9 Books for Aspiring Writers

I was a kid who wanted to write in a journal regularly! And I tried many times over the years and it never stuck. Even when my partner suggested starting a blog, I was very hesitant to commit to writing. I never felt like I was an inherently good writer. And I’m probably not even that great of a writer even after all of these years.

But, I know kids who are constantly starting stories, writing in notebooks, and journaling all the time. For kids who love to write, they’ll find some really great tools among this list of titles. Most of these titles are written by children’s and young adult authors. Obviously, they have a lot of experience writing and doing it successfully. And are able to write a book about writing in a way that resonates with kids. So if you’ve got an aspiring writer, make sure to get them these titles!

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9 Books for Aspiring Writers

Brave the Page: A Young Writer’s Guide to Telling Epic Stories by Rebecca Stern and Grant Faulkner

Partly a how-to guide on the nitty-gritty of writing, partly a collection of inspiration to set (and meet) ambitious goals, Brave the Page is the go-to resource for middle-grade writers. Narrated in a fun, refreshingly kid-friendly voice, it champions NaNoWriMo’s central mission that everyone‘s stories deserve to be told. The volume includes chapters on character, plot, setting, and the like; motivating essays from popular authors; advice on how to commit to your goals; a detailed plan for writing a novel or story in a month; and more!

Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book? by Ally Carter

Have you always wanted to write a book, but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re really great at writing the first few chapters . . . but you never quite make it to the end? Or do you finally have a finished manuscript, but you’re not sure what to do next? Fear not — if you have writing-related questions, this book has answers!

Whether you’re writing for fun or to build a career, bestselling author Ally Carter is ready to help you make your work shine. With honesty, encouragement, and humor, Ally’s ready here to answer the questions that writers struggle with the most.

Filled with practical tips and helpful advice, Dear Ally is a treasure for aspiring writers at any stage of their careers. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how books get made, from idea to publication, and gives you insight into the writing processes of some of the biggest and most talented YA authors writing today.

How to Be a Young #Writer by Christopher Edge

This book will get you started on your writing journey. It gives practical advice on beating the fear of the blank page, plot structuring, choosing a viewpoint, creating characters, writing killer openings and perfect endings. It will support you as you start writing and keep you going through to getting people reading your stories.

Journal Sparks: Fire Up Your Creativity with Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive Thinking by Emily K. Neuburger

Using words, drawing, collage, and observation-based list-making, award-winning author Emily K. Neuburger highlights the many paths into journaling. Her 60 interactive writing prompts and art how-tos help you to expand your imagination and stimulate your creativity. Every spread invites a new approach to filling a page, from making a visual map of a day-in-my-life to turning random splotches into quirky characters for a playful story. ​It’s the perfect companion to all those blank books and an ideal launchpad to explore creative self-expression and develop an imaginative voice — for anyone ages 10 to 100!

My Weird Writing Tips by Dan Gutman

The ability to put thoughts into writing is an essential skill vital to success in school—from elementary school through college. Bestselling author Dan Gutman helps kids master this important skill with his fun, informative writing guide, My Weird Writing Tips.

Dan offers tricks for spelling hard words, understanding the difference between similar words like “its” and “it’s,” and conquering grammar stumbling blocks like commas and apostrophes. He also teaches readers how to write an engaging story.

Q&A a Day for Kids: A Three-Year Journal by Betsy Franco

Children’s author Betsy Franco poses a question each day with only a few lines provided for a response, making this journal the ultimate no-fuss record keeper. Simply turn to today’s date and record your child’s answer. When you finish the year, move on to the next section. The diary can be started on any day of the year and makes a terrific keepsake or gift for parents.

Secrets of Storytelling: A Creative Writing Workbook for Kids by Natalie Rompella 

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve already written a ton of stories, practice makes perfect when it comes to writing for kids. Build your skills the fun way with Secrets of Storytelling; it’s packed with dozens of short, creative fiction prompts and plenty of space so you can write to your heart’s content.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, make mistakes, and get weird with words! Prompts and fun activities about writing for kids inspire you to get creative and help you build intriguing plots, strong characters, and vivid settings for your stories. It’s time to unleash your inner author!

Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook by Ellen Potter and Anne Mazer, illustrated by Matt Phelan

After receiving letters from fans asking for writing advice, accomplished authors Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter joined together to create this guidebook for young writers. The authors mix inspirational anecdotes with practical guidance on how to find a voice, develop characters and plot, make revisions, and overcome writer’s block. Fun writing prompts will help young writers jump-start their own projects, and encouragement throughout will keep them at work.

Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly by Gail Carson Levine

In Writing Magic, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shares her tricks of the trade. She shows how you can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more.

She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.

With humor, honesty, and wisdom, Gail Carson Levine shows you that you, too, can make magic with your writing.