[Ruchama]

Hi GK, over the weekend me and my father read Supergifted. The only 'problem' was that it was extremely different than Ungifted. in the middle of the book, not much is happening except Donovan's mad at Noah, Megan's being selfish, Brad's helping Noah, Chloe's mad at both Donovan and Noah, the Daniel's are being bullies and annoying pests, Russ Trussman's is trying to get to the bottom of things, Hashtag is being a little more nicer and softer, all the girls are cooing over and flirting with Noah, while Noah is lapping up all the attention and being a total idiot. Also, can't they eventually just get over it? I know it's a whole big thing and the Mercury's could've gotten killed and everything, but after a few weeks, shouldn't everything have mostly died down, despite Hardcastle being a small place?

thanks

Ruchama

[Jade]

I'm not Gordon Korman, but since Hardcastle is a small town that's specifically why it hadn't really died down. Especially since the Mercurys were not a nobody family. Big news in small towns usually lasts forever, since nothing else cool happens there. Plus, think about it. One of the most popular girls at school was almost killed and somebody killed her, and of course her friends (which would probably be everybody) would be obsessed with whatever she was obsessed with, as her clique leader. Who was Noah.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Ruchama]

Hi, yeah I guess what you're saying is true, but it was taking forever to die down, and that was like half the book. I guess I'll just wait for gord to answer me properly. thanks anyway, Jade!

Ruchama

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, Ruchama,

I take it SUPERGIFTED wasn't your cup of tea. You're entitled to that, of course. Taste is a unique matter. I happen to have loathed the entire Lord of the Rings stuff, which everyone swoons over, right up to and including THE SILMARILLION. Ghastly stuff!

It may be that you're in the process of outgrowing Middle Grade. After all, you did say nothing much is happening mid-book, and then went on to list 9 items that are going on.

Is UNGIFTED better? Absolutely. I think you'll find that with every sequel, although I'll fight for all 3 of my MASTERMINDS series. So I don't apologize for SUPERGIFTED, but I support your right to be disappointed in it. And I do appreciate and support Jade's reasoning on the subject.                                                                                              -----GK-----

[Jade]

Thanks! Coming back, I noticed I said “killed” twice. I meant to say “saved”, since Noah saved her! Taste really is a unique matter. I think is is ironic since both Supergifted and Ungifted are equally good to me; the writing was great in Ungifted, but even better in Supergifted! It still had that awesome, “original” book vibe. However, Supergifted felt like there was a lot more worldbuilding which was great. I may even like Supergifted more! 

Also, Gord, why do you dislike The Lord of the Rings? I haven’t read it.

 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Gordon Korman]

Jade -- LOTR is something that makes me think the author wandered in through the gates of Faerie and couldn't find his way out again. It feels like a really bad dream about creatures that don't exist. But I don't want to spoil it for you -- you might enjoy it. Most people do. It's considered super-literature. It just doesn't do very much for me.              -----GK-----

[Jade]

LOL. I actually alughed reading that--that bad, huh? Well, I've read The Hobbit (the prequel) before. It was enjoyable (but it was for English class, so annotating)! I take it you don't like fantasy? It turns out LOTR is a thousand pages long total, and I might just have to read it since I won't stop reading memes about it! I don't know what super-literature is, I'll have to look that up. Also, I have a few questions for you!

(You need to know what the 3 Act Structure is in order to answer some of these questions.)

 

When you outline, is there any structure/method you use? / Do you use the Snowflake Method?

Since I'm pretty sure you write using the 3 Act Structure, since most books do, how do you write crossing the threshold? I feel like it was done quite literally in Swindle, but do you normally do so? I ask because you write Realistic Fiction 90% of the time, if not all. 

Do you create characters to fit your plots, or create plots to fit your characters?

Do you like biscuits? Like, the bread ones, not cookies. A very random question but I was just wondering.

That's about all! I didn't want to create another forum post because I was already responding to one, so, here you go. 

