A review by suzannedix
Been There, Done That: Writing Stories from Real Life by Mike Winchell

For students looking for inspiration on how to write better stories, this is it! Edited by middle school English teacher and writer Mike Winchell, this collection of short stories has a topic for any reader: peer pressure, the push and pull of friendship, coping with loss and learning to take risks. Each author, from greats like Jane Yolen, Grace Lin and Gary D. Schmidt, tells two fast-paced stories. The first is the real story that actually happened to them as a child. The second is the story that was created and inspired by that experience. Readers can better understand the concept of “write what you know” by following along with these short episodes. Reluctant readers will love the brevity of the stories and impassioned writers will see how different techniques are used to craft a well-told tale. This is truly a fun read with stories that will keep readers turning pages.

Grades 5 and up.