Ask Ally Condie - Tuesday, March 12th! discussion
Ask Ally!
Hi Ally,I loved your books! What did I like most? YOUR WRITING-STYLE! You´re amazing! Your books are the most well-written I had ever read!
PD: I'm not a native English speaker, so I'm sorry if there are mistakes on my comment
Dear Ally,When you wrote these books did you have any idea where to start, or any idea what the books would be about? Where did you come up with the idea of the Society and all they're rules for living there? Who would you choose? Ky, or Xander?
What advice would you give to a young writer with a passion for romance. How did you become a writer? When did you know you loved to write?
Dear Ally,Have you ever thought of writing matched from KY's point of view? It would get a lot more boys besides me reading the trilogy.
From,
Dylan
Hi Ally!!!I have to say I loved your books sooooo much! I have read the whole series, and two of your books (and wanting Reached!). I have some questions.
1: who did Cassia end up with? And how did you choose between Ky or Xander?
2. are these books going to become a movie series? Please say yes!
3. what happened to some of Cassia's friends,like Em, after the first book?
4. are you going to write anymore books?
If I have anymore questions, I'll ask you.
Thanks!
Erica
hello ally! Greetings from Argentina!I have to ask ... ever thought that your book would do so well known and would be translated and read in other countries? and that would have so many fans? have any new projects?
I read matched and then crossed and I did that my friends read them.
sorry for my English ...
Mod
I have to ask ... ever thought that your book would do so well known and would be translated and read in other countries? and that would have so many fans? hav..."
I had no idea MATCHED would be sold in foreign countries, or that it would hit the bestseller list. It has all been so wonderful and unreal. It makes me happy to know that people in other countries read the book. And I think your English is wonderful!
I really appreciate anyone who recommends the books to their friends. That's a huge honor.
Mod
It took me eighteen months to complete the first full draft of my first book. And then I had to revise it. I've gotten faster since then, but I'm definitely a slower writer than many of my peers. A book a year feels like the right pace for me and my writing process--I'm thinking about it and working on it daily, but it's not a rushed, crazy situation. I know other authors are a lot faster and I think that's awesome. But I'm learning to be okay with my own process too. :)
Dear Ally,I loved your series and I felt the messages transcended beyond the "Young Adult" category - did you start out with a target of crafting the stories with "Young Adult" themes or did it end up to be that way? In any event, they're great!!!
Mod
First off, I loved the book. It was one of the few series that had me completely satisfied at the end. But to the point, have you ever thought about the "after"? Like, what happens ne..."
This is a really thoughtful, excellent set of questions. Yes, I do have ideas about what happens "after." Lots of ideas, in fact. And I thought about writing an epilogue. But in the end, it just felt right to end the story where we did--knowing who Cassia chose, knowing that they were able to change their world--but also leaving some things open to the reader.
I sometimes say that the end--SPOILER ALERT--is up to you. And it tells a little bit about you when you say who you think won the election in the end. I find that really fun. I love asking readers who they think won the election and their reasoning for that.
Mod
I answered some of these other questions in my longer responses, but I wanted to answer your question about CROSSED. Yes, I think Cassia needed that journey in CROSSED to become the kind of person who does what she does in REACHED. If she'd never left her family or had to survive on her own, then she couldn't have created the gallery, and she wouldn't have loved Ky as much or known him as well.
I call Cassia's journey "coming through the canyon" and I think we all have canyons (or mountains, or whatever metaphor you prefer!) that we have to come through alone. And we emerge different people.
Mod
I wanted to know if you named Ky "Markham" in reference to Gilbert Markham from Anne Brontë's novel "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" ? If it's so, why did you do that ?
Thanks for an..."
I didn't, actually! I haven't read THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL. But that's very fun to know there's a Markham in that story too. :)
Mod
I have a few theories behind this. The first reason they kept the tissue samples was the one you mentioned--as collateral, as something to hang over its citizens' heads.
Another reason I think the Society kept the samples is because I think the Society truly believed in their own power/brilliance. I think the Society DID think they could bring people back someday, and that's another reason they went to all the trouble to store the samples. They didn't have the technology yet, but they thought they'd develop it at some point.
And then, of course, when things started to go south for them, they couldn't spare all the resources they'd once hoped to use in discovering that technology.
Hope that helps! Again, much of this is not on the page of the books, but it's my own personal thoughts on the matter. :)
Mod
Firstly, will you ever possibly ever write a short story/e-book about Bran? He was definitely my favorite character and I missed him!
Secondly, I realize you left the ending vague on pu..."
I do love Bram too. He was a lot of fun to write. I think he definitely has his own story, and while I have no plans to write it now, I wouldn't rule that out. Never say never.
And thank you for the compliment about the playlists for the books! It's so fun to put those together.
Hi AllyI just want to tell you I love your books and that I even used it as my prose piece in forensics. My question is if you knew the outcome of the story even before you start or if it just came to you as you wrote.
Jessica
Any advice for writing, on teens trying to write their first novel?How did you come up with your ideas to write your series?
