Karyn
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| 27-04-2011 9:52 AM |
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Welcome, Racers!
I'd like to introduce our special guest, James Moloney. James is best known for his Young Adult fiction and he's the author of A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove. You can find out more about James at www.jamesmoloney.com.au
If you're new here, here's a brief rundown on the Writing Races procedure:
- Work on your own document offline - writing, editing, or researching - whatever you like! (feel free to share your favourite paragraph or two with us after the Race)
- Please use the Quick Reply feature below, so that we all stay in the same thread
- Feel free to ask our special guest questions at any time during the Race
- Refresh your screen regularly to see new comments and keep an eye out for new pages as the conversation gets longer
Log back here at around 7.45pm EST on Tuesday 3 May for an 8pm start.
Karyn |
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Karyn Markwell |
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James
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| 03-05-2011 10:22 AM |
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Hello everyone. James here.
I am excited about being part of the Writing race tonight. I have been joining the dots for my new fantasy novel in recent days (ie. writing the sections that I left unwritten whle i surged on with the rest of the story) and have come pretty close to having the whole shebang. Tonight, during the Writing Race, I might actually reach that wonderful moment when I have a novel that reads from beginning to end. I know how excited tunnel builders must feel when they can walk from one end to the other for the first time.
I am looking forward to chatting with participants and sharing ideas about techniques etc.
Cheers, James
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James
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| 03-05-2011 7:33 PM |
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Hello karyn and others
I am here and ready to go.
James
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:34 PM |
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Welcome to tonight's Writing Race with James Moloney!
Please say 'g'day' as you arrive, and let us know what you plan to achieve tonight: whether writing, editing, or researching, we'll help you however we can!
I'm heading off overseas this Sunday, so tonight I'll be tying up loose ends with some work and uni projects. |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:35 PM |
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Welcome, James!
You just beat me here tonight.
Now, I know you as a Young Adult fiction writer, but you mentioned above that you'll be working on a fantasy novel tonight. Can you tell us a bit about it? |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Peter
Posts:448
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| 03-05-2011 7:39 PM |
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Hello James and Karyn.
James, I was most interested in your web site piece on getting boys to read fiction. That's an interest of mine too.
Tonight I hope to draft to the end of the climax scene of my YA (for boys!) WIP. |
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http://writer.catplace.net |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:42 PM |
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Welcome, Peter!
It's great to have you here again tonight.
I'm looking forward to reading another portion of your ms at the end of the night. :)
Maybe James will have some tips on climax scenes for you. |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:45 PM |
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We'll be kicking off in about 15 minutes' time.
Start making that cuppa! |
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Karyn Markwell |
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James
Posts:17
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| 03-05-2011 7:48 PM |
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Hi everyone,
I'm new to this and didn't read the bit about the refresh button.
So, I'm onto it now and will start answering questions
James |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:49 PM |
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No worries, James.
I got left behind the first time I did this as well. :) |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Peter
Posts:448
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| 03-05-2011 7:50 PM |
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| James, you identified action (eg, sport) as an important theme to 'hook' boys. I'm hoping there's also a niche for more intellectual/technical stories to attract more academically-minded boys (eg, geeks, like I was/am). Any thoughts? |
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http://writer.catplace.net |
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James
Posts:17
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| 03-05-2011 7:52 PM |
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Karyn,
You asked about my new fantasy novel - titled 'Silvermay' it is the first in a trilogy about a girl of that name. 'Silvermay' is to be launched at Riverbend on 30 may, so if you would like to come along, please do.
Silvermay is 16 - older than the characters in my previous fantasy trilogy. The world is medieval because I like it that way. There are no dragons, witches, wizards and the like in this book. The evil presence comes from a group of humans called Wyrdbord (pronounced Weird-born) and of course Silvermay falls love with one of these forbidden people
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James
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| 03-05-2011 7:53 PM |
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Hi Peter,
I was a teacher librairan at Marist Ashgrove - same school as Michael Bauer and that where I got a lot of the background for my boys stuff. The boys were a real inspiration for my writing, too. I used to imagine I was writing for specific groups opf kids I knew by name. |
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Peter
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| 03-05-2011 7:54 PM |
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| ...which raises another question. I didn't have a love-interest in my first YA novel (unpublished), and the main plot of my WIP doesn't need one. I can see how to tack one on, but should I? I've heard publishers say they simply refuse to publish YA that doesn't have romance! |
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http://writer.catplace.net |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:55 PM |
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| Peter: that's a wonderful question and I'm looking forward to hearing James's response to it. What genre did you like to read when you were a teenager? |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:56 PM |
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| 5 minutes until Race time! |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Peter
Posts:448
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| 03-05-2011 7:56 PM |
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Karyn, I got put off fiction by what the teachers forced me to read. At home, I read non-fiction, even reference books!
I'm now trying to write what I think might have appealed to me then (but with more megahertz, etc). |
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http://writer.catplace.net |
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James
Posts:17
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| 03-05-2011 7:58 PM |
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First, please tell me what WIP is.
As for romance in YA, I disagree that there must be a romance. YA is such a broad genre. There was no romance in my first three YA novels and while that is going back a bit, I would be wary of tacking one on just to make the story more marketable. Where I have gone for a romance, such as in "Touch Me' and 'Kill the Possum' , the relationship has been integral to the plot, a real driving and motivating factor.
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:59 PM |
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| James: your Silvermay novel sounds very readable, especially for those who (like me) usually don't read within the fantasy genre. Can you tell us a bit about writing love scenes for teenagers? |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 03-05-2011 7:59 PM |
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| WIP = work in progress |
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Karyn Markwell |
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