So you want to write

When I was 8 years old I wrote the story below.  (If you’re having trouble reading it- time has warped it a bit –  look further down.  I’ve typewritten a copy there)

My third grade teacher told me it was good and that I should be a writer … and that was that!

Since then, I have had at least a thousand rejections. But I practice every day and I think I’m getting better.

My advice on writing: don’t ever give up if this is what you want more than anything else in the world! If you are truly a writer, you will be unable not to write.

Find someone you trust to read and critique your work. I have a writing group, and its members are my most valued critics (they’ve become good friends, too).

Visit the website of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, dedicated to serving people who write, illustrate, or share an interest in children’s literature.