Learning How To Be An Author from "Dear Mr. Henshaw"

Throughout my years, I have read many books that have taught me insightful and wonderful things. However, one book that taught me important lessons is Beverly Cleary’s Dear Mr. Henshaw. This book has given me some meaningful writing advice. For starters, Mr. Henshaw wrote to Leigh Botts that in order to become a great author, he must “read, look, listen, think, and write” (14). For instance, he mailed Leigh a list of questions to answer so he could practice writing, although Leigh was not happy about it. As for me, I have followed some of Mr. Henshaw’s tips. I sometimes read my favorite books and write during my spare time. Journaling and reading books from authors such as Barbara Park, Annie Bryant, and Ann M. Martin are especially my go-tos. Additionally, I have gotten similar advice from authors that I have met like Ruth Ozek, the woman behind A Tale For The Time Being. I have yet to follow the rest of Mr. Henshaw’s tips. Inevitably, most of us get distracted by other aspects of life that we enjoy such as television and mobile games.

Another valuable lesson that I learned from Dear Mr. Henshaw (and from real life) is that if you write a story, you are an author, whether you’re an amateur or a professional. For example, when Leigh and his class went to have lunch with author Angela Badger, she discovered that he was the author of A Day on Dad’s Rig (118). Furthermore, even if Leigh merely received Honorable Mention, she still loved his story and made a big deal of it. As a result, Leigh felt honored (119). Lastly, Angela told Leigh that “[t]he ability to write stories comes later, when [he has] lived longer and [has] more understanding” (119). I agree that the older you get, the more wisdom you obtain and the better your writing will be. I remember also feeling honored when I met one of my favorite authors, Edwidge Danticat (she wrote Breath, Eyes, Memory and Create Dangerously) and got encouraging words of advice from her. When she autographed my book, she wrote “continue creating dangerously.” In other words, she wanted me to write whatever I felt was right without fear of offending anyone because some people will disagree with what I put on regardless.

In sum, Beverly Cleary’s Dear Mr. Henshaw had a hand in teaching me some writing tips. For all my fellow aspiring writers, I totally recommend purchasing this book or borrowing it at your local library. Moreover, if you are both a writer and the child of divorced parents (like me), you will definitely connect with Leigh Marcus Botts. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Google Play Books, Kobo, Audible, HarperCollins Publishers, Books-A-Million, Indiebound, audiobooks.com, and most libraries (including the New York Public Library). Happy reading!

All praise to Beverly Cleary for writing this book! She is a great author! You should also check out her other fun books, such as Beezus and Ramona and Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Long live the queen! Long live the queen! She’s a lean, mean, writing machine! Long live the queen!

Links To Purchase The Book:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/dear%20mr.%20henshaw

https://www.audible.com/pd/Dear-Mr-Henshaw-Audiobook/B002V5IRHA?source_code=AUDORWS0718179KY7

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dear-mr-henshaw

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9780061972157&i=stripbooks&linkCode=qs

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780061972157/dear-mr-henshaw/

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780061972157

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Dear-Mr-Henshaw/Beverly-Cleary/Q789499737?id=7925384143869

https://www.audiobooks.com/m-audiobook/dear-mr-henshaw/55118?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Knowledge&refId=39026