Dear ally,What type of audience were you thinking of when you were writing these books. Also how did you feel when Matched became a nutmeg book award nominee and so many people besides the normal crowd might pick it up and start reading.
From,
Dylan
Hi Ally, I just want to know how you got your inspriation for Matched series and was it hard to write and come up with the different personalities and such for the characters? Also, do you really think the Earth will be the way it is in your books one day?
Thanks,
Long time fan
Mod
How did you come up with the idea of the pilot and the rolling of the rock? Also are you currently writing another book? If so what is it about? :)
Becca"
I came up with the idea for the Pilot from two places--first, from the Tennyson poem in MATCHED that mentions the Pilot, and second, from the myth of Sisyphus (also mentioned in MATCHED). I decided to combine those two stories/poems and make that person into the leader of the Rising, and then I wrote my own origin story about the Pilot (it's the one that appears in CROSSED and REACHED). It was a lot of fun to do!
Dear Mrs. Condie, I just have one question: when you were finished writing the books, were you sad and stoppe writing or did you write doodads just to keep busy?
Mod
I was wondering if you could talk about the role of feminism in your series. I really appreciated the way you used a love triangle, but still emphasized Cassia's right to make her own dec..."
Thank you for this question! I wanted Cassia to be strong and make her own decision, as you mentioned. I also felt that it was important that she was calling the shots. SPOILER ALERT: So, that was why everything turned out the way it did in REACHED regarding the sorting.
Although Cassia is a quiet girl, I wanted to show that she was proactive. She was the one who found her way to the canyon to look for Ky--she was the one who chose the Rising. Not all of her decisions turned out perfectly, but they were all HERS. I hope that came through to readers.
Dear Ally,How difficult was the process you had to go through to get your book MATCHED published? When looking back do you ever feel like you wish you could have gone back and rewrote certain passages or plot lines or story arcs? My third question was already answered about whether you intended to go into the realm of the young adult genre when you started which is wonderful. Thank you for taking your time out of your day to answer all your crazy fans like me :)
Hi Ally!I was just wondering, which books have influenced your life the most? Also, what is the hardest part about writing in your opinion?
Thanks!
~Apoorva
Mod
I think your writing is amazing, and the best word to describe it is beautiful. It's probably one of the most well-written stories I've read. "
Thank you! And regarding the lack of combat--although war is scary and the stakes are high, I also feel like there are other things that (to me, at least) are just as frightening. Like a plague no one can solve, which is why I put the Plague in REACHED. (This might be the mom in me--I can't imagine helplessly watching my loved ones suffer and die from something for which there is no cure. It's my worst nightmare.)
I do love action in stories--and I put a war and bombing and a lot of death in CROSSED--but to me the most interesting moments happen when you find out WHY people are doing what they do and where it all began. What their motivations are. So that's what I focused most of the series on--that kind of internal tension that leads to external events, like the Plague and the firings and, on a smaller level, the choice Cassia has to make between the two boys. :)
HiI one question about Reached if you are willing to answer. How does the vote turn out?
Jessica
Mod
The Society, as you know, is not good. And so they've made things very homogenous. You can infer from the Matching system that the Matches are between male and female, and everyone else who felt differently or who would have preferred a different kind of Match was marginalized. As is, sadly, the case in our own society all too often.
And yes, your assumption about singles is correct. Great questions/inferences!
Dear ally,Do you believe that our world to day is becoming like the society or that this is just your imagination.
From,
Dylan
Mod
This is a really nice thing for you to say. I do practice in that I've been writing all my life and I've been writing every day for the past ten years. But the flow of the writing really comes from the voice of the character, and it ends up feeling very natural when it happens. In Cassia's case, her voice came to me as I worked on the first chapter, which was nice.
I do read things aloud after I write them to see how they sound. How the words look on the page is the first thing I notice, but then I also care how they sound when spoken. I think this helps me because you can really hear the awkward parts and fix them when you're reading out loud!
Hey ally I love your books I was just wondering if you relate yourself with Cassia?
Ms. Condie- Aside from your own excellent works what book(s) would you suggest for a young aspiring author to read? (My daughter is 11).
Thank you so much for answering questions and taking time to share some of your time and yourself with us.
Hey Ally! Great series. I have a question. Did you ever think that maybe Cassia would end up with Xander if Ky's face on the screen? Or would Ky and Cassia find a way to fall in love without hiking up the hill? And also, how did America, or whatever country was before, got destroyed and up came the Society? Thanks a million! -Zach
How hard it was for you to get in the head of Ky and Xander?? Did you always know you would be narrating from their POVs??
Ms. Ally,First of all, let me say how excited I am that ALLY CONDIE might be reading this. I loved your books and have loaned out my copy of Matched thrice and Reached twice. I even got my science teacher hooked!
I enjoy writing and love to come up with interesting scenarios like the Society in your (awesome) books. Lately I've been trying out religious dilemmas. I've recently started a piece in which a girl is for the most part free, except for the fact that she has no choice in who she wants to worship. A new character comes in and enlightens her to new and exciting things. I can't decide whether or not to make Christ a subject. It would feel weird to me not including my own beliefs, but I'm also hesitant so as not to offend anyone. (Not like I have any hopes of publishing!)
