When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.
–Kurt Vonnegut
Vonnegut was one of the most successful American authors of all time, and yet he knew how painful and slow writing can be! So, my first piece of advice is to just write; get your thoughts and feelings down even if you think they’re not good enough. You can look at your writing later to edit and revise.
Second, start acting like a writer. Tell people you are an author. Get friends, or teachers, or adults to read your work and give you feedback. Read a lot in the genre you write. Send your work out to publishers and competitions. Changing your mindset is huge.
And, if you love writing, don’t give up. You have important things to say. All of us are waiting to hear from you!
There are tons of resources for young writers seeking to get published. Here are just a few. If you know of one that should be on this list, please tell me at edclaflin(at)gmail.com, or on Facebook (Dawn Turner Claflin), or twitter (@dawnclaflin).
- Google “teen writers publish” for lists of different publications actively seeking teen writers
- https://nanowrimo.org
- www.teenink.com
- http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com
Posts (from this website) about Writing:
- The Query Letter — on writing these useful “please-let-me-write-for-you” letters
- Two More Writing Hurdles Down — on establishing online writing groups
- Hairless Barbies and Other Mistakes — on writing nonfiction without hurting people’s feelings
- The Worst Kind of Rejection — on (duh) rejection letters
- No Fear and How to Handle Rejections — on not giving up as a writer, even when the results are invisible!
- You’re Not the Boss of Me — on making decisions about what to work on and whether or not to write for free
- Take Your Time — on discovering your writing platform
- Real Authors Welcome Conflict — on writing opinion pieces
- I’m Sorry, But I Have “Teacher’s Block” — on treating writing like a job
Don’t give up! You don’t need to wait till you’re older to write. The world has a place for your voice, right now.
dawn claflin 