December 2005: Getting Started (cont.)

Stretch yourself and read work you would never think of writing yourself. Ask yourself which authors you love and why their work appeals to you. If something doesn't work for you, stop to consider why. Learn to read critically. Learn to read the way a writer reads, noticing how other writers accomplish what they do.

Beyond that, write what you love. If you love football, write about it. If nothing thrills you more than a walk in the woods, learn more about the woods, its plants and its creatures, then write about that. If you love to be scared, write ghost stories. If you write about something you really care about, the chances are good that you'll be able to make your readers care, too.

And finally, don't worry about trying to get published now. Except for those few places that are specifically set up to publish young people's writing, your chances of getting published are slim. But that doesn't matter. You can publish a book yourself, make the pictures and the cover, even makes copies and distribute it to family and friends.

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