You're a teen writer, yet you are having trouble letting those words flow beautifully from either your pen or your fingertips on a keyboard. Whatever mode of writing you use, you have writer's block. We've all been there. Even I sometimes feel the muses have left me and lack the motivation to get my creative juices going. As National Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is coming to a close, here are some writing books that might help you stick to your writing task. Still need to be motivated? Here is an extra bonus: a list of YA books that feature teen writers. They all had to start from somewhere…
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfield
When you want your work to come alive.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
For anyone who was told that fanfiction was pointless and would never be a good source of inspiration (clearly they were wrong).
Don't Ever Change by M. Beth Bloom
Still unsure about your writing? Follow aspiring author Eva's advice: be true to yourself and let your new experiences guide you.
How To A Write A Novel by Melanie Sumner
There is nothing wrong with drawing from real life experieces for your writing.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The characters are not writers in this novel, but I thought that this was good one to put down since Hinton started writing this classic when she was just 15 years old! It goes to show that it is never too early to start the craft, especially if it is your passion.
Still need a bit more of a push? Here some useful reference guides that'll lead you into the right direction:
- Writing and publishing: The Ultimate Teen Guide by Tina P. Schwartz
- The Freedom Writers diary : How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves And the World Around Them by the Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell
- Just Write : Here's How by Walter Dean Myers
- Rip the page! : Adventures in Creative Writing by Karen Benke
- Write Where You Are : How To Use Writing To Make Sense of Your Life : A Guide for Teens by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
Now that you have all the resources and the inspiration you need, you can write! You never know; you could be the author of the next great American novel. You just need to tap into that creativity, and you're halfway there.
To learn more about National Writing Month, visit the NaNoWriMo Young Writers website for information and resources.