"How to" writing books for 13 year old...

NancyMehl · Mar 14, 2006

I feel that I've been asking for a lot of info lately from all you "experts!" It is really nice to know that there is a place to go when you have a question.

My friend has a 13 year old grandson who wants to read some books about writing novels (mystery, I think.) He reads adult (but clean) novels. I usually recommend Sol Stein, but I think Stein might be a little over his head. I also seem to remember some rather explicit scenes used as examples.

Do you have some recommendations for writing books that aren't childish but are at least PG rated? They need to be aimed for novels, and they need to be easy to understand.

Thanks,

Nancy

Jamesaritchie · Mar 14, 2006

NancyMehl said:
I feel that I've been asking for a lot of info lately from all you "experts!" It is really nice to know that there is a place to go when you have a question.

My friend has a 13 year old grandson who wants to read some books about writing novels (mystery, I think.) He reads adult (but clean) novels. I usually recommend Sol Stein, but I think Stein might be a little over his head. I also seem to remember some rather explicit scenes used as examples.

Do you have some recommendations for writing books that aren't childish but are at least PG rated? They need to be aimed for novels, and they need to be easy to understand.

Thanks,

Nancy

I think he needs the same how-to books an adult would use. Whether you're thirteen or thirty, you still write novels the same way, and to the same standards.

I think I'd go with the Writer's Digest Books. They tend to be cleaner than most, but still teach writing in an adult manner. http://www.writersdigest.com/store/books.asp

I especially like "Writing the Novel From Plot to Print" by Lawrence Block. It's clean, and pretty easy to understand.

And if you can get Block's "Telling Lies For Fun & Profit," you have a great set for writing mysteries. This one is made up from his WD columns, so it's clean front to back, and since the columns were short, it's easy to understand.

Dalron · Mar 14, 2006

John Braine's 'How To Write A Novel' is a good one for a young beginner.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0413315401/ref=nosim/104-2076999-2347105?n=283155

underthecity · Mar 14, 2006

I've recommended it before and I'll recommend it again: Oscar Collier's How to Write and Sell Your First Novel. My copy was published in 1990, but it has since been updated. Unless the author "sexed it up" since its earlier printing, it should be G rated. It does not delve heavily in the mechanics of writing, but it does teach the reader the processes in how to create a book, establish a schedule, get the manuscript ready for publishing, all about agents and publishers, and a good selection of success stories. It's a great overview of the whole process for the beginner.

allen

alleycat · Mar 14, 2006

Perhaps Beginnings, Middles and Ends by Nancy Kress; which I think is very good. And, according to what he likes to write, Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card or one of the other genre-specific books.

By the way, Sol Stein's book is one of my own "top three" books on writing.

ac

Dalron · Mar 14, 2006

underthecity said:
I've recommended it before and I'll recommend it again: Oscar Collier's How to Write and Sell Your First Novel.

If you want to buy a copy of this, there are 200+ copies available at Abebooks starting at $1.00:

http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=Oscar+Collier&y=16&x=53

Dalron · Mar 14, 2006

alleycat said:
By the way, Sol Stein's book is one of my own "top three" books on writing.

ac

Which of Stein's books are you and Nancy referring to - Solutions for Novelists or How to Grow a Novel?

TLHines · Mar 14, 2006

I'll always, always recommend Stephen King's "On Writing." King recounts his struggles with addiction, and getting hit by a car, and unhappy moments from his childhood in the first half of the book. But it's frankly nothing your average 13-year-old won't see on a night of television.

The second half of the book offers advice for writing, and I've always found it both inspiring and practical.

Dalron · Mar 14, 2006

I have been collecting & reading 'How to Write' books for over 40 years now (time I would better have spent writing!!).

After reading this thread today, I have been looking through my collection and looking at similar books on the Internet.

I wish I had found this one earlier:

http://www.truthaboutwriting.co.uk/extracts.html

zornhau · Mar 15, 2006

Has to be Swain...

Actually, I'd probably recommend Swain's "Techniques of a Selling Writer" since it's a good read, it's recommended by pros, Swain had good publishing credentials, and it covers all the nitty gritty stuff I wish I'd known about when I was 13.

alleycat · Mar 15, 2006

Dalron said:
Which of Stein's books are you and Nancy referring to - Solutions for Novelists or How to Grow a Novel?

Stein on Writing.

piper · Mar 15, 2006

This was my first writing book and I loved it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038077688X/qid=1142429999/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-7130011-9417430?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

NancyMehl · Mar 15, 2006

Dalron said:
Which of Stein's books are you and Nancy referring to - Solutions for Novelists or How to Grow a Novel?

Stein on Writing and How to Grow a Novel. Absolutely incredible.

As a side note, it was my privilege to interview Sol Stein once for MyShelf.com. It made me rather nervous, and I tried really hard to ask intelligent questions. Of course, one of them came out wrong, and his response made my question seem rather silly - which it was. But I didn't really care. I was interviewing Sol Stein!!! LOL!

Thanks for all these great answers. I will pass them along to my friend!

You guys are the best.

Nancy

Bufty · Mar 15, 2006

I'd second Dwight V Swain's - Techniques of the Selling Writer - ISBN 0-8061-1191-7. Very readable and a good index too.
I didn't feel that the Stephen King 'On Writing' really offers much to anyone on the technique of writing and I certainly rarely refer to it. For me, the most interesting part was the biographical stuff, particularly on his post-accident recovery.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 15, 2006

On Writing

Bufty said:
I'd second Dwight V Swain's - Techniques of the Selling Writer - ISBN 0-8061-1191-7. Very readable and a good index too.
I didn't feel that the Stephen King 'On Writing' really offers much to anyone on the technique of writing and I certainly rarely refer to it. For me, the most interesting part was the biographical stuff, particularly on his post-accident recovery.

