Writing Advice for Teens: Creating Stories by Mike Kalmbach

I selected Writing Advice for Teens: Creating Stories by Mike Kalmbach out of the many books on Goodreads' First Reads list. I chose it as a possible teaching resource for junior high and high school teachers. Upon reading it, I found that it is not only a helpful guide for teen writers, but any writer that has another job or is just starting out. I learned after receiving the book, that the author is a local man from Minnesota.

I like how the book is organized, very simple and logical. It starts off with setting goals and moves through the writing process. Each section includes suggestions, examples from the author's own writing, writing exercises, and examples from popular novels.

I really like that Mr. Kalmbach offers suggestions on how to make time for writing and offers multiple suggestions for doing so. He openly admits that not all methods work for everyone and that you should use what works for you or a combination of methods to make them work for you. He also advocates that to be a good writer you must be an avid reader, a sentiment that I totally agree.

I will be giving this book away to a teacher for classroom use as soon as my husband has had a chance to read it.

Happy reading.