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Hi, Fellow Author!

Thanks for posting. I’m interested in your writing ambitions. I was 12 when I wrote my first book, and 14 when it came out. With all my experience at describing things, it’s hard for me to explain the feeling of seeing my book for the first time — my words, and the cover picturing something I wrote about. There’s no feeling quite like it — until you become a Dad. It’s like that.

Do agents and publishers accept work from young authors. Well, yes, they do. I’m living proof of that. But that was over 40 years ago, and things may be different now. I think having an agent is almost a necessity now, as most publishers won’t read manuscripts that come unagented. But don’t be afraid of being “just a kid.” Believe me, if you have something good, something they want to publish, they won’t care how old you are. The trick is to get them to read it. That’s where an agent comes in.

Good luck to you, Caleb. I hope to be writing you a fan letter one day!

                                                                                      —–Gordon Korman—–