Thanks #22: Joy D. Hartshorn

Greetings Mrs. Morrill!

I'm currently reading Go Teen Writers for the second time since I bought it in June, and I cannot even beging to explain how my writing has changed since having it as a help. I was writing a story this summer for a contest that ended in August, and I don't think I would have made it to the deadline without it. The pendulum method and plot twist listing was amongst the most useful, as I'm a World First writer, and both plot and characters can give me equal defiance.

I can proudly tell you that I not only was able to enter the contest, but with the help of GTW I was able to completely write my very first complete novel. Seeing how both you and Jill have journeyed on the road to publishing has given me the courage to continue on with the hope of someday sharing my own bits of soul that we know as stories.

I hope that God will use your birthday and years to come to bless you and those around you.

Again,

Thank you.

Joy D. Hartshorn

http://www.youtube.com/user/NomeraGirl109

Psalms 21

O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices,
    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
You have given him his heart's desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.

For you meet him with rich blessings;
    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
    length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great through your salvation;
    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
For you make him most blessed forever;
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord,
    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

Your hand will find out all your enemies;
    your right hand will find out those who hate you.
You will make them as a blazing oven
    when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and fire will consume them.
You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    and their offspring from among the children of man.
Though they plan evil against you,
    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
For you will put them to flight;
    you will aim at their faces with your bows.

Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!
    We will sing and praise your power.

Thanks #21: Anonymous

Happy birthday, Stephanie! You are so awesome! Thank you so much for all the work you do! It's definitely helped me to become a way better writer in the past year and a half since I've been reading your blog, and I wouldn't be where I am without you. :D Have a great and blessed day!

Anonymous

Thanks #20:Brittney Johnson

Dear Stephanie,

                   Thank you so much for all of your encouraging and helpful posts that you take time to write on Go Teen Writers. It has helped me in my writing immensely. The book you published with Jill “how to turn your first draft into a published book” also helped me so much! Thank you so much for trying to help young teen writers. You have inspired me to work harder towards my goal of publishing a book and you have also given me helpful pointers to improve my writing =)

A young writer,

                       Brittney Johnson

Author of the books in progress:

Once upon a Secret

And

Rain&Flame

Brittney Johnson

Thanks #19: Abrielle Lindsay

Dear Stephanie,

                Happy birthday! :D I want to thank you so much for GoTeenWriters! You guys have encouraged me to write more than anyone! Right before I found your blog (July 2013) I was about to forget being a writer, ditch my story, throw it away. But, you guys encouraged me so much, I pushed through it. And, I feel very satisfied that I wrote a first draft, that I am continuing to write, and I enjoy it.

                 I’m very grateful that you answer things I could never figure out! :D

Thank you so much for everything you do at GoTeenWriters! Again, Happy Birthday!!

Sincerely,

Abrielle Lindsay

Author of

Finding My Voice

Keep Moving Forward

The Arrow &

Untitled

Thanks #18: Heather Manning

Happy Birthday, Stephanie!

Stephanie, you and Go Teen Writers have helped me immensely with my writing. I have been writing
since I can remember, but actually wrote with a purpose maybe four years ago. Almost two years ago
now, I found the Go Teen Writers blog.

I cannot describe how big of a help GTW has been to me. Whenever I have a question in my writing, I
stop, and look it up on the GTW blog. There is almost always an answer to any question I might have.
Also, the writing contests have encouraged my writing so much that I think I would not be where I am
today without these. They gave me the confidence to take my writing out of my home. I learned that
maybe I was not such a terrible writer after all, and if I ever got too confident in my skills, they helped
me realize I was not as great as I thought.  :)
I joined the GTW Facebook group about a year ago, and that has encouraged me even more so.
Everyone there is so kind and encouraging, and they have helped me with my writing too. I love being
able to be friends with so many writers, because before this, I had no writer friends at all. I have such
close contact to writers who are in all stages—those who write just for fun, those who are just starting
out, and some who are already published. I also love being able to contact you or Jill so easily by just
tagging you in a post if I have any questions I can’t find the answers to on the blog.

GTW has helped me write my book, there is no doubt of that. If I needed any help editing, I could look
back at old blog posts and understood everything. Now I am pleased to say, my novel, Swept to Sea, is
going to be traditionally published in a matter of months. I probably would not be here at sixteen years
old, with a book published, without GTW. Also, my second novel I am working on, Carried Home, would
not be where it is in length yet if it wasn’t for the amazing 100-for-100 challenges you lead. These help
me find motivation to write each and every day and I cannot describe how awesome that is.

