Writing Great Books for Young Adults: Everything You Need to Know, from Crafting the Idea to Landing a Publishing Deal

Regina Brooks made an incredibly resourceful book, I will be referring to from now on for the rest of my writing career!

Congratulations Regina Brooks! This book is an invaluable resource for both beginning and seasoned writers. Ms. Brooks leads the reader though the entire writing process, from conception of an idea to the publication process. And what a fun read! Page after page includes helpful quotes from writers, agents and publishers, as well as anecdotes and innovative writing exercises. A literary agent who knows the playing field, Ms. Brooks is clearly passionate about the YA novel. She writes with years of expertise and combines her knowledge of craft with hands-on advice. If you write YA fiction or are even thinking about writing YA fiction, Writing Great Books for Young Adults is a book you'll read and re-read. What a gem!

I read a review of Writing Great Books for Young Adults in The Writer magazine. Having tried my hand at writing YA and middle grade fiction in the past, I decided to order a copy. I found Ms. Brooks' writing style to be easy to read and understand. Too many how-to books for writers tend to be condescending or overwritten. I felt that Ms. Brooks did a good job of imparting useful information in a conversational tone. Reading her work almost felt like taking a live class at a writers' conference. It helps that Ms. Brooks is a literary agent and lives her subject matter. You can tell that she genuinely enjoys YA, unlike so many of her fellow agents who only seem to represent the genre because it's hot. You can feel the encouragement in Ms. Brooks' words as she strives to guide the reader along the difficult path toward publication. I recommend this book for anyone who desires to write YA fiction. Is it the only book you need to read about the genre? No. You should read everything you can get your hands on, but Ms. Brooks work is an excellent starting place.

Brooks clearly knows what she's about. I've read (too many) books about writing, and this is one of the better ones. It's not full of cheer leading -- ("yes, you can!") but solid advice. The brief treatment of plot, the types of plot, and so forth, is clear and helpful. One thing I found less clear is her distinction between plot and story. She's very good on what makes books for teens different from books for adults. Since I don't have a teen of my own, I'm going on memory of my own teen years. Brooks also makes specific recommendations on teen fiction to read. There's enough information in this book to stand up under re-reading. Very helpful.

I love this book. If you're looking for a magic formula - something that will write your book for you, then you are wasting your time here. However if you are after a helpful guide, perhaps something that will assist in overcoming writers block - then this book may be for you. It's an easy read, it makes so many valid points that I lost count and also includes activities to get the creative juices flowing. I was struggling with the direction of my story, I was stuck floundering in pointless words and paragraphs, but this book has pulled me out and set me back on my way - complete with a clear path ahead. From doing some of the exercises my approach to my story, and the story itself, has changed dramatically - and for the better. This book is a much appreciated guiding light - NOT a quick formula for you to make your Harry Potter millions! I thoroughly recommend it to any novice writer out there that needs a gentle prod in the right direction. Money well spent.