by Kathy Henderson
Writer's Digest Books
246 pages
Recommended for all ages
Almost every young person dreams (at some point) of becoming a writer. Whether driven by a desire for fame or by the wish to emulate a favorite author, many of these young people write, putting their thoughts and stories down on paper. Many dream of seeing their words in print. But only a few are ever published.
Kathy Henderson, in The Young Writer's Guide to Getting Published, strives to help young people see their writing in print, no matter how old they are or what they write. Henderson begins by assuming that those who want to publish already write, so she spends only a few pages discussing the mechanics of writing and the writing process. She devotes most of The Young Writer's Guide to Getting Published (which was published in its five previous editions as The Market Guide for Young Writers) to the nitty-gritty of formatting manuscripts, finding markets and contests, submitting work, dealing with editors, and reaping the rewards of writing for publication. The first few chapters discuss the basics -- rewriting and revising, query letters and manuscripts, rights and contracts. The next section includes a series of frequently-asked-questions about writing and publishing, with the answers geared toward writers ages 8 to 18.
But perhaps the most useful and interesting parts of the book are the last two chapters, "Young Writers in Print" and "Editors are People, Too." The "Young Writers in Print" chapter includes essays from nine young writers of all ages, who have published everything from poetry to non-fiction books. Each writer offers advice on finding ideas ("Write what you know, and what you don't know -- research!"), submitting manuscripts, working with editors, dealing with rejection, and, finally, the joy of being published. I found the fact that these young writers, who come from a variety of backgrounds and write in different genres and styles, have all succeeded in getting their work published to be inspiring and motivational.
Similarly, young writers will find encouragement in the "Editors are Real People, Too" chapter, which profiles six editors. In this section, the editors of kids' and teens' magazines like Stone Soup and Readers Speak Out! talk about why they like working with young writers and what they expect in terms of submissions. Some, like Skylark editor Shirley Jo Moritz, give very specific guidelines for prospective contributors, both writers and artists. In "Editors are Real People, Too," the editors come across as not only the people to whom you address cover letters and who read your submissions, but also as people who will be willing to work with you to make you a better writer.
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