Private School News

Author shares her top tips

Luckley-Oakfield welcomes top teenager fiction writer

‘Characters turn the wheel of a plot’ popular fiction writer, Mary Hooper told girls at Luckley-Oakfield when she visited to share the secrets of her successful writing.

With the same editor as J K Rowling and over 40 books to her name, Mary was able to offer the eager Year 7 and 8 girls a real insight into the art of story telling. She shared with them about her approach to researching her novels, planning and editing, as well as working with publishing houses and the difficulties surrounding book covers.

Mary talked about drawing inspiration from all kinds of sources; including films. She explained how Ground Hog Day had sparked the idea for one of her novels about a boy who wishes to have his birthday everyday. Her early books featured 15 year old modern heroines, but having felt she had exhausted modern plots Mary moved to writing historical fiction. She explained how she uses eye witness material to ensure her historical settings are authentic.

Mary showed the girls how she plans her writing – no software package for her, but a storyboard divided into the same number of boxes as there will be chapters in the book. She adds post-it-notes with ideas about characters, settings and action. As she uses an idea in her script she destroys the sticky note.

The group heard that authors have no opportunity to participate in book cover choice. This is the publisher’s task.

At the end of a gripping talk there was an opportunity for girls to ask questions and they learnt that Mary’s favourite children’s books were the Just William series. She confessed to having no ambition at school and did not start writing seriously until she was 30 years of age.

The hour long session ended with book purchasing and signing.

School Librarian Mrs Jean Warwick commented, ‘The girls have much to think about after listening to Mary. I hope a few may copy her novel plan for their essays and perhaps some have acquired inspiration for stories of their own. Mary’s love of writing and history should convey enthusiasm and passion for the girls to emulate. Mary was very complimentary about our pupils. She said that she could not remember such a rapt audience.’