Books to Inspire Storytelling (and Writing)

Books About Writing For Writers of All Ages

Like most people, I’ve been writing since before I knew my letters. Kids write with doodles and drawings and create whole books full of illustrations, and these early “writings” can be just as meditative and therapeutic for kids as any journal writing, free-writing, or creative writing process is for adults.

There are a few differences, of course. The early “writing” kids do with doodles and sketches still preserve that fresh wonder of making a mark on a piece of paper. “Writer’s block” with a crayon is opportunity on a blank page. And doodles are not bound by the twenty-six letters of the alphabet.

And then there are the similarities. Sometimes, for all of us, writing (of all kinds) provides a safe space to let go of feelings like grief or anger or worry.

Or it provides a space to harbor a bunch of different thoughts and questions—and then to organize, categorize, and prioritize them.

Other times, writing is an expression of a story or idea that’s been bubbling to a boil until it spills out onto the paper and becomes real. And then takes flight.

Often, especially for kids, and of course for pre-writers, it feels more natural to draw thoughts, feelings, ideas, characters, and action rather than write them with words. It’s a way to organize thoughts, to let go of a too-big emotion, or to step into a new world free of all the cares of this current, crazy world.

Drawing is a form of writing. No matter the type of writing—the lists, the venting, the storytelling (with or without words), the doodling, or the organizing—it can all have a calming, cathartic, meditative effect—one that so many of us seek right now.

If it’s tough to get started, it can help to have prompts or inspiration from someone else's story. Here are a few of my favorites*--one to prompt and one to inspire, for every age.

*As always, since I am a Bookshop affiliate, I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you click through and purchase a book through the Bookshop links below.

Young Adult/Adult

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

This book made me laugh and cry—but laugh way more than cry. Anne sits us down, writer to writer, like a big sister putting words to all of the struggles and joys of writing and the ups and downs of publishing. By the end we realize that we are all writers.

642 Lists to Write by the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto

642 Lists to Write is perfect for establishing or re-establishing a writing habit, during times when finding creative ideas feels like searching for butterflies in the dead of winter, or just for making writing feel light and fun again. A companion book: 642 Tiny Things to Write About.

Middle Grade

The Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin

The Genius Under the Table is the author’s own memoir about growing up in the Soviet Union. His multi-generational family’s tiny apartment was so small that he slept under the dining room table. But each night in that small space, and with his family’s only pencil, he secretly created a masterpiece—one that would change the course of his life.

Time Capsule by Katie Clemons

Time Capsule is an invitation for middle-grade readers to create their own stories. Bite sized prompts like, “It’s good to be bored sometimes because that’s when I…” invite miniature snippets of their own memoirs—and breathe no-pressure fun into writing.

Picture Book

Just Like Beverly by Vicki Conrad, illustrated by David Hohn

Beverly Cleary was once a fun-loving Oregon kid with a rich imagination and a fascination with stories. She was also a struggling reader. But Beverly didn’t give up—on reading or her love for stories. This is the story of how Beverly Cleary became one of the most beloved children’s book authors of all time—by writing stories for kids “just like us.”

When I Draw a Panda by Amy June Bates

The main character in When I Draw a Panda is a girl who has a hard time drawing a perfect circle. But she “keep[s] drawing more and more not-perfect circles until [she] see[s] a panda. And then it is [her] panda,” who accompanies her on fantastically imperfect drawing adventures, where they get lost in imagination but discover friendship, joy, and, of course, story. My favorite part? The endpapers include drawing instructions that make perfect story prompts (even if they’re not made of perfect circles).