The Making of a Writer

Rating:
Summary: An inspiration for any writer.
Review: Here's a mystery for you: How did a regular kid become an award-winning and popular mystery author? Thanks to this book, that particular puzzle is solved. Joan Lowery Nixon shares how her childhood experiences taught her to be a good writer. She has applied that knowledge during the writing of more than one hundred books for young readers.

Ms. Nixon is famous for her mysteries. She is the only author to win the Edgar Allan Poe Best Young Adult Mystery Award four times! Those award-winning mysteries are: THE KIDNAPPING OF CHRISTINA LATTIMORE, THE SÉANCE, THE NAME OF THE GAME WAS MURDER, and THE OTHER SIDE OF DARK. Ms. Nixon has also written historical fiction, including the series The Orphan Train Adventures, Orphan Train Children, and Colonial Williamsburg: Young Americans.

Her grandfather and mother read to Joan and her sisters constantly. When Joan learned to read, she read like crazy! In her book she says, "From a very early age I understood that words could be put together in a wonderful way, then written down and kept forever."

Before Joan was old enough to write, she dictated poetry to her mother, who then wrote those poems down for her. Later, she filled journals with poetry, stories, greeting card verses, descriptions and thoughts. At age ten, a magazine published one of her poems --- and when she saw her poetry in print, she knew she had to publish more of her writing.

There was no television set or computer in Joan's house. The children played games and listened to radio shows. One of Joan's favorite radio programs was called "I Love a Mystery." The show's suspenseful stories were complete with creepy sound effects. Joan loved those tales, which led to her discovery of mystery books at the library. She swore she would become a mystery writer one day.

Joan began making up "what if" stories at a young age. She would ask herself, "WHAT IF this person was actually a prince? . . .WHAT IF he was a troll?" In her book she says, "What ifs are the keys that unlock the door to imagination." Joan acted out her made-up stories with dolls and puppets for her neighborhood's children. She quickly learned to catch her restless audience's attention by starting each tale with action and suspense.

Throughout THE MAKING OF A WRITER we learn the ingredients for a terrific story. The author used those same brilliant yet simple writing tips when she wrote this book. The account of her childhood is as fascinating as any of her thrilling mysteries, and is an inspiration for any writer.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (...)

Rating:
Summary: Inspirational ¿ and a strong biography for fans
Review: Nixon has authored over a hundred books for young adults, and many of her readers have asked her secrets. This tells of the early influence of journalism teachers, of her youth and coming of age as a writer, and of the lessons she learned in perfecting her writing art. Inspirational - and a strong biography that fans of Nixon will relish.