Ask Ally Condie - Tuesday, March 12th! discussion
Ask Ally!
Hi Ally, I was wondering, how hard was it to think of a dystopian-utopian concept? How did you come up with it? And what was in your mind when you created Cassia?
And lastly, who do you prefer, Xander or Ky? Why?
Thank you very much and I love your books!!!! I hope you would write more amazing series in the future.
Hey Ally!! What inspired you to put the poetry that you put into the books into the books?
Your writing is amazing :)
Mitchell
Dear Ally Condie,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 answering,
Sincerely
Mélaine (from France)
Hi there!I just wanted to know why you rote this series. Does it somehow relate to anything you have experienced.
PS my uncle (Anthony Reynolds) is also a writer but in a totally different genre...
Thankyou so much for sharing these books with us as I am sure it has brought lots of joy into our lives
Dear Ally,What was your inspiration for your book?
DId you just happen to think of the idea while having some coffee, or or was this an idea that you've been thinking about for a long time?
Secondly, are your characters based on anyone that you know of?
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions!
- Chloe
Hello, from Spain. :)My question is: when the book “Reached” will come to Spain? Kisses
P.S: I love your books! ;)
Hi Ally, I was wondering what your writing process is like. Do you start with an idea, jot it down and then go straight into making the story? Do you make an outline? Do you write the chapters in order or skip around as an idea comes to you? I bet your notes are awesome!
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Ally,How do you overcome writers block? I know this is a problem that a lot of writers face at some point in the writing process, so it would be helpful to a bunch of people if you could answer this.
Paige
P.S. I love the Matched trilogy. :)
Dear Ally,Where did you get the inspiration for the Matched, Crossed and Reached books?
Sincerely,
Sophia W.
P.S. these are some of my favorite books
Dear Ally,Where did you get the inspiration for your trilogy? Is any of it based on real life? On real people?
Thanks,
Sophia
P.S. I absolutely LOVE these books!
Hey Ally!
I've read all the Matched books and I can simply say I adore them! I'm hoping to become an author when I am older and just wanted to ask for some advice from you! Also, what helped you get through writing the series and not just give up midway?
I've read all the Matched books and I can simply say I adore them! I'm hoping to become an author when I am older and just wanted to ask for some advice from you! Also, what helped you get through writing the series and not just give up midway?
Ms. Condie,I am currently rethinking my attitude toward reading classics in high school as I think many are rather boring and turn kids off reading altogether. Do you think YA books like your series would be better suited for high school reading and discussion, thus sparking a love of reading and better preparing individuals for an appreciation of the classics later?
Thank you for your time.
hello, my name is michelle and i currently live in South Korea. I personally love your books and i wanted to know where you got the idea of these society things. Amazing, amazing, work
Dear Ally,I live for your series, and the way you write them. When I graduate I want to become an author, so I was wondering if you would give me some tips in the process of writing a beatselling novel!
Sincerely,
(I may be weird for asking this) Maya.
Dear Ally, I enjoyed the Matched trilogy very much. The books were so very good, and I am a little sad that the journey with Cassia and Ky is over. If you were to add a fourth book to the Matched series, what would it be about? Who would be the next leader? Would Ky and Cassia get married? What would life be like for Xander? Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Jessica
Hey Ally,
I was wondering, how did you come up with the storyline for the series? How did you decide to add poetry to the storyline?
Thanks,
Lizzy
I was wondering, how did you come up with the storyline for the series? How did you decide to add poetry to the storyline?
Thanks,
Lizzy
Ally, I'm a teen reader and aspiring author. I was curious, how do you come up with original ideas such as you did with Matched? Thank You,
Tiffany
Hello Ally!First I want to say I love the series. and my question is: How could Xander act so okay with the fact that Cassie was in love with Ky? Usually that doesn't happen in reality.
Hi Ally!!How long did it take you to write the first book, matched? Did you ever feel like you were running out of ideas, or things were getting kind of repetetive?
-Dottie
hi Ally!i'm jeremae, 17, and a fan of yours from the Philippines. i just wanted to ask, personally, are you team Ky or team Xander?
Dear Ally,
I loved the Matched Trilogy. It's my favorite book, so I want to ask, Are you coming out with a movie for the books soon? I would really love a movie. And if you are planing a movie, how far are you in the development of the movie?
I loved the Matched Trilogy. It's my favorite book, so I want to ask, Are you coming out with a movie for the books soon? I would really love a movie. And if you are planing a movie, how far are you in the development of the movie?
Ms. Condie,Question #2: Have you considered writing a prequel about the events leading up to the Society we see in Matched?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Ally! I really liked all your books, (haven't read Reached yet, just got it from the library) and I thought to myself, why did you pick "the Society"? Why didn't you pick a different name, such as "the Capital" like in The Hunger Games? (I am not suggesting that you should have picked a different name, I am just curious why.) Thank you for reading this!
Hi, Ally! I'm Danielle. I read Matched over the summer. I thought it was by far one of the best books I've read in a while. Although the book made me an emotional mess, I love the story line. I was too aggravated with the community to start the second book but I think I will. My question is: Did you read The Giver beforehand? And did you get any of your ideas from there? If not, how'd you think to write the book?
I am hoping to write a book. What tips would you give to aspiring authors?
Were you always sure it was going to be Ky, not Xander?
Hi Ally! I loved your Trilogy! What advice do you have for aspiring writers? And how did you come up with the idea of the the matching? And are you planning on writing another novel?
