Am I too younger to write down? 6 ideas for younger writers
"I'm a teenager. Am I too young to write a book?"
I get this question very often. The answer is "no". You are not too young to write.
The fact is, most writers wish they had started younger. If you can string sentences together, you can write.
If you ask if you're too young to write, you're probably already a writer.
Technically, I started writing when I was five or six years old. I would make illustrated books out of construction paper and my mother would fold and staple them together. I kept writing during my teenage and early adult years as I was on my way to do something different with my life.
At the time, writing was more of a pastime for me. Not something I took seriously. And definitely not something my parents took seriously. Writing is not what many people would call a "real job". I didn't put much effort into it until I was twenty-five.
At that point I was writing for twenty years. I was already a writer and had spent most of my life. I just had never noticed it. Looking back, I wish I had been more serious about it at a younger age.
6 tips for young writers
If you know you want to be a writer now, here are some tips and realities to help you get started:
Tip 1: you have to read. Even the boring stuff.
This is a tip for all writers, but especially for the younger emerging writers. You have to read. Read a lot. Read every book you can get your hands on. These books are your writing courses. Study it. Pay attention to sentence structure, flow, dialogue, everything. The more you read, the more natural writing will be for you, since you already know the basic idea of how to write a story.
Some books are boring, like everything your English teacher assigns to you. Read it anyway. These books are classics for a reason. And you never know, maybe you like one of them.
Tip 2: Write all the time.
I don't think I've ever been as busy as at school. With homework, friends and extra-curricular activities, there is not much time for hobbies.
Writing takes practice. The younger you start, the more exercise you have and the younger you get when you get good.
I wrote on the edge of notebooks. I wrote on the weekend. I wrote on the bus. Whenever I could, I wrote something, even if it was just a few lines.
That brings me to a side effect: Always carry something with you to write. A note-taking app on your phone works. Just make sure it's backed up somewhere.
Tip 3: keep everything.
At the moment you are most likely writing random lines and anecdotes. You could start something and never finish it. That's okay! You learn.
Don't throw that away. They collect life experiences and tidbits that you may be able to use later.
Tip 4: Write like your favorite author.
This does not mean plagiarizing them. They like their writing for a reason. Study your favorite author's books even more than others and find out why you like them so much.
Is it your style? Is in the genre? Try to reproduce in your own work what you like so much about them.
R. L. Stine was the author I emulated. When I was between nine and twelve years old, I wrote about half a dozen Fear Street books. I didn't finish any, but I got the feeling of writing by stealing his style. Not his words, mind you. Don't plagiarize. Each.
Tip 5: Learn to take criticism like a champion.
If you show your work to your friends or teachers, you will likely get criticism.
Criticism is a big part of this industry and you have to get used to it. Find out how it works for you. Never let yourself be depressed. (Okay, sometimes I feel depressed, but I have a little pout and then come back to it.) Use it to improve your writing.
If someone says they don't like your work, ask them what they didn't like. Don't be defensive. Be open and sincere. They want their help so you can improve. At this point in your writing career, improvement is the main goal.
"
Do you think you are too young to write? Write anyway. You don't currently have to publish a bestseller. Improvement is your main goal.
Tip 6: do it anyway.
As I said before, writing is not what many people would call a real job. And for the most part, the bills are not paid. There is a possibility that you may not be able to take expensive writing classes or buy a lot of books for writing.
Write anyway.
There are books in the library and lots of tips for writing online (like here at The Write Practice). Your school may offer clubs or writing competitions. You don't have to spend a lot of money to learn to write. Reading is the best teacher out there.
They will probably not be published yet. You will probably write at least two books before they are published. And that's the best scenario.
You will be rejected. It is a fact of the profession. Rejection happens to all of us. I already had half a dozen anthology rejections this year.
When you start out for the first time, you are constantly rejected. Don't let that stop you. It is not personal. That doesn't mean you shouldn't write.
Keep practicing. You will improve and get this acceptance.
Writing is not a glamorous career. It is difficult. It is emotionally demanding. It is a lot of work for often very little reward.
So if you want to write to become famous, take it out of your mind right away. You probably won't be. I hope you will, but the chances are slim.
The vast majority of writers have a full-time job that does something other than writing. You have to fit in the writing time between work and family time and errands.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't write. Do it anyway.
You can now be a writer.
You are never too young to start writing. It may be a tough fight, but everything is. All careers take work: school, victim, internship, practice.
All the realities listed above should not discourage you. You should put things into perspective. You have to ignore these things and keep moving forward.
Here is my most important tip for young writers: keep writing. Stick to it, and the fruits of your work will pay off in the end.
Looking for a summer writing camp for kids? The Write Summer is the perfect way to connect children with professional writers and inspire you to write your stories. Find out more "
At what age did you start writing? Let me know in the comments!
WORK OUT
Take fifteen minutes today to write a scene in which the main character is a teenager. If it's been a while since you were that old, take a moment to really think before you start writing. Think about the emotions, the desires and needs and the disappointments. This should be a very warm invitation, so dig deep.
Share your letter in the comments and don't forget to comment on your colleagues' work!
Sarah Gribble
Follow her @sarahstypos or subscribe to her email list free of charge at https://sarah-gribble.com.