Blog

I did a lot of drawing in my notebook while I was planning and writing my new book, Monster Island. The island is inhabited by dinosaurs and strange creatures. Sketching these creatures helped me visualise them… making it easier to describe them in the story. As well...

When I was in primary school I used to do lots of drawing. I loved it. But I gave it up when I was in high school, mostly because people kept telling me I was no good at it. Looking back, I’m able to see that it was a really silly reason to give up something that I...

As a teen, I was a HUGE fan of the old Choose Your Own Adventure novels. They were so much fun to read. Have you ever read any of them? Or perhaps some other interactive books — Pick-A-Path? Fighting Fantasy? Choose Your Own Destiny? There are lots to choose from....

When a book gets edited, it’ll usually happen in two rounds. Round One is called the structural edit. This is where the editor will look at the big picture stuff. Does the story make sense? Does it have a logical progression? Is it well structured with a beginning,...

Despite what some people think, no book is ever written just the one time. It is written. But then it is re-written… and re-written… and re-written… and re-written… and re-written… and re-written… and re-written… however many times it needs to be. My books usually go...

I’m easily distracted and I have a short attention span. Oh look over there…. a poodle in a pink tutu. Because of this, I need to plan out my stories before I start writing. If I were to start writing without a plan, without knowing where the story is going, I’d...

As an author, I am forever writing notes. I have a crappy memory, so when I come up with an idea, I need to write it down straight away… otherwise I risk losing it. And I have lost ideas, many times. As a result, I now carry a notebook with me most of the time. When I...

The English language can often be a bit confusing. There are so many words that sound the same, but mean different things (there, their and they’re; to, too and two). There are words that mean similar things, so it’s really easy to use the wrong one (fewer or less;...

I never read just one book at a time. I always have a minimum of four books on the go. There is the book I’m reading on my own, the book I’m reading with my family, the book I’m reading to the 14-year-old and the book my 14-year-old is reading to me. Then, I’ll often...

I spent a large chunk of my primary school life being a reluctant reader. I was convinced that I didn’t like reading and I did my best to avoid books. I only ever read when I had to for school. But then in Grade 4 my school instigated a book club program. To kick it...

Hey there, everyone! My name is George Ivanoff and I’m here to blog at you for the next month. But before I get stuck into the meaty posts about reading and writing, I thought it might be a good idea to introduce myself and give you all a bit of info about me. I am 55...

This is my last blog post! Endings can be hard. They can be hard for the reader, who has just spent days, weeks or even months reading about a book’s characters and getting invested in their trials and tribulations. When readers finish a book they are forced to say...

I am a strong believer that you should always include at least one funny moment or character in your stories. Even if your story is about a serious subject, it is important to look for opportunities to give your readers some comic relief.  In my Figgy books the...

My favourite day trip while we were in Salzburg, Austria was to the Untersberg. We were excited to see an Austrian mountain up close! One of the best parts was that we caught a cable car up the mountain. I’m not a big fan of heights but I don’t mind travelling in...

One of my biggest pet peeves when I’m reading a book is when the author never mentions when or what their characters are eating. All humans need to eat to survive! Talking about food can also be a great way to give insight into your characters. For example, the Baby...