Dear Ally,What generation did you base the Match Trilogy off of? Like, the future, past, present, a whole different world? Also, where was the Society supposed to be in the world and where were the Otherlands?
Sincerely,
Sarah Panus
What book or series sparked your interest in reading, and if not a book then what? What genre or genres do you prefer to read above all else? Enjoyed this series immenesly and am eagerly awaiting any new
projects you choose to write in the hopefully very near future.
Hi Ally!I love this book series so far, and I can't wait to read Reached! As I was reading the books, I was thinking about a couple things. How did you came up with the idea for the Matched series? Thanks for reading this!
-Chloe
What an honor it is to speak with you today Mrs. Condie. I have read and own all of your books and I loved every min. reading them. I would like to know if you base your characters off of real people in some way or not? and if so who? what gave you the inspiration to put the songs, poems and art into the series?
In Crossed Cassia sets out on a long journey. do you think this helped her to discover who she needed to be?
Do you have any regrets about the book or series? If you could, would you change anything?
If faced with Cassie's challenges what would you do?
If your own life was a subject of a book what type of fiction would it be: humor, horror, love story..ect.?
What kind of message do you hope your books send to readers?
thank you so much for you time
Amanda
First off, THANK YOU for sharing the world of MATCHED with all of us! I still remember my experience reading through the first ARC....I purposefully staggered it out over a few months, digesting a chapter or two at a time to make it last longer. So good. ^_^ My questions for you have probably been asked a gajillion times (both here and previously) but if you have a moment, I'd sure appreciate it.
1) Favorite character from the series...and why.
2) How do you suppose you'd get on in a Society set up the way your world was?
3) If you had to write it all over again, is there any big twist you'd make (not that it needs it ^_^) or additional character/place/experience you'd input?
Thanks for your time...and thanks for the great reading!
Gina
Dear Ally,In Crossed you switched back and forth from Ky to Cassia but in Matched you only wrote the book from Cassia's point of view. Why is that? What made you right The Matched Trilogy?
Dear Ally,What made you want to use the names Xander, Ky, or Cassia?
-Lucy
I may not be this series' biggest fan, but that doesn't mean that I can't be extremely curious about some things unanswered in the series. My question is about the blue pill. If the resistance didn't choose Cassia, that means that she's not immune to any of the pills, so.... How the heck did Cassia walk through the blue pill. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Yeah, yeah, I got the part about her never taking the green pill, but from my understanding, the blue pill would work no matter what circumstances surrounded it.
Thanks!
Hi Ally! I'm a middle school librarian and my kids and I both loved the series. One question is left for us: Why did the Society keep the tissue samples? I know it was told that some groups used it as leverage to keep people thinking they could replicate their deceased love ones, but was that the only reason? It seemed odd to keep those tissue samples in the hills, or even at all, if they really could not do anything with them. Thank you for your time!!A fellow dystopian lover,
Angie
Hi Ally!I want to know if there is going to be a movie. I heard about it, and I would love it.I just want to know one more thing. WHY? Why do you make up perfect boys like Ky or Xander that doesn't exist in the real world? T________T
Hey Ally,I just want to say I LOVELOVELOVE the Matched Trilogy, and I thought you wrapped up all the mysteries quite nicely in Reached.
1. Did you know that Dylan Thomas's father was dying when he wrote the poem Don't Go Gentle in That Good Night? Because I didn't, and I just found that out yesterday in my Lit Class.
2. How did you find all the poems to include in the trilogy? How did you choose which poems to include?
3. Who is your favorite poet of all time?
Thank you!!!
Hey Ally!! Great job !! loved your series <3 I just want to know who is your favorite character and why ! Thank you !!! <3 :)
Did you always want to be an author? And are you going to continue writing YA? Where did you find your inspiration for the Matched trilogy?
What was the hardest part in writing these books?
Are you working on anything new?
Love your books!
-Andy
What is your advice for aspiring authors?-Andy
I'm now on reached and plus I here there making a movie to
Hi Ally!!I loved the Matched Trilogy and I can’t wait for your next book series. :)
1. I have always wanted to get a book published. What is the hardest part about becoming a published author?
2. How do you develop your characters? I felt so connected to each one of them!
3. How did you know when each book of the series was finished and the best book it could be?
Thank You.
-Rylee :)
Dear Ally,How did Ky get in the Matching Pool? Was it cause the first time when Cassia did the thing with the Match Banquet?
Sincerely,
Brianna Schwartz
P.S. This is my sign: <(").
Have you read other dystopian series (ie the Giver series) and how do you think the others inspired you? if you read them do you think it was hard to keep your ideas separate? I know in the giver they are matched together by their society but they are also given children instead of having their own. so I see similarity and difference in your writings.
When you write, what is the first part of the story to emerge?
Hi Ally. I loved Matched and I can't wait to read Crossed. I have a few questions for you:How did you decide on the title for Matched?
Are the bubbles (as I call them) on the cover supposed to be the tablets?
Who is you're favorite character in Matched?
What are some books that you like to read?
~Bailey
Dear Ally,How many edits did you have to do for each book? How did you know which edit would be the final one?
Did you ever put any samples of your books online for others to read and comment on before you became published?
I found your Matched Trilogy to be unique in that it emanated modern poetry and a state of abstractness. It took me a little while to get used to, but I enjoyed it.
Sincerely,
Leah
Now that you've finished the Mathched Trilogy (loved it by the way), do you have any ideas for a new novel you might write?/ are you currently working on a new novel?
Thanks! ♥