After writing more than one hundred books, it still amazes me that I have been lucky enough to spend most of my life doing what I truly love: writing.What makes a writer? The desire to tell a story, a love of language, an eye for detail, practice, practice, practice. How well should you know your characters? Do you need to outline before you write? How important is length? Now Walter Dean Myers, the new National Ambassador for Young People's Literature andNew York Timesbestselling and award-winning author, walksyouthrough the writing process.Includes:Examples from his writing and reading experiencesWalter's six-box and four-box outlines for writing fiction and nonfictionExcerpted pages from Walter's own notebooksAn afterword by Ross Workman, Walter's teen coauthor of kickWriting tips from both Walter and RossAnyone can be a writer, with a little help from Walter Dean Myers!