Michael Wagner's Blog

That's lovely feedback thanks Ailish. I'm so glad ...

2009-10-17T16:39:30.325+11:00

That's lovely feedback thanks Ailish. I'm so glad you liked them!! Yeah, maybe Itching for Action is the best of the Undys books. Hmm?

Ah, it was One Wacky Week. Managed to get another ...

2009-10-17T15:48:28.654+11:00

Ah, it was One Wacky Week.
Managed to get another one. Hehe. That one was Itching For Action and it was just as good as One Wacky Week (if not better, if that's possible for the second book to be read. Isn't the first one you read always supposed to be the best?).
Can't wait to read your book about Eddie Innocent.
Still thanking you for the writing tips too, by the way.

Hey Simon. Nice to hear from you (in this blog tha...

2009-09-04T20:53:59.330+10:00

Hey Simon. Nice to hear from you (in this blog that is!). Sounds like I need to read that Martin Amis book, although the whole concept of a book written in the future tense slightly does my head in. Then again, so does second-person writing and I soon got used to it in Bright Lights Big City. I think I'd better try to get my hands on Time's Arrow!!

Hey so if you wrote a whole story in the future te...

2009-09-04T14:03:15.872+10:00

Hey so if you wrote a whole story in the future tense, then every single statement would be conditional. E.g., "Jill will ride her bike" — how do we know that between now and the moment she rides the bike, her plans won't change? Therefore, every single sentence is not guaranteed. To multiply this by the number of sentences in a story, that's a lot of uncertainty you build in. But I would *love* to read something like this. Maybe a job for Phillip K. Dick? Reminds me, too, of that book Time's Arrow, by Martin Amis. That's a cracker, you should read that!

Hi Jessica, Welcome aboard! Glad you like the blog...

2009-08-12T20:20:15.860+10:00

Hi Jessica,
Welcome aboard! Glad you like the blog. :^)
Cheers,
Michael

Hi, Glad you are blogging! It looks great by the w...

2009-08-11T22:54:10.234+10:00

Hi,
Glad you are blogging! It looks great by the way. Haven't had time to read more of your essays yet, but I will when things are less hectic.
See you tomorrow!
Cheers,
Jessica
jessica@ bobsbanter.com

Hah. Likewise, Michael.

2009-08-08T07:24:23.919+10:00

Hah.
Likewise, Michael.

Glad you liked my book, Ailish. Which one was it? ...

2009-08-07T22:08:55.304+10:00

Glad you liked my book, Ailish. Which one was it? Yeah, I'm not quite as dark as John Marsden, although the book I'm writing at the moment, about Eddie Innocent, is much darker than the Undys or Maxx Rumble!!

Not sure that I get it either?! Nice to hear from ...

2009-08-07T22:05:09.001+10:00

Not sure that I get it either?! Nice to hear from you again, Ailish!!

Well, that's a profound statement within itself. I...

2009-08-07T21:25:36.098+10:00

Well, that's a profound statement within itself. I don't know that I quite understand entirely.

Hey there Michael, here I am. It's been awhile. I'...

2009-08-07T21:17:11.156+10:00

Hey there Michael, here I am. It's been awhile. I'e been so involed in my stories!
Haha, I sort of broke this fella's rule to stay off "Distractions" while writing by checking your blog. Oh well, it was worth it.
I think that article was quite close to genius. I don't know how many times I've been so busy looking up things on the internet to add into my story that I used up all my time.
Though doing exactly 20 minutes every day is difficult, and stopping at your goal is also difficult. It's just as good, if not better, as reading a book written by an amazing author! You can't put it down!
Speaking of which, I finally got my dirty little hands on one of your books. Sheesh! It took until now. Shows how popular they are. Well, I read it, and I enjoyed it, and I laughed at it and whatnot. It was (for lack of a better phrase) very good, and very funny. Very nice in contrast with the John Marsden books, where someone dies every 3 pages.
In short, loved it. Hilarious. I was so involved that I missed out on ball games at the Sports Carnival.. Oops!
Gee, that was longish. I really can't help myself.

Great to hear from you Jonathan. I'm so glad peopl...

2009-06-17T14:30:24.499+10:00

Great to hear from you Jonathan. I'm so glad people liked my flying tour of the Booroondara libraries. I really enjoyed the day too!

Isn't this article great. It makes you realise that writing a novel isn't a full-time job for a year. It's not a terrible mountain to climb. It's just a task you have to chip away at over a long, and enjoyable, period of time. It's a daydream you're playing with for a whole year. I reckon that Doctorow guy is very clever!

