Do you like to read? Have you ever written stories or poems for other people to read? Maybe you've already decided that you want to be a writer when you grow up. Maybe you'd just like to explore different careers to see what they'd be like before you choose what you want to do. It doesn't matter where you fit on the above list, THE YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A WRITER will be a delight to read.

This amazingly comprehensive volume tells you everything you need to know, from deciding whether writing is for you to establishing yourself as a writer. How do you decide what you want to write? How do you plan your time? How do you finish a project if you've lost steam? What skills do you need to be a writer? Can you publish your writing now, while you're still a kid? What books should you read to help you learn how to write? How do you find a publisher? How do you earn money as a writer, and how do you budget it? How do you get ideas to write about and keep track of them? How do you handle your characters and plot? How do you find support from family, friends, and mentors? How do you keep track of what you've written and where you've sent it? You'll find answers to all these questions, and more.

The information on managing your time and budgeting your money is worth the cost of the book even if you decide that writing is not for you --- the same principles can be applied to any path you choose in life. This book is also chock-full of exercises and quotes that will inform, entertain, and inspire you. And it's full of the real-life experiences, advice, and writing of other kids and teens.

I recommend it highly as an encouraging training and resource book about writing, a very important life skill to master even if you don't become a professional writer.

  --- Reviewed by Tamara Penny