Be a Better Writer: For School, For Fun, For Anyone Ages 10-15

Look forward to using this on my kids. Great resource.

Steve Peha's book, Be a Better Writer, written with Margot Carmichael Lester, professional writer and his wife, is a MUST-HAVE for any young writer AND the teachers of young writers. This is NOT your ordinary reference book for writing. This book is engaging and attention-keeping. It is written in such a way that the reader could take their time reading the book chapter by chapter, OR the reader could use it as a reference book looking up the section/s they need for advice and support in the midst of writing.What I appreciate about this book is the effort that went into the organization making it appealing and easy to use. The nine encompassing chapters are broken into specific and informative sub-sections. Within those Peha-written sub-sections, Lester inserts helpful, real-world advice in "Miss Margot Says" segments. The book is also full of lists . . . lists of writing samples, lists of interviews, lists of activities, and lists of lists.I give this book an enthusiastic "Siskel and Ebert two thumbs-up" AND five Amazon stars. Check it out!Note: I first encountered Steve Peha through district professional development around 2002. As a new teacher, I found many useful ideas and strategies from his presentations. This past February, at a state writing conference, remembering his effectiveness from a decade before, I signed up for two of his sessions. Again, I found his teachings and philosophy about writing relevant and on-point. When Mr. Peha came to our district to support another teacher he'd been working with, he stopped by our school and spent time with my seventh hour class. He made some connections with several of my students who are serious writers. I can attest to the fact that all three of those students also believe this book is beneficial for young writers.

I am teaching middle school, writing summer camps this year, and I am feeling very lucky that I found this great writing text book with such a generous spirit. I am excited about sharing this book with my students because its "technique" approach will boost their confidence. I am also excited about how the voice and style of the book will make all of my young writers feel like they have the insider scoop on what works. The "Be a Writer Like..." feature is just one example of how Peha accomplishes this feat; working writers answer questions about writing as a profession.Peha's approach to teaching writing demystifies the process for enthusiasts as well as reluctant writers. Enthusiastic writers will use these insider tips to take their projects to a new standard. Reluctant writers will know how to get in and get the heck out with good results. The techniques in this book are simple and practical. This is the hallmark of a pro. Peha does not need to fill pages with superfluous material. Every page has something to use in the classroom. Students will easily learn from the targeted instruction, the models students can readily follow, and the step-by-step approach to the entire writing process. BABW has given me plenty of tips to use in my own writing. I have a master's degree in creative writing, and no one ever taught me about pacing. I taught it to fifth graders last week, and we all learned something.There is a sense of community here. Peha encourages students to give him writing assignments! This community goes beyond the pages of the book in other ways, too. People who use this book in their classrooms are encouraged to interact and bring their students' writing to the international BABW audience. The book is full of tips for students who feel stuck at school, including tips for how to approach teachers for help.You and your young writers deserve this book.

I have two creative middle schoolers who are resistant writers — they don’t think they're good at it, so writing is not an activity they gravitate to naturally. Even as an adult with a Journalism degree and plenty of professional writing experience, I often find myself intimidated by creative or personal writing. Getting started is hard! This book is full of tips and strategies for organizing thoughts and content to make writing our stories easier and more efficient, but my favorite aspect of Be A Better Writer is the motivational message embedded throughout. The authors are warm and encouraging, and they provide plenty of pep-talks to instill confidence that everyone has stories to tell and a unique perspective that the world needs to hear.This book is very approachable and the tone is youthful and fun, without talking down to its audience with immature language. The content is organized in digestible chunks and my 14-year-old has enjoyed picking it up and reading a few pages at a time. Definitely an asset to our family library!

This is a fantastic book and resource for teens and pre-teens. It is well-written, student friendly and FUN! The biographies woven into the chapters are inspiring. I have used this with both pre-teen and teenaged writers. Seeing these students get excited about their writing is so rewarding. IF you have budding writers or struggling writers...this is the book for them!