I read that article too and have started putting i...

2009-06-17T12:57:30.665+10:00

I read that article too and have started putting it into practice.

My old aim of 3000 words per week wasn't working. But 250 words per day taking only 20 minutes is something I can manage. Especially when slotting it in around work and kids.

BTW, I got some more positive comments about your visit with us at Boroondara. Thanks again!

Ahaaaa. That's good. I'll use that. Thanks!

2009-05-10T17:25:00.000+10:00

Ahaaaa.
That's good. I'll use that. Thanks!

Now if you've already written 760 words, you proba...

2009-05-04T16:59:00.000+10:00

Now if you've already written 760 words, you probably don't want to add anything more. However, you could still change the structure of what you've done if that'll improve it. Here's the structure as you've described it:

I run into the beach with my sister.
I catch some waves on my bodyboard.
my sister challenges me to a competition.
I accept.
I catch a wave that nearly drowns me.
The prize is a hug.

That's a nice, simple structure. The only thing I could suggest is deepening the story, by thinking quite hard about the relationship between the two sisters.

If they like to top each other, and the sister is older than the narrator, the end could be about how, after making her sister do something dangerous (like swim out too far)- then nearly losing her - the big sister feels guilty and much more appreciative of her little sister.

Maybe??

So really, what you want to think about, I'd suggest, is what each character in the story feels about the other character - what they all want. When you know what they want, you can decide who gets what they want in your story.

Make sense?

After 11 days I finally remembered what it was! I ...

2009-05-04T07:08:00.000+10:00

After 11 days I finally remembered what it was!
I discovered that my story 'Identity Crisis' exceeds the 800 word limit, so I had to write another one and I need your advice on it.
Because it's so short I couldn't do much with it so it's neither funny or moderately exciting. I'm hoping you can help with that.
It's called 'A day at the beach' (because I was at the Gold Coast when I thought of it).
The storyline goes sort of like this.
I run into the beach with my sister, I catch some waves on my bodyboard, my sister challenges me to a competition, I accept, I catch a wave that nearly drowns me, the prize is a hug.
Anything more I can do to that without adding words? It's already up to about 760.

Hmmm ... indeed. :^)

2009-04-22T21:44:00.000+10:00

Hmmm ... indeed. :^)

Oh yes, you only killed her. Just kidding ;) Ok I ...

2009-04-22T17:30:00.000+10:00

Oh yes, you only killed her.
Just kidding ;)
Ok I have something important to say...
"Tell me then!" you say.
"Well trust me, if I knew what it was I would have told you by now." I reply.
Hmm....

I got your email, so you're in the competition. So...

2009-04-21T20:48:00.000+10:00

I got your email, so you're in the competition. Sorry I gave your mum a fright. I hope she's okay now?

I think that must be the case, Ailish. Feel free t...

2009-04-09T10:05:00.000+10:00

I think that must be the case, Ailish. Feel free to send it again if you like. :^)

It was my name, but I had to use outlook so I woul...

2009-04-09T07:39:00.000+10:00

It was my name, but I had to use outlook so I wouldn't have a CLUE how to use it.. it probably didn't even send. :)

That sounds like a fascinating story, Ailish. I ho...

2009-04-08T22:33:00.000+10:00

That sounds like a fascinating story, Ailish. I hope it does really well!!

Hey, I didn't know you were in my competition? I don't remember receiving your email. Was it in a name other than Ailish?

There's a Literary Competition going on in QLD rig...

2009-04-08T20:16:00.000+10:00

There's a Literary Competition going on in QLD right now, and you've inspired the story I'm entering in it actually. It's called 'Identity Crisis' and I got the idea from when I entered my name into your 'I'm in a book' competition. It's about a girl named Ailish, but nobody calls her that name. Nobody really knows her name or uses it except for her best friend Violet, but then Violet dies in a car-crash and Ailish sort of loses her wits for a little while, if you catch my drift. Ehehe.. Coo-coo!
I'm excited about it.
What I'm meaning to say is, thanks for the inspiration! Once again, couldn't have done it without you.
Cya round.

Ahh. My first ever comment. Such a short time ago,...

2009-04-04T16:08:00.000+11:00

Ahh. My first ever comment. Such a short time ago, yet so long. :) I was nervous about posting on that day, although why I don't know.
This has still got to be my favourite tip, because I really DO like seeing my hero suffer.

HahaI'll pass on the message.

2009-04-02T21:35:00.000+11:00

Haha
I'll pass on the message.