Schwartz does an excellent job of providing teenagers with age-specific advice for becoming professional writers. She employs a conversational tone and covers myriad topics including the importance of reading, jobs for writers, finding a mentor, getting published, and marketing a novel....The book's strength lies in its core information, its glossary of terms, and the resources it provides regarding contests and professional organizations. * School Library Journal, March 2010 *

Many teen writers would like to try their hand at writing their own material but do not know where or how to begin this daunting task (hint: read, read, read). Schwartz guides the amateur scribe through the delicate process of discovering what kind of material to write, finding an audience, determining when and where to get help, and even what to do if the writer does not actually enjoy reading. Publishing and marketing round out the contents. The intuitive table of contents makes the text extremely browser-friendly, and the Socratic question-and-answer format breaks the chapters into manageable segments. Sidebars feature interviews with writers specializing in a variety of genres, from poetry to songsmithing to fiction. * VOYA *