I love the autobiography part of "On Writing," but I'd disagree about the technique. I think "On Writing" offers the kind of technique instruction that's the most valuable of all. I think it offers more on real technique, on what it actually takes to write well, than most of the so called "technique" books out there lumped into one. I've yet to read a how-to book that was half as good on real world technique as is "On Writing."

Christine N. · Mar 15, 2006

Still, as always "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" clean and easy to understand. Many kids, hell, most beginning writers, make the mistakes this book talks about.

I just recommended it (along with Strunk and White's Element of Style, and On Writing) to a 14 year old son of my hubby's co-worker. I looked at his work, as a favor, and he really wasn't bad at all. Better than most of the slush I've read, except for a few technical things that any of these three books would help with.

Sailor Kenshin · Mar 15, 2006

zornhau said:
Actually, I'd probably recommend Swain's "Techniques of a Selling Writer" since it's a good read, it's recommended by pros, Swain had good publishing credentials, and it covers all the nitty gritty stuff I wish I'd known about when I was 13.

I second that!

Also, any of Gary Provost's books.

badducky · Mar 15, 2006

NancyMehl said:
I feel that I've been asking for a lot of info lately from all you "experts!" It is really nice to know that there is a place to go when you have a question.

Experts? Where?

I think a great place for young writers to start is writing fan fiction on the internet. He can quickly and easily locate a community of young people all committed to writing, with a shared worldview to try and convey.

Imitation is an excellent way to learn the art.

And, lots of basic writer guides exist to get through the beginning stages where he can learn to completely avoid such minefields as "Lay/Lie"... I don't touch them nasty words with a stick!

ChaosTitan · Mar 15, 2006

I offer this suggestion because it was the first "how to" book on writing that I was given (for Christmas, by my mom when I was about 12 or 13). Even though my attention is now on novels, rather than short stories, it was an invaluable learning tool at that age.

Writing Short Stories for Young People, by George Edward Stanley.
ISBN 0-89879-256-8

Nyna · Mar 15, 2006

Zen and the Art of Writing, by Ray Bradbury. It isn't so helpful with the mechanics, but it's got zest and gusto.

And, uh, not so much with internet fanfic. If he's going to get into it he's going to get into it, but there is so much dreck and so much porn out there it's better to steer clear entirely if you can. Some of it can be very well written, and I'll admit that you can learn a bit writing it, but -- yeah. Porn.

NancyMehl · Mar 18, 2006

To all of you:

Just heard from Grandma. She was thrilled with your suggestions and bought some of the books. She intends to get more of them later.

Grandson's BD is tomorrow. Thanks for all your help. You have helped to jump start a young writer's journey.

Nancy

Danger Jane · Mar 18, 2006

Well, I'm sixteen and I use the same books anyone would. The Elements of Style is great.

I stay away from fanfic...it's hard to learn from others' fanfics because sooo many of them are sooo bad...if you can twist someone else's idea into something fresh, why not just generate your own? Easier to develop your OWN voice, rather than an imitation of someone else's.

The best way to learn writing is by doing it, no matter how old you are. And it's good to know the guidelines.

Steve 211 · Mar 18, 2006

I second and third Lawrence Block, Stephen King, Sol Stein, Dwight Swain, Gary Provost, Ray Bradbury, and Browne's Self-Editing.

The best general intro to writing fiction that I've found, though, is Nancy Lamb's book. I've read all the books above, and yet I wasn't bored at all with Lamb going over the same territory 'cause she presents things in such a clear, well-organized, and entertaining way.

Yeshanu · Mar 18, 2006

Mdlle. Nancy said:
Well, I'm sixteen and I use the same books anyone would. The Elements of Style is great.

I stay away from fanfic...it's hard to learn from others' fanfics because sooo many of them are sooo bad...if you can twist someone else's idea into something fresh, why not just generate your own? Easier to develop your OWN voice, rather than an imitation of someone else's.

The best way to learn writing is by doing it, no matter how old you are. And it's good to know the guidelines.

Having raised two writers, I'd say this is the best advice of all. I have three Lawrence Block books (the two mentioned plus Spider, Spider, Spin Me a Web), Sol Stein's How to Grow a Novel, and a bunch of lesser ones. Have also read Oscar Collier's book (recommended.)

But the best way for the boy to learn how to write is to sit down with pen and paper or blank computer screen and write. Short stories, novels, poems, fan-fic or not. It's all grist for the mill at this point.

But if he really wants to be a writer, he's probably already doing this.

(Oh, and 13 is the minimum age limit for registering on this site. Uncle Jim's thread can't be recommended highly enough...)

Dalron · Mar 20, 2006

Dalron said:
Which of Stein's books are you and Nancy referring to - Solutions for Novelists or How to Grow a Novel?

I have a copy of How to Grow a Novel which I bought some years ago. I ordered a copy of Solutions for Novelists by mail order after reading this thread and it arrived yesterday.

I just want to let anyone considering buy them know that they are same books. Solutions for Novelists is the title for the edition published in the UK and Australia.

"How to" writing books for 13 year old...

NancyMehl

She Who Resonates...

Jamesaritchie

Dalron

underthecity

Finestkind

alleycat

Still around

Dalron

Dalron

TLHines

Dalron

zornhau

Swordsman

alleycat

Still around

piper

NancyMehl

She Who Resonates...

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Jamesaritchie

Christine N.

haz a shiny new book cover

Sailor Kenshin

I am too on MSN IM! :(

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.

ChaosTitan

Around

Nyna

NancyMehl

She Who Resonates...

Danger Jane

Steve 211

Here and There

Yeshanu

Elf Queen

Dalron