 Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Beyond the Expectations (an anthology of NZ intermediate school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
I was working on an ANZAC unit in my class and I was stuck on my story, and then I thought about writing something to do with what I was studying. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? This is my first writing competition. It is great that school gives me the support and time that I need. In my spare time I dance, and do other creative and sporty activities. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? I personally think that receiving feedback is great! It tells you what you need to work on, what you did well and what you did not so well. It also gives you other peoples' opinions on your story, and not just your own and your family's views. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? There are too many! But one author I would definitely have wanted to have dinner with would be Enid Blyton. One thing I would have asked her would be; Did you ever imagine that in 2018, your very first Famous Five novel that was published in 1942 would still be being read? Also, I would definitely like to meet David Walliams. One question I would ask him would be; Where on earth do you get all of your out of this world story ideas from? Tell us about your work in progress. Currently I am working on a piece that I am entering in a competition in about 7 weeks. The story is based in 100 years from now. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. My favourite genre to read and write is Fantasy. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I see my writing taking me to university and maybe even giving me a career in the future. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? Being a writer is an absolute privilege, because you are able to express yourself on pen and paper, and whoever reads the piece feels and sees the same things that you did when you were writing. Thank you so much for your answers.  Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Beyond the Expectations (an anthology of NZ intermediate school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
Nothing in particular- fantasies of parallel world's, family problems, just my imagination. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? Not overly so. This is the first one I have entered in actually. School is very important to me.... I love to learn. But this was a really cool opportunity. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? It's always good to hear what people think about your writing be it positive or negative so that you can improve on your flaws in the future. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? Either Susan Dennard or Veronica Roth. I'd love to know what inspired their stories and the world's within them and how they come up with such creative and intriguing characters and scenes. Tell us about your work in progress. I am in the midst of writing a novel (I'm only at page 80) but if this question is referring to while I was writing my short story my method is: I start with a rough idea and a few disruptive phrases I want to use before starting to write. After writing I go through taking out all my unneeded sentences and words before editing. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. I love a variety of genres but I especially love young adult fantasy, books with lands and people different to ours with trouble- filled quests and relationships. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I feel it will always be a passion of mine even though I may not manage to make a living from it, I will keep writing. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? It is an amazing feeling ... being able to describe situations so vividly as so you can almost bring your characters to life. I love it. Thank you so much for your answers. Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Beyond the Expectations (an anthology of NZ intermediate school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
I combined and reworked two story ideas that hadn't worked out previously. It is a story about twin brothers, set in the Victorian era in New Zealand and London. Dramatic events happen to them at the same time, with a strange supernatural link. I have an ancestor who was a sea captain, who drowned while on night watch off the coast of Wellington in around 1850. This inspired me to write about the sea captain in the story. I am also really interested in Greek and Roman mythology. That's what gave me the idea of using Castor and Pollux, the mythological twins. They were also the patrons of sailors, in the form of the Gemini constellation and St Elmo's fire. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? I love writing competitions, because it really inspires me to get writing. It is really important to me. Last year I got my story published, so this year I wanted to do even better. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? I really liked getting feedback. It is really good to see what accomplished adult writers think of my writing. It was really helpful to see what strengths they saw, so I can use similar devices in future stories. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? J.K Rowling, because she was rejected but then had such huge success. I would like to talk with her about all the different myths and legends and her research on magic. I saw a documentary about her research which was really interesting. Tell us about your work in progress. I have got a few ideas I am working on. I want to write a story set in Scotland with mythical wolf-like creatures. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. I like mysteries that have a supernatural theme. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I am going to keep writing, but I am not sure if I will be able to do it full time. I might become a journalist, or work in publishing or tutoring at university. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? Ideas can come from the craziest places. You really need to do non-fiction research if you want to get a sound background for your stories, to make it seem more realistic - even if you story is about fairies and dragons! Thank you so much for your answers and we hope you keep writing.  Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Write Off Line - Timegate to Tomorrow (an anthology of NZ secondary school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
Well, I used my own life to inspire me to write this story. While mapping out what would happen in my story, I would think back to my own school and life as a student. I thought it would be fun to exaggerate the troubles and feelings we all have as students, and apply them to a futuristic setting. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? I think they're very important, at school sometimes we don't get enough opportunities to express our talent. Writing competitions are a fun way to challenge students who love writing, and it makes them strive to do their best. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? I think that receiving feedback is really useful and helpful for an aspiring author; it lets them know what they can do to improve their writing, and what they're doing right in their piece. I personally love receiving feedback, whether its criticism or encouragement. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? I would most like to have dinner with Veronica Roth (Author of the Divergent series) and I would ask her: "Where did you find the motivation to write three books of one series that is constantly interesting for the reader?" Because I've attempted to write ONE book before, and I never find the motivation to continue on with its chapters- the story either gets to boring, or I can't be bothered continuing. Tell us about your work in progress. I'm waiting for the next opportunity to open up so I can write a short story again, but every now and then I jot down a new metaphor or idea. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. My favourite genre would probably be fantasy or adventure. I love being pulled into a different reality where anything is possible and where there is always a surprise around the corner. I can forget about what's going on in my world, and follow the character as they go through a journey with its own challenges. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I love writing in my spare time, and I love reading just as much. I would still love to enter writing competitions in the future, I'll keep reading, and maybe one day I'll complete a book of my own. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? Creating your own world is the best! Thank you so much for your answers.  Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Write Off Line - Timegate to Tomorrow (an anthology of NZ secondary school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
The two sci-fi films ‘GATTACA’ and ‘Blade Runner’. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? It’s great because it gives me a chance to work towards something that isn’t an NCEA assessment. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? I think it’s great because it gives me a chance to know what I did well and what I need to work on. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? Rick Riordan and i would ask him about how he gets so much humour into his stories. Tell us about your work in progress. I am about to start writing a Sci-Fi short story for FPS (Future Problem Solving). I just need to figure out what to write about. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. My favourite genre right now is Crime Fiction, right now I’m reading ‘Murder on the Orient Express’. It’s great seeing the detective try to solve a murder with very obscure clues. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I hope that one day I’ll get my own book published. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? It’s always an amazing feeling watching someone read your work and find it funny or entertaining. That’s why I write, so I can make people’s days just a little bit better. Thank you so much for your answers.  Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Write Off Line - Timegate to Tomorrow (an anthology of NZ secondary school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
I wanted to write a piece that had a sense of foreboding as well as using different techniques and rhythm to what I would normally use. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? I think they are important because they help lots of young writers to be able to share their work and they give a platform that encourages students to give writing a go. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? I like to receive feedback although sometimes it can be difficult taking critiques on something so personal as writing. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? Maya Angelou, I would ask her how she wrote her biographies. Tell us about your work in progress. I’m currently attempting to write a book that subtly addresses a lot of issues that people find difficult to talk about. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. My favourite genre currently is autobiographies because of the fact that so many people have lead such amazing lives and it’s so cool to read about how others see the world. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? Although I don’t necessarily see myself having a career in writing I want to continue at it because I enjoy it so much. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? I think writing is such an amazing form of self expression and it’s so wonderful to read others stories and share my own. Thank you  At the Young NZ Writers annual Day Out in June we caught up with Beyond Expectations finalist and contributor, Izzi Anderson a Y8 student from Raroa Intermediate in Johnsonville, who’d come all the way to Tauranga to participate in our workshop. She kindly agreed to answer some questions for us. Hi Izzi – thanks so much for joining us.
So, you’ve come all this way; does that mean you hope to be a writer one day? —I hope so. I’ve always considered that I’d like to write for a career, but I doubt my ability to concentrate long enough to write a book. Maybe I’ll do veterinary science…but writing is my dream. How did you hear about the competition? —I’m in an extension writing group at school and our teacher Miss Dunn told us about the competition and gave a presentation about the kinds of stories we could write. I really enjoy writing, especially horror and science fiction, so I thought I would enter the competition. Why horror and sci-fi? What draws you to this genre? —I feel it’s mainly about the books I’m reading. I’m currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee at school, but my favourite story of all time is The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud. It kept me up all might. It was really scary. “I feel the books you read influence the stories you write.”— Izzi Anderson Is this the first writing workshop you’ve attended? —I went to another one once in Wellington. It was part of our extension writing class and we met some other New Zealand writers. One of them was Mandy Hager and there was a slam poet, too. It was almost as good at this one. I’m glad I convinced my parents to let me come to Tauranga to come to this one. It’s been really cool. I’m going to go back and show some things to my writing teacher, too. She’ll be so excited to see what I’ve learned. So, you said you’re not sure if you have the concentration to write a novel? Does that mean you’d like to have a go? I filled a lot of exercise books with nonsense stories when I was younger. In some ways I feel writing short stories is easier, but at the same time harder: you don’t have to spend so much time to write a short story, but you have to suggest what happened in a short amount of words. It’s the concept of show-not-tell; you don’t tell the readers what’s happening exactly, instead you suggest it. Thanks so much for chatting with us, Izzi, and thanks for coming to our Day Out. [Please give our thanks to your teacher Miss Dunn for supporting our programme, too!]  At the Young NZ Writers annual Day Out in June we caught up with Otumetai College student Angus Heay, who kindly agreed to answer some questions for us.
Hi Angus – thanks for joining us. This is the first time you’ve attended one of our workshops. Why did you decide to come? —I’ve always loved writing. I tried writing a fantasy book, but it really wasn’t good enough to be published, so. I thought I’d come to learn some techniques for writing better – especially some tips about how to write characters; I’m not so good on character. You would have enjoyed our session on Characters and Conflict by Jean Gilbert and William Dresden, then? —Yes, definitely. I liked the other sessions, too. It was helpful to learn how to write yourself into a short story too; getting an idea for a book using setting, theme, and personal experiences. Sometimes, it can be really hard to think of anything. What about competitions? Will you enter some now? Yes, I think I’ll try and enter more competitions. What’s your favourite genre to read? —Fantasy. Because so many things can happen with fantasy. You can write what you want without limits. It’s intriguing and captivating. What about your favourite books? What authors do you like to read? —My favourite all time book is Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh. It’s classic 1920s comedy. My favourite writer of all time is JK Rowling. Her world building is so amazing; believable and quirky. I also like to read books by Michael Grant. His characters are so believable and realistic with so many different layers. Thanks for stopping by to chat with us Angus and for attending our Day Out. We hope to see more of your writing in the future.  Congratulations. Your short story was a finalist in this year’s Beyond Expectations (an anthology of NZ intermediate school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
I was in class and noticed a square of metal on the floor. It looked like a trapdoor, and I thought I could use that for the Beyond Expectations writing competition. Later I changed it to a manhole. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? I love writing, but I haven’t entered many competitions like this before. I was thrilled to get published! What is your opinion on receiving feedback? I think feedback is important. If no-one gives you feedback, you won’t know what to improve in your writing. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? I am reading the Lord of the Rings at the moment, so I think I would like to have dinner with J.R.R Tolkien. My questions would be: What inspired your story? Was it hard to come up with the Elvish language and the other languages? What was your favourite book growing up? YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. I like books which are set in the real world, with fantasy involved. The Hobbit is a good example. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I would like to enter a few more competitions, and if I get a good idea I might try to write a book. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? Anybody can write! Thank you so much for your answers. We look forward to seeing your writing in print in the future.  Congratulations. Your short story, A Warlock’s Wish, was a finalist in this year’s Beyond Expectations (an anthology of NZ intermediate school writing). Tell us about your story. What inspired it?
My story was inspired by my love for mythology and mythical creatures. You’re a student in your spare time. So tell us really, how important are writing competitions? I feel that writing competitions are quite important. I love reading and writing and so competitions are a fun way to express my ideas. What is your opinion on receiving feedback? Feedback is always good to receive because there is always room for improvement, I am always happy to hear what someone else thinks of my writing. Name the writer (dead or alive) who you would most like to have dinner with and tell us what you would like to ask them? Rick Riordan (because I've read all his books). I would ask him how he gets ideas as he has a great imagination, and in fiction imagination is always needed. Tell us about your work in progress. I am working on more short stories but they are still in very rough drafts. YA fiction, of all the genres, is addressing the real issues. Discuss your favourite genre. My favourite genres are fantasy and mystery because I love the element of magic and something to get your brain ticking. Where do you see your writing taking you in the future? I am not sure where my writing will take me in the future but hopefully it will take me far. Anything else you would like to say about being a writer? I think that writing (for this competition) is a fun experience. Thank you so much for your answers. We look forward to seeing your writing in print in the future. |
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