Today, I wanted to talk about starting new adventures. I started one this year when I took over Radical Revolution,  and it’s been great.

But starting new adventures sometimes means old adventures must end so I’m letting you know that this issue will be the final one of Today’s Teen Writer.

It’s not that I don’t love the site or what it’s grown to become. I just don’t have time to write content for multiple websites and maintain dozens of others.

The good news is the site will continue to stay hosted and all the writing advice and articles will be still be here (because I have your back!). You just won’t see new content after today.

In this issue, we’re featuring a look back at some of your favorite articles with Best of Today’s Teen Writer and one of my absolute favorite pieces of advice in 10 Commandments for a Happy Writing Life.

Continue to Daring in your writing and in your life,

Editor Deb

1. Beyond the Evil Laugh: Bringing Villains to Life
While I haven’t perfected my evil laugh yet, I have learned a few things about creating villains that have helped me craft more life like bad guys….

2. Jay Asher on Taboo Topics
Taboo subjects are subjects people are uncomfortable discussing. It doesn’t mean those issues aren’t happening, just that we don’t like talking about them.

3. Writing The First Draft
Can I tell you a secret? I hate writing the first draft. It never lives up to my vision. I doubt myself through the entire draft, battling thoughts like ‘not talented’, ‘get a real job’, and my least favorite ‘this is boring’.

4. Lynn Cowell on Publishing Her First Book
This month, I released my first book “His Revolutionary Love”. When I’m not speaking or writing, I like hiking, wearing well worn sweatshirts and anything combining chocolate and peanut butter.

5. SUBMIT Your Writing
Submissions… It’s the process of allowing another person (i.e. the editor) to critically evaluate your work and decide whether or not it should be published.

6. Writer’s Ed
If you were learning to drive, you wouldn’t just get into the car and take a cross-country road trip would you? Of course not! You wouldn’t be able to navigate difficult interstates and you wouldn’t have years of driving experience to make split second decisions that are often required when using the interstate.

7. Author Interview: Alexa Schnee
Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing eighteen year old Alexa Schnee, the author of Shakespeare’s Lady (Guideposts Books Spring 2011).

8. Five Ways To Tell Your Story
Have you ever tried to write a story that just didn’t want to be written? Perhaps you weren’t using the right tool. Like trying to loosen a screw with a hammer, it just won’t work.

9. Balancing High School and Writing
Many teenage writers have successfully balanced writing and homework in high school. It might be tough but it’s not impossible. Here are five ways to stay on track…

10. Author Interview: Dallas Nicole Woodburn
For as long as I can remember I have loved to read, and I just naturally began making up my own stories as well. I was in kindergarten when I wrote…

11. Getting Your First Writing Gig
Getting your writing published is a thrill like no other, but it takes hard work to make it happen. Fortunately, I have some tips that I used when first getting published.

12. Jenny B. Jones Spills the Beans
I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series…

The following commandments are from Monica Wood’s The Pocket Muse – Ideas and Inspirations for Writing.

1. Don’t wait for inspiration; establish a writing habit.

2. Take time off.

3. Read voraciously.

4. Shut out the inner critic.

5. Claim a space.

6. Claim some time.

7. Accept rejection.

8. Expect success.

9. Live fully.

10. Wish others well.