Thank you so much for doing everything you do, Stephanie, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Wishing you the best day ever from your Kansas City Girl,

Heather Manning

http://heathermauthor.blogspot.com/

Thanks #17: Esther Rose

Dear Stephanie,

Thank you so much for starting GTW! I've been planning my novel for the last couple months, and GTW has been a great encouragement to me to just keep writing. :) And I'm loving the 100-4-100 challenges; they're very motivating too! Thank you for all the work you've put into encouraging young writers to keep writing.

Sincerely,

Esther Rose

Author of multiple stories

and NaNoWriMo winner

http://joyful-maiden.blogspot.com/

Thanks #16: Samuel Deck

Stephanie,

You have been a huge help to me on my path to becoming an author.

From the time I started reading Go Teen Writers, I have been inspired and encouraged by your posts.

I have learned countless things from you, character building, how to find an agent, how to keep on writing, etc.

I'm so glad I found Go Teen Writers. 

If it wasn't for you, I'd be stuck with a horrible draft of a novel and writing childish antics.

So, I just want to say thank you and happy birthday!

Thank You Stephanie!

Samuel Deck

Author of:

If We All Could Be Heroic

The Edge of the World

Currently Writing:

Stuck to You

Once Upon a Time

If You Just Believe

Thanks #15: Arende de Wit

Dear Stephanie,

Without you, I wouldn't have written a single storyword this week.

Without you, I'd not have been working on the third manuscript which reached the 10,000 words and still isn't finished.

Without you, I wouldn't know about action tags, the necessity of dialogue and adding conflict in a story.

Without you, I'd just have left my passion for writing.

In the 2 years-and-some-more I know you now I have learned so much... You gave me back my writing skills and improved them amazingly, together with my English ;-)

Thank you, Stephanie, for starting GTW, for encouraging all of us teen writers. 

Thank you for the time you spend on it.

Thank you for all the wonderful opportunities.

Without you and GTW, life would be dull.

Congrats with your birthday, many happy returns and please stay at GTW. We can't miss you!

Greetings,

Arende (The Netherlands)

Thanks #14: Emily

Stephanie, 

Thank you so much for all the work you do on the blog! Before I found the blog I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to keep writing. Now I love it again, and I'm so glad I found your blog so I could rekindle that love. Thank you.

Since following your blog, I feel like I know more about my options with writing and publishing. I feel like I have a support group of other people who love to write, and if I ever need help, I know where I can turn. Thank you so much for providing this place for teen writers to connect. What you do is wonderful. We love it.

Thank you,

Emily

Thanks #13: Grace Curtis

When I set out to write my own book, I thought I was insane. Now, thanks to GTW, I know I'm crazy for sure, and its the best thing in the world. I owe everyone on this page a lot for all the support and advice they've given me, and none more then you for starting it all off. Without you, I would have let this story fall by the wayside along time ago.  Thanks, Stephanie!

~Grace Curtis.
Author of
The Lamplighter

Thank you for Everything, Stephanie! #12

Books I've written before Go Teen Writers? Zilch! Books I've written after Go Teen Writers? Three! (And that isn't even counting the revised drafts!)

But Stephanie, your blog and your encouragement means more than the number of words written or manuscripts printed. That's just one measure of success in writing. Without Go Teen Writers, and without all the heart and soul you've poured into it, I'd never have learned how to craft a story I love. It's because of you and your work that I understand what needs to go into a book. I have a warning for bumps I'll encounter, be it harsh critiques, painful editing, or someday, the effort of finding an agent and a publisher. Every step through my writer's journey has a post or a series on Go Teen Writers to guide me. 

I can't put into words how much it means to me that you're willing to work so hard to help teen writers become something great. Your dedication and your heart absolutely amazes me! Go Teen Writers has been there to hold my hand since I took my writerly baby steps, and I know it will be there for the rest of the journey too.

We're behind you all the way, Stephanie. Thank you so much for everything you do!

-Jessica Staricka

Author of

Spaceman

Anomaly

Guy Fulton Burslough

Thanks #11: Alyson Schroll

Happy Birthday Stephanie. You were the first person to every tell me I could write. You were the first person to teach me how to construct a story. You were the first to read a word. Nothing could mean more to me than what you have done for me. Encouragement from you was never far away. I never knew I'd be a published poet, but it was you who knew I could. I can't thank you enough. Have an amazing day with your husband and kids.

~Alyson Schroll
www.alysonschroll.blogspot.com 

Author of 

More Than This

Brick Walls

Ideal Lies--WIP

She's been writing for 3 years

Thanks #10: Hannah Mummert

Happy Birthday, Stephanie!

