The final book in the series guides young writers from initial idea to polished short story or poem, while also discussing the practical aspects of writing life: developing discipline, submitting your work, and persevering in the face of rejection.
Building on the skills taught in the first three levels of the series, The Creative Writer, Level Four: Becoming a Writer guides young writers (middle- and high-school) from initial idea to polished short story or poem in a single volume. Becoming a Writer also walks students through the transition from study to practice, broadening the series’ focus by discussing the writing life – how to find and submit to literary journals, how to develop discipline, and how to persevere in the face of rejection. This series can be used on its own, or as a creative writing complement to our Writing With Skill series.
Your budding poet or novelist will benefit greatly from such chapters as “Second-Person Narration,” “Submitting Your Manuscript to a Publisher,” “Waiting Nervously by the Mailbox for a Reply from the Publisher,” “Seriously, How Long Does it Take to Read My Manuscript?” “It’s Been Two Weeks and No Reply From the Publisher,” “My Self-Esteem Has Nose-Dived,” and “Employment Opportunities for Poets, Or, Getting Used to Living in an Unheated Attic.” [Not all of those are real. But seriously, it’s a very practical book.]