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Photo credit: Peta Twisk
Shivaun Plozza’s critically acclaimed debut novel, Frankie, was nominated to ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List, highly commended at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, and won the Davitt Award for best YA crime novel. Her second novel, Tin Heart, was nominated to ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Shivaun's most recent YA novel, The Worst Perfect Moment, received three starred reviews and sold into multiple territories. Shivaun’s middle grade debut, The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars, was a JLG selection. Her other middle grade novels include A Reluctant Witch’s Guide to Magic, Meet Me at the Moon Tree, which was shortlisted for the ABIA awards, and Summer of Shipwrecks, which was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards. Running in Circles is her latest novel. Shivaun lives in Geelong with her cat, Fenchurch.
Get to know shivaun
Author q&A
Why did you decide to become an author?
I became an author because I was (and still am!) a big reader. When I was a kid, I loved nothing more than getting lost in a book, imagining I was part of the story, going on adventures with my favourite characters in my imagination. When I was fourteen, I read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and loved it so much it inspired me to pick up a pen and have a go at writing my own novel. I remember thinking what an incredible job it would be to be someone who created worlds, characters and stories that people loved as much as I loved The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. And I never looked back.
Where do you get your ideas from?
I always say that authors are like magpies: we pick up all the shiny, interesting things we come across to take back to our nests. So as a writer, I’m always on the lookout for things that grab my attention, that spark my curiosity. I often find inspiration in real life events, such as the NASA mission to the moon that flew hundreds of tree seeds into space, or the mysterious crop circles that appeared outside Tully, Far-North Queensland, in 1966.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It varies a lot. The shortest I’ve managed was three months and the longest was ten years. It really depends on the book but mostly it takes me around a year. Even when I feel like I have a solid story idea, I won’t know if it’s truly any good until I start writing. It also depends on how easily a story idea is to realise. Some ideas are amazing in your head but as soon as you try to write it down, it’s almost impossible to make it come to life.
What is the most difficult part of writing a book?
Because it’s such a long and difficult task, it’s hard to stick with it, especially when things might not be going to plan (like the book that took me ten years to write!). I’m a full-time author so that means I have to convince myself to keep heading into my home office every day, even when the story isn’t working and I haven’t figured out how to fix it. I keep a post-it note next to my computer listing the things I love most about writing so that when I’m feeling down, I can look at those statements and remember why I do it.
Do you ever get writer’s block?
I don’t! I sometimes find it difficult to write and I’m always struggling with the worry that what I’m writing is the most horrible trash that no one will ever want to read, but I never get to the point where I can’t write. If I am struggling with a story, I just put it aside and work on a different one. I find that when you’re not actively thinking about a problem, when you don’t stress about it constantly, the ideas for how to fix it will come to you.
Which character from your books do you relate to the most?
Sid from Summer of Shipwrecks. I put a lot of myself into her. Like me, she’s highly imaginative and loves making up stories. But she also worries a lot about being left behind by her friends as they grow up quicker than her and it leaves her feeling lost and confused. Perhaps because I put so much of my own feelings and experiences into that book, it was the easiest I’ve ever written. It just flowed out of me.
Do you outline your stories, or do you write spontaneously?
A bit of both. I do a lot of planning and brainstorming before I start writing, trying to figure out what the story might look like and who my characters are. When I start writing my first draft, though, I always end up letting spontaneity guide me as I discover new ideas and possibilities as I write. I think it’s important not to get too invested in sticking with your first ideas.
Which genres do you enjoy reading the most?
All kinds! I love reading crime, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary, romance and more. I also like to read across different age categories—I might be a grown up, but I still love reading children’s and teen fiction. I’m the same as a writer, too. I don’t like sticking to just one genre or age group. I love giving everything a go.
How do you discover new books or writers?
Getting recommendations from others is helpful, either friends, librarians or booksellers. One of my favourite things to do is go to a bookshop and just wander through the aisles and see what jumps out at me. Sometimes I’m attracted to an interesting cover, a book title or a shelf-talker. I really love reading the shelf-talkers especially—it’s always a good bet to trust a bookseller’s recommendation. I’ve picked up many unexpected and fabulous books that way.