I just wanted to say thank you for all that you've done, with GTW and the Facebook page. You've been a tremendous help to me and my writing through your blog posts and comments and responses. Without you and GTW, I'm not sure my book Defender would be finished, and I'd be entirely lost on how to query or find agents or anything about the publishing process. You've helped me understand things that I need to fix in my writing, things that I need to consider while I write, and things that I've never even thought of that are important to my writing. You've helped me understand that the journey is hard but worth it, and you've kept me going, even though you didn't know it. I just want you to know that none of your post
s were useless, and none of your advice was ignored, because they've been amazingly helpful. So don't get discouraged in the future, because your words aren't just going in one ear and out the other! They're being absorbed and mulled over and applied, I promise.

So Happy Birthday, Stephanie, and thanks so much for all you've done! You're awesome!

Hannah Mummert

NaNoWriMo Winner and

Author of,

Defender and

Untitled, a novella,

Thanks #9: Lydia Grace Hart

Dear Stephanie,

Oh goodness. Happy Birthday to the absolute cooliest.

You have been such a great friend to me. Really truly. Even before we had those delightful discussions about Oreos with peanut butter. The best of friends are those who give timely advice (not just what you wanna hear), encourage you when you lose your oomph, and make you laugh so hard your belly hurts. You were that for me from the start. And then I got to know you better, and just loved you more. I so wish we lived closer, so then I could give you a huge birthday and thank-you hug, and a cupcake or ten... And we could have that sleepover. 

But, since I'm not close, picture me blowing you kisses and showering you with sprinkles. So festive. 

You will forever and always be my favorite YA author. So ya know. 

Love you, sweet girl. 

-Lydia Grace Hart

http://www.youtube.com/user/ploodlegrace13914

Thanks #8: Vanessa W.

Without Go Teen Writers I would be nowhere right now... I've learned just about everything I know about writing from it and all the wonderful people.
~Vanessa W.

Thanks #7: J.M.Hamilton

"Thank you for letting me join this awesome group. Im having so much fun!" 
-J.M.Hamilton

Thanks #6: Lily

Happy birthday, Stephanie! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for starting Go Teen Writers.  Because of GTW I’ve learned a great deal about writing, improved my craft, found other great writing resources, found out about good books to read, and met fellow writers around the world who I love interacting and working with. And I’m sure there’s more I’ve forgotten to mention. 

I’m so grateful that you, Jill, Roseanna, and all the others take time out of your days to educate us and help us grow as writers, providing us with the tools we’ll use to become authors. 

Thank you, once again, for all you have done for GTW. 

Lily J.  

http://lilyjenness.blogspot.com/

Thanks #5: Jillian Haggard

Dear Stephanie, 

Happy birthday! I hope you have an amazing day and that all your wishes come true! ;)

You are such an amazing person. You are always there to answer questions and you continue to inspire us writers each and every day. I look up to you, both as a writer and a person, and I appreciate all of your hard work. 

Go Teen Writers has had a huge impact on my life. I discovered the blog about a year and a half ago after searching "teen writers" and I never turned back. Now it's the first website I visit every morning! Before I found it, I hardly knew anything about the publishing business, writers conferences, or literary agents. If I hadn't discovered GTW, I definitely wouldn't have a finished draft right now and I probably wouldn't be making an effort to write every day. From the daily blog posts to the contests to the different writing challenges, I've had a lot of fun and I've grown so much as a writer. I've also met so many other writers that I've grown close with. Go Teen Writers has been such a blessing to me and I am so grateful for everything you've done :)

Thank you so much for everything and have a very happy birthday! We love you, Stephanie! 

Blessings,
Jillian Haggard

http://coversandink.blogspot.com/

I've been writing since I was able to hold a pencil, but I didn't really take writing seriously until about two years ago. Since then, I've written a historical, Guided by the Stars, and a contemporary. I've been reading Go Teen Writers for about a year and a half.

Thanks #4: Meghan Gorecki

Happiest of birthdays, Stephanie! I hope you have lots of cake, hugs from your little ones ,& are spoiled. Thank you for being who you are--encouraging, uplifting, real, & transparent. This flows through your writing, & I don't think you know how much it touches everyone who comes in contact with your words. I am so blessed to know you, to look up to you as a writer, & to be "fighting the good fight of faith" with you. 

--Meghan Gorecki

http://www.everygoodword.com/

Thanks #3: Rachelle Rea

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day. I'm so thankful for all that you do--your books changed my heart and Go Teen Writers inspired this writer to try for her first full-length novel (instead of hanging out in short stories) and now I'm on my fifth one! Thank you for all your encouragement, and have a stupendous birthday! 
-- Rachelle Rea

Author or five books
Reader of GTW for 3 Years

http://www.rachellerea.com/