Writing is an art that anyone can do with a keyboard and a little time. That’s why the Teen Advisory Group (TAG) from Bradford Public Library wants teens to write – and win prizes -- in the month of February! Check the BWG Library’s website for more details about this teen-run, teen-judges creative writing contest for teens on the theme of injustice.
If you are looking for some inspiration and hints on crafting a story, check out this week’s BWG Picks on the theme of writing.
This is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World by Kerri Majors
Focuses on the skills and techniques necessary for good writing and combines inspirational anecdotes and writing prompts with practical writing guidance on how to develop characters and plot, make revisions, and overcome writer's block.
Storyville! : an Illustrated Guide to Writing Fiction by John Dufresne and Evan Wondolowski
A smart and funny guide to writing fiction, with engaging infographics that bring storytelling techniques to life. Whether you are daunted by a blinking cursor or frustrated trying to get the people in your head onto the page, writing stories can be intimidating. It takes passion, tenacity, patience, and a knowledge of and faith in the often-digressive writing process. A do-it-yourself manual for the apprentice fiction writer.
Never Say You Can't Survive: How to Get Through Hard Times by Making Up Stories by Charlie Jane Anders
This is one of the most practical guides to storytelling that you will ever read. The world is on fire. So tell your story. Things are scary right now. We're all being swept along by a tidal wave of history, and it's easy to feel helpless. But we're not helpless: we have minds, and imaginations, and the ability to visualize other worlds and valiant struggles. And writing can be an act of resistance that reminds us that other futures and other ways of living are possible.
Hope in the Mail: Reflections on Writing and Life by Wendelin Van Draanen
Wendelin shares what she's learned--about writing, life, and what it takes to live the writing life. This book is packed with practical advice on the craft: about how to create characters and plot a story that's exciting to read. But maybe even more helpful is the insight she provides into the persistence, and perseverance, it takes to live a productive, creative life.