Be blessed,

Jade

[Gordon Korman]

Jade, you ask the scariest questions! I'll try. I really will!

When I plan (outline) the only "method" I use is to list the events that take the story from the beginning to the end. Then I fill in the details. Snowflake? I imagine that's filling in details in the form of a Mandala-like shape. I don't really do that.

I'm not at all sure what "crossing the threshold," and "the 3 Act Structure" even means. I hope it doesn't mean that I have to stop writing because I've been doing it wrong for 100+ books!

I create characters to fit my plots. Actually, they grow and develop in my mind at precisely the same time.

I can't think of anything more delicious (you got me at a hungry moment) than hot biscuits with butter melting on them!

Well, these may not be the answers you were hoping for, but at least they're answers, right?                                     -----GK-----

[Jade]

Thanks! Either way, it's shocking you don't use any method to outline your books, as they seem like they align with those I mentioned most of the time. The 3 Act Structure is just separating the Plot Mountain into three acts. The Snowflake method is nothing like a snowflake, actually, it's just a list of 10 steps for planning a novel. Essentially, it starts with a one-sentence summary which you expand to a one-paragraph summary which you expand to a five-paragraph summary which you expand to a five-page summary. All of this because agents usually want to know this stuff and it's easier to do this on the front end than the back end.

 

Sorry for the late reply!

[Gordon Korman]

Thanks for the clarification, Jade. For all I know, I'm automatically going through these steps while I plan. You'll agree, though, that those steps are for beginners, which I am definitely not! 40+ years surely exempts me from following the rules so strictly!

                                                                                                                                              -----GK-----

[Jade]

Yeah, totally. And, that is precisely why I was shocked you didn't know about these methods; I had asked the camp directors (published authors, multiple books) how your book followed these because I was 90% certain you did, and even though you didn't know it, you did. The majority of books follow the 3 Act Structure, and I think this is mainly because it directly follows the Plot Mountain, or the Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution structure and I know absolutely no book in existence that does not follow that. The MICE Quotient thing, I just don't know, but maybe it's just ingrained in your writing because you were born to be an author. It's amazing how your writing only gets better throughout your writing career. Not sure if you like flattery, sorry, but you're just spectacular at writing, but I think you know that. And, well, the Snowflake Method, it really isn't steps, since the order is actually irrelevant, more like a guideline. You're right though, it's very beginner. And you are NOT a beginner! Definitely not with a hundred books written in forty years. LOL.

 

Be blessed, 

Jade

(I didn't write the last part last time because I said so earlier, because I sort of have a method? It's weird. But be blessed, forever and always!)

[Jade]

"I think you'll find that with every sequel, although I'll fight for all 3 of my MASTERMINDS series." -- Gordon Korman

Hi, this message is for you, Gord. I just wanted to say that I agree--you were saying that all of the books in Masterminds are equally good, and in my opinion, that's true! But also in my opinion, you never write sequels that are worse than the first book, as you can tell with my opinion on Supergifted. 

[Gordon Korman]

Thank you, Jade. You're a One Woman Support Team!                                              -----GK-----

[Mama Jenn]

Inquiring minds want to know more about your upcoming Hyper gifted book. When will it be released and also, what are describing with the word hyper gifted? My 9 year old desperately wants answers or maybe he’s just delaying bedtime while begging me to let him stay up for another chapter . 

Hi, Mama Jenn  + Inquiring Mind,

HYPERGIFTED is the third book in the "GIFTED" series. There was UNGIFTED, which is self-explanatory, and SUPERGIFTED, which is someone very smart. HYPERGIFTED is smart on steroids. It won't be out for at least another year -- probably early 2026, although don't quote me on that one -- I'm not positive.

And if he REALLY wants to put off bedtime, a brand-new release is OLD SCHOOL, laughs guaranteed, out one week and right up there on the New York Times Bestseller List. Hooray!

                                           Best regards,                                                                                 -----Gordon Korman-----