So, You Want to Be a Writer?: How to Write, Get Published, and Maybe Even Make It Big! (Be What You Want)

Turn your writing dreams into a reality with a practical guide to finding your voice, finishing your work, and getting it into the world.

Designed to inspire creativity and help aspiring writers find their voice, So, You Want to Be a Writer? is a practical guide to turning ideas into finished work and finding a path into the world of publishing.

From generating ideas and getting past writer’s block to developing your craft, finishing what you start, finding your readers, and navigating the changing publishing landscape, this book takes young writers step by step through the process of becoming a writer—and building a life around their words.

Along the way, readers will discover how to develop a writing practice, revise and strengthen their work, seek out opportunities, approach editors and publishers, build an audience, and make the most of the many ways writers can share their work today. Interviews and insights from successful authors and working young writers offer honest, encouraging perspectives on what it really takes to turn a passion for writing into a creative life.

Whether you dream of writing novels, essays, journalism, poetry, scripts, songs, or something entirely your own, So, You Want to Be a Writer? will help you move beyond the blank page, finish the work, and find a way to get your words into the world.

Vicki Hambleton is a verbal tutor for students in grades 9–12. She was a project editor and writer or Benchmark Education, specializing in books for grades K–8. Her writing has appeared in numerous children's publications including Cobblestone, Calliope, and Footsteps.

Cathleen Greenwood is a teacher, published writer, consultant for the National Council of Teachers of English, and veteran presenter at national and local professional conferences on teaching and writing. She has helped countless students successfully submit writings to magazines, publishers, and contests.