Meet our four 2022 Write the Hook contest winners, Gabe, Gabrielle, Molly, and Shane. It was fun to meet them all and talk with them about their stories.
1. How did you hear about the contest, and what made you want to enter it?
My mom told me about it and I saw the poster. I love Science Fiction and stuff that is goofy.
2. What was your writing process; what inspired your story idea and character?
I mulled around aimlessly with random ideas until I thought of something I liked and then I expanded on it.
3. How much of the story did you write? Did you finish it?
I just wrote the hook, and then I had to cut it down to get under the maximum word count. I don't plan to expand it.
4. Did you have in mind an ending for your story?
I thought the Ninja's would have a convention in inter-dimensional space and there would be a battle. Also, in the end the main character gets his science project back.
5. If the contest is offered next Fall, do you think you will enter? Do you have any suggestions for changes or improvements to the contest?
Yes, I would enter again. Only suggestion I have is to make the maximum word count higher.
6. What are you reading now? Do you have any favorite Science Fiction books?
I am currently reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. A favorite book is Scythe, by Neal Shusterman.
1. How did you hear about the contest?
I heard about it in my Creative Writing class at Beverly High School.
2. What was your writing process; what inspired your story idea and character?
I had a story that I had written in the Creative Writing class, so I reworked the beginning for the hook. I am glad because it made the story better. My inspiration was the location where I do crew (at Gordon Rowing). It was in the Fall and I had just finished Fall rowing and I imagined being there at night.
3. What genre would you place your story in? How does the story end?
I would put "Down by the Dock" in the horror/thriller genre. The story has Mean Old Man Bob who tries to protect people from his son who is a ghost. His son drowned and he takes out his anger on people who come to the dock. He doesn't want anyone there. The story ends with the words "this isn't the end."
4. If the contest is offered next Fall, do you think you will enter?
Yes. It was fun, although I really like writing poetry better.
5. What have you read recently that you liked?
6. Do you have a favorite book that you can recommend?
Deeper Than The Dead, by Tami Hoag. It has the perfect ending. Very satisfying.
I wasn't expecting to submit this story. I thought I would submit a different one, but I liked this one better. The idea just came to me and then I wrote and rewrote multiple paragraphs.
2. What was the inspiration for your characters? Why did you choose a willow tree?
I tend to base characters in my story on people I know and then I put myself in my character's shoes and ask myself "what would I do?". I chose a willow tree because when I was younger I lived in a house with a willow tree that I called my fairy tree. I think willow trees are fairy-like and also from some viewpoints they can look scary. I like the mysterious aspect of the tree.
3. Did you write an ending for your story? You left it on a cliffhanger.
I am not planning to finish the story because I have an idea for something I like better. I don't know what happens next.
4. Do you have any suggestions for changes or improvements to the contest?
No.
5. Do you have a favorite genre?
I didn't use to like mystery books, but now I really like them and they are all I read - mystery and some horror. Although I only like horror books not horror movies.
6. What are you reading now?
Five Survive, by Holly Jackson. I recommend it 100 percent! It's so good that I didn't want it to be over. I gave to a friend to read.
Six Questions for Shane Kiernan ("Crash")
1. Did you enjoy the contest? How did you hear about it?
Yes, it was fun. I entered for fun. I write all the time in English class and share what I write. My friend Molly entered last year, and that inspired me to enter.
2. What was your writing process; how did the story idea evolve? What was the inspiration for your characters?
I started with a draft that went through a lot of phases. I wanted to write a year 3000 story. The plan was to have a landing on a planet, but then I saw I was writing a lot about the entry to the planet, so that became my focus. My character's traits were inspired by both Buzz Lightyear and Hans Solo. I like the Toy Story and Star Wars movies.
3. How much of the story did you write? Did you finish it?
I started it and have a lot planned out, but I haven't finished it. I'll probably keep working on it.
4. Do you know the ending to your story? Why did the Captain want to crash land on the planet?
The Captain didn't want the mission to go through. He faked a heart attack from going through the space crystals and purposely crashed. He wanted it all to look like an accident because he was part of the Supreme Leader's assassination. He didn't want to find the element, he wanted something else.
5. If the contest is offered again next Fall, do you think you will enter? Do you have any suggestions for changes or improvements to contest?
Yes, of course, I like writing. It was a fun project. I don't have any suggestions for improvements - it was pretty smooth.
6. What are you reading now and do you have any favorite books?
For class I'm reading Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'm reading the Harry Potter books for fun - I never read them before because I thought they were gimmicky. I'm on book five, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I used to only read historical fiction. My favorite author is Alan Gratz, although I didn't like Refugee as much as his other books. I don't like horror. I like to watch horror movies, but I don't like to read horