glenbard South High School, Glen Ellyn, IL

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