Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum and really excited about getting some support for my writing. Do you guys know any good books about writing specifically for teens? The only one that I have really useful is 'Writing Advice for Teens' by Richard Morris () Do you guys know any others?
I'm not sure I'd make a distinction between teen writers and... well... any other writers. You'll write what you write no matter what age you are and there are plenty of people writing teen-oriented fiction who are—let's say—much older. I recommend (to anyone who will listen): Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain, and Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder. They aren't sexy books and they aren't oriented toward any particular age group, but they will give you a solid foundation in storytelling... which is what you want, right?
I'd suggest that you read a lot as well as write a lot. As far as books on writing goes, I would recommend Stephen King: On Writing" He swear a bit, but if you can handle good natured profanity then I'd check out that book.
Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird is also great alongside with Stephen King's. Her informal tone draws you in her head, showing you the joys and horror of a writer's life and psyche.
I don't know about for teens but I always like Writing down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. Or for the basics - Writer's Digest puts out a good series with a book on each basic -Plot, Dialogue, Characters & Viewpoint, Setting etc.
I first started buying writing books when I was 16. My first, and one of my favourite, of these books was/is: How Not to Write a Novel by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark. It is full of interesting and useful advice and has quite a bit of humour that really engaged me and made it fun to read rather than like a lecture (as some writing books can feel). You can just tell what sort of book it is from the cover (see below) haha! Another book, which is a little heavier (in terms of being more instructional/less humorous in tone) but still just as informative and useful is: Your Writing Coach: From Concept to Character by Jurgen Wolff. This book covers everything and anything that is useful to know from the moment you gain an idea to the moment you publish it. I bought this book when I was 18 during a time when I thought my writing was really terrible and I lost a lot of self-confidence regarding my written work. Just reading a few chapters of this book really helped me through that difficult time and made me feel so much better about myself and my writing. So, I would recommend both books but I guess it depends on your preference as to which would be more helpful to you
