Hi! I’m Eva Austin, and I write contemporary romance novels for teens. I also write YA fantasy adventure romance under a different pen name, and for both genres, I’ve studied several story structure guides and read many, many books on writing fiction. Below is a list of some of my favorite writing books and plotting techniques.
I get emails from readers (mostly teens) all the time, wondering if I have advice as they write their own stories. It makes me so happy that teens are writing, and yes, I have advice on where to go to learn what you need to know! I created this page as a place to send aspiring teen writers (or anyone of any age!) to give you an idea of where I got started.
I’m in no way an expert, nor did I earn a degree in creative writing. I learned everything I know—and I’m still learning all the time!—by studying on my own. And you can too! Here’s another post about how I got started. (FYI: my college degree is actually in multimedia with a minor in marketing, and that knowledge has been invaluable as I began and continue to run my self-published author business.)
On this page, you will find a few of my favorite writing books and plotting techniques. But keep in mind that writers approach this in different ways. My favorite techniques may not be your favorite. And other published authors may use something completely different. Some authors are “pantsers.” They fly by the seat of their pants and write wherever the mood takes them on their first draft. This is a perfectly fine method, but it’s not for me. Those authors will get things in order later, but I like to get things in order BEFORE I write. I’m a “plotter.” Some might say I’m a chronic “over-plotter.” But I’m not ashamed to admit it: plotting is one of my favorite parts of writing!
First things first:
The first piece of advice I like to give teen writers is to read widely across many genres. If you read a lot, you’re already absorbing story structure, so the plotting techniques will make sense to you. I also suggest you practice writing. Maybe keep a journal. It can be handwritten or even in a Google Doc. And, yes, take your English homework seriously. 😉
Plotting techniques I like to use:
Story structure is important. If you don’t use it, parts of your story will fall flat or drag, or *gasp* you won’t meet reader expectations. So the first thing I suggest aspiring teen writers learn is:
- The Three-Act Structure. This website is a treasure trove of valuable information!
Next, familiarize yourself with:
Yes, all of these outlines are useful for writing romance, too!
Once you learn those concepts and outline the plot of your story, you may want more direction between the plot points. Or perhaps you want more information about plotting a romance arc. Try these:
- The 27 chapter method. I actually really love this one, and it’s my go-to outline. It provides a much more detailed guideline. (And the structures listed above can be layered over it.)
- Save the Cat. This one is great too! I really like how this one breaks down the ending (only found in the book, see below).
- Romancing the Beat. This one is great for the romance arc, and I always reread it with each new My Favorite Color novel.
Believe it or not, I actually outline by layering all of the above concepts together. You could try something similar!
Here are some of my favorite writing books and books that have helped my career:
*All links point to Amazon, but I’m sure you could find these favorite writing books elsewhere.
(**Yes, these are affiliate links, and they help pay for web hosting. THANK YOU! Obligatory text: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases [at no cost to you!].**)
What are some of your favorite writing books?
What next?
After you finish a manuscript and have spent plenty of time writing and rewriting, and have allowed friends, family, and beta readers to give you feedback—which you have then incorporated—you can now either query agents or hire your own professional editor in preparation for self-publishing. If you want to self-publish, here’s a step-by-step guide I found online. I went the “DIY” route he talks about. There’s a lot to it, and it will take some time to learn all the needed steps, and of course, money to make it happen.
Once you publish, you will need to market your books. Neither Amazon nor any other book seller will tell people about your self-published book. It will be your job to send people to the purchase page. (This is true even if you traditionally publish.)
Good luck! I hope this gives you an overview of how I got started and eventually published my books.
Do you have any favorite writing books?
Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite writing book or story structure technique.