" Ages 14+ (and anyone looking for inspiration to write) " Friendly, easy-to-read text covers getting started, getting to know yourself, how to make your writing honest and original, the essential ingredients of character, plot, form, setting, point of view, dialogue, how to make your writing better, and how writing can be part of your life " Also lists helpful and interesting websites " Valuable in schools, for creative writing and poetry classes " By the author of the popular Guitar Highway Rose and Tomorrow all will be beautiful. " Themes: identity, self discovery, creativity

Shortlisted for New Zealand Post Children's Book Award: Non-Fiction Award 2009 and Storylines Notable New Zealand Books: Non Fiction 2009 and LIANZA Children's Book Awards: Elsie Locke Award 2009.

As useful to teachers thinking of ways to inspire young pupils as to the young people themselves. A generous and eclectic mix of stimuli, loosely collected into topics, alongside technical know-how useful to all aspiring writers, I found this fascinating to dip into and something I would definitely use in my English teaching. Books for Keeps

Brigid Lowry was born in New Zealand. She now lives there, having spent some time in Australia. In previous incarnations she has been a flower child, a waitress and a school teacher. She has published short stories and poetry as well as adult and young adult fiction. Her novel Guitar Highway Rose was shortlisted for the 1998 Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for older readers. She teamed up with her son, Sam, to write Space Camp.