Would you please explain a little about what to do if a character's (or this characters's peers) beliefs differ from yours?
Thanks!!! Forever a fan!!!
Hi Ally,I am a Middle School Media Clerk. Your books are a huge hit with our students. I have read the first two, and am currently reading the third book. One concept you brought out was the elimination of writing and the knowledge of how to write. I found this fascinating because this concept in various forms has been discussed within the educational community as the digital world expands. Where did this idea come from? I thoroughly embrace technology and personally prefer typing over handwriting , but you made me reconsider the worth of writing. Thanks for an enjoyable trilogy!
DiAnna
Mod
I have several tricks for writer's block. First, I always have a second project I'm playing around with (which I call my "back burner" project, like the back burner on a stove). So, when my main project misbehaves, I can go mess around in my other project and sometimes that gets me unstuck.
Second, I go for a walk or a run. When I'm outside, my mind clears up and I like to get moving. I don't try to think about the book while I'm out. I let my mind be entirely clear (I also don't listen to music). That really helps.
Third, I tell myself that if these other two things aren't working, I have to take a break. I'll say, "You can't work on this book for a week!" And the first day or two without working on it might feel pretty good. But, almost every time, I want to get back to it before the week is up. Either I think of a solution to the block or I just want to roll up my sleeves and dig back in.
If none of these things work, then it might mean I'm trying to tell the wrong story. This happened to me once. It turned out that the "back burner" project was the one I really should have been working on all along, so I made that switch. ;)
Hope that helps!
hey Ally!i just recently read Crossed and i loved it.
but about Ky's old tablet that he traded for Cassias birthday poem, was that a Ipad or and Iphone?
Hello Ally! I'm also from Argentina, i just came back from Miami and was so happy that i could buy Reached because they only sell Matched and Crossed here! i read it all over the plane back to Buenos Aires and seriously loved the ending! my mom who was next to me at the plane asked me a few times if i was crying, i couldnt handle it, i just burst into tears pretty often. Thank you so much for the books, you made a lot of people very happy, including me! i just told a friend to read the trilogy i know she's gonna love it too!I just have one question if you dont mind i as something about Reached (SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!) why did you decided to end the story with Xander and Nea Lei together?
Mod
I would love to know where you would send Cassia and the gang if you were to add a fourth book. We have been discussing this in class and want to know what you suppose.
Also, thank..."
I don't have any plans for a fourth book, but I love that you have been thinking about it in class! I do think that a fourth book might take us to the Otherlands, but that's about all I dare say since I'm not planning to write one. And I love even more that your students have been enjoying the books! Will you tell them how much I adore hearing that? :)
Mod
When I finished writing the series, I started writing another book. Actually, I started writing two more books. :) I have so many ideas and not enough time to write them all down!
Mod
I am a Middle School Media Clerk. Your books are a huge hit with our students. I have read the first two, and am currently reading the third book. One concept you brought out was the elim..."
My fascination with the eradication of writing actually came about because my husband, who is very educated, cannot write cursive. The school district never taught him so he never took the time to learn. Which makes sense--it can be a tedious process. And then, as a teacher, I realized that we were losing much of our need for/ability to write by hand. So I thought I would take that to extremes in the book. Thanks for this question! :)
Is Cassia similar to you in any way? She is a very awesome heroine and I would love to know how you came up with such a character.
Dear Mrs. Condie: Hi! I'm writing a book write now, but honestly, it feels as if I dunno my characters really well! How do "get to know your character"? You know what I mean???
I have read all three of the Matched series and was wondering if there are going to be more???
Mod
That said, I did answer a LOT of the most frequently asked questions. If you wanted to know whether or not there will be a movie of MATCHED, if I'm writing anything new, if there will be any more books in the MATCHED trilogy, how I deal with writer's block, where I found the characters' names, what my inspiration was for the series, or whether any characters were based on people from real life, you can find those answers (and many more too!) by scrolling through the discussion.
Thanks again to all of you wonderful readers and to Goodreads for this chat! It's been a lot of fun.
xo
Ally
Hey Ally!So, I just wanted to tell you that I love you and your books.
That is all.
-Rielly :)
I was wondering why Cassia chose Ky. She had known him for forever, and they were best friends. Personaly I like Xander better because he is such a loyal person/ friend. He was an awesome person that tried to get rid of the society. Even though he wasn't with Cassia through her adventure, he helped her out along the way, (even if he alomost acciedently killed her...).Sincerly,
Sierra Williams
P.S. I;m friends with the Klinglers!;)
How did you feel when matched became a nutmeg nominee. And what do you think the chances of it winningFrom,
Dylan
I've read the Matched trilogy and absolutely loved it! How were you able to come up with something so original? Are you or will you continue to write YA books? You are a great author and I live your writing.
Your fan,
Sammi F