Chapter 2- Why I Wrote This Book

In this chapter Levine shares a little bit about the purpose of this book. She says that after volunteering to teach creative writing workshops in her hometown, she began to see some common ways that students get into trouble with their writing. She also tells about a picture book she had written that was initially rejected because she was too close to the story, but that was accepted after some thoughtful revision.

Writing Assignment
Write a story about a main character who finds a diamond necklace on a seat in his school bus. That's the main idea, but change details as needed.

With only on week left, the school year was coming to a close. My school bus stop was next and I was ready to go home and shoot some hoops. As I gathered my backpack and jacket, a sparkle of light reflected off something in the seat. I looked down and saw a necklace made of crystals set in gold, or maybe the stones weren't crystals, maybe they were diamonds.

I looked all around to see if anyone else had noticed. Then I glanced out the open window and saw a old woman staring at me. She whispered, "Grab the necklace and come on." I don't know how I heard her over the rumble of the bus engine, but I did, so I picked it up and got off the bus.

She was waiting for me, but started to walk down the sidewalk just as I got to her. I quickly moved up to walk beside her. Holding out the necklace I asked her if it was hers. She smiled, but kept walking. Then she said, "I've decided to ask you to keep the necklace for me. You seem like a trustworthy boy and it will be safer if I don't have it."

I was about to ask her what she meant, but just then a tan car came squealing around the corner ahead of us. I felt, rather than saw the woman halt suddenly, but when I turned back to her, she was gone. The car was still headed my way so I knelt down to retie my shoes so that I wouldn't look so conspicuous stopped there on the sidewalk by myself. As the car drove past I looked out of the corner of my eye so that I could see the driver. What I saw puzzled me even more. I guess that I assumed that the driver would look like a gangster or something, but this guy appeared too normal to be one of them. He was wearing a dark suit and seemed to be a business man on his way home from work. His face didn't look worried or strained like I had supposed it would.

I straighten up and put my hand in my pocket where I had stuffed the necklace when I heard the car. In addition to the necklace, there was also a piece of paper on which was written, "I'll be in touch." I didn't remember the woman giving me the paper, but it had to be from her. Now my head was full of questions. Where did this necklace come from? Why was it on the bus? Who was the old woman? and why was she worried about keeping the necklace safe? and from whom was she keeping it? And, how was she going to find me?

Suddenly I was exhausted. I didn't want to shoot hoops anymore. I just wanted to get a glass of something cool to drink and lay down.