Do You Know Any Teen Writers?

Writers Jill Williamson, who has many published and forthcoming YA novels has joined author Stephanie Morrill to publish a book for teens on getting published. Teens can also hang out at the Go Teen Writers website to discuss writing, find out about writing opportunities, and learn from published authors.

Here's the blurb for Go Teen Writers:

Whether you’re just starting to write your first story or you’ve finished and are wondering how to edit, this book will help you learn how to perfect your craft and get your project ready for publication. Click to learn more.

Includes tips for:

-Getting published, finding the right agent, book surgery, thicker plots, deeper characters, richer settings, weaving in theme, dealing with people who don’t get your writing
Find this book at your local bookstore, or…
On ebook at: Amazon.com • BarnesandNoble.com • Kobo

If you know a teen writer, this makes a great gift. But you don't have to be a teen to appreciate the book. Even adult writers (including published authors) can learn from the many tips Jill and Stephanie have put together. It's not a refresher on the basics, but instead it gives many great hints on how to improve saggy middles, how to brainstorm plot ideas, and how to deal with people who don't understand your desire to write.

You Are a Winner!

Part of the fun of belonging to this blog is being among so many talented authors. Everyone's always working on new projects, and the book sales and releases keep flowing in.

 Today it's my turn to celebrate another book release! The UXL Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes has arrived. All 5 volumes and 2200+ pages of it.

Just thinking about all the hours of research, writing, and editing that went into it exhausts me. But now it's done, and I can enjoy the finished product as I move ahead on another one -- this time fiction.

Having a book published is a high, but what of all those hours slogging through rough drafts, squeezing in time to write between other obligations, wanting to crumple up the pages of the current WIP, staring at a blank computer screen hoping the right words will come? All of that, too, is part of the joy of being a writer.

Writing successes are often few and far between. When they come, we rejoice, but we also need to remember that the frustrations mean we're struggling ahead, learning our craft. Olympic athletes aren't made in a day, or a week, or a month, or a year... Being a writer takes the same amount of dedication and hard work. They say it takes about 10,000 hours of practicing your craft to become a pro. How many hours have you put in?

If you're feeling discouraged, check out my post on Downtown YA, Feel Like Giving Up?, and McKenna Darby's post on the Hearts Through History blog, Struggling as a Writer? Congratulations!