How Writers Work

December 1, 2000
Gr 4-8-Fletcher focuses on the different ways professionals and students create a solid piece of writing. In the introduction, he states that there is no secret formula, though he manages to sustain the tone of one imparting a secret throughout the book. Processes such as brainstorming, rough drafts, rereading and revising, proofreading, and publishing are demystified through examples of students' writing and interviews with children's authors. The style is conversational and the suggestions are general. The book doesn't cover specifics of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Instead, it suggests that any piece of writing could become any one of these with a sufficient amount of work. The book makes youngsters feel good about their writing without making light of the work involved. Numerous mentions of the author's previous works begin to grate as the book progresses, as does the self-referential "Selected Reading" list appended. Still, this is a useful resource. It is not a replacement for but a good companion to Marion Dane Bauer's still excellent What's Your Story? (Clarion, 1992).-Timothy Capehart, Leominster Public Library, MA

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