Have you written fantasy before?
Once at high school. It was a long and boring narrative about a boy who escapes into a dreamland to cope with his best friend’s death.
What was the hardest challenge to write a piece like yours?
Using mythic language to its maximum effect and trying not to bore readers, while narrating a story which has an epic feel to it.
What did or didn’t you do for inspiration?
I read Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion’. I didn't watch TV, reruns of shows like TOP GEAR on DVD, play Wii or browse the internet for excuses to procrastinate.
Was the word count hard to keep?
No, I like shorter pieces. Since I was the project officer at that time, I conveniently chose a word count that suited me.
What are your feelings on the project?
I enjoyed working on it. Hanging out at Macca's with writers while consuming lots of coffee is my kind of fun.
Do you see the project as being worthwhile?
Yes. It has been a great learning experience.
What are your hopes for the Chronicles?
My dream for the T'ville Chronicles is for it to become an open project where other members of WITS can contribute towards world building and create new and interesting characters who will carry the flame of destiny in new directions and explore the SOUTHLANDS. (Even though I framed the myth, that term was coined by Casey. She is a genius).
(Steven's story is about a tribe of people who live in the trees and fashion their boats to float with bladders of air.)
What did or didn't you do for inspiration?
I had an idea for some time floating around my empty head and when this opportunity came up to write the story, it just flowed out.
Was the word count hard to keep?
Word count!!! What word count? Yes I was a little over, but I hope they don't notice.
What are your feelings about the project?
For me, it was exciting and a good challenge. When you get so many writers in on one project like this, it could have been the battle of the biggest egos. Somehow I thought we muddled through quite well and after the first story was read out we started to slowly get that interwoven story line though our own stories.
Do you see the project as worthwhile?
100%. This would have been the second longest piece I had written at the time and it has flowed onto other projects.
Who do you think will read/buy the Chronicles?
Besides everyone in Townsville, maybe some big movie producer will make a feature movie out of each story. (There goes my head in fantasy world again.) I also would like to see it go right across Australia and to other writing groups, especially the ones that are just starting up.
Did you write with this in mind?
No, I wrote it for the challenge and the enjoyment.
What are your hopes for the Chronicles?
That whoever reads it will always keep that boook in their collection of good reads and in time it will be classed by many people that have read it as a classic.
Thanks, Steven, on your insight into how you found the tribe in the sky.
No. This is my first attempt to write fantasy.
What did you find hardest about writing your piece?
I’m a very practical individual and I found it hard to adapt to writing about Mythical characters and situations. However it did challenge my imagination and I enjoyed the experience.
How did you maintain your inspiration?
Writing in a friendly group and having them critique and discuss all of the stories in a very professional way within the group, helped enormously.
Was the word count hard to keep?
My first draft was well within the limit. Once I started to improve and expand the story with description and dialogue, it blew the limit. I feel that more time spent on the story would have tightened it but one has to prioritize our activities and my time is limited.
What are your feelings about the project?
This is only the second time that I have written for something published by a group. We all started with a lot of enthusiasm but we encountered many pitfalls along the way, most of which were not caused within the group. We learned quite a lot during this project and I am sure that we will approach the next project with a lot more experience.
Do you see the project as being worthwhile?
I think it has been enormously worthwhile, especially to a “marginal” writer like myself. I have learned a great deal from the other participants and the experience of being part of a project of this nature.
What do you mean ‘Marginal’ writer?
Well not only do editors ask me to put extra wide margins on my work so they can fit their derogatory comments on the page, but I have also spent a lot of my life writing technical reports. That makes my writing experience ‘marginal’ to this type of literature. Technical writing makes me a great proponent of the “dot point” system. I bet I could write a one hundred thousand word novel in fifty pages using dot points.
By:
One comment on the first draft of my story was that it sounded like a shopping list. I had to maintain my enthusiasm and go on from there.
What are your hopes for the chronicles?
We had hoped to have the Chronicles published in book form and actually had a publisher lined up to do just that. Unfortunately slow progress and a falling world economy ruined our chances. Publishing the chronicles on ‘the WWW is a very attractive alternative as it will get our work out there and hopefully promote the chances of the stories being picked up either individually or as a collective.
