Choose Your Own Adventure

Ah, the classic Choose Your Own Adventure books… I read the heck out of them from about ages 9 through 12. Then, in 1985, something big happened. Bantam books announced a contest for kids to write their own CYOA book. And the winner would have his or her (Did girls read these back in the day? Jodie?) book published!

Part of the promotion was a slim booklet that you could send off for called “How to Write a Book Like a Choose Your Own Adventure Book.” It was written by Edward Packard and R.A. Montgomery, two prolific CYOA writers who were like unto gods to me. It was a surprisingly thorough and informative little tome on the art of not only CYOA books, but writing in general. And for an aspiring writer like me at the time, it was absolute gold.

So, I got the booklet and made an effort to write my own CYOA book, but my adolescent attention span didn’t let me get very far. Alas, some things never change.

Why do I bring all this up? Well, the other day I was emptying out some old boxes here at NMS! World Headquarters and came upon my old copy of “How to Write…” It was a nice little blast from the past, and I thought maybe the Internet would like to share, so here ’tis.

Maybe—just maybe—it will serve as an inspiration to all the 11 years olds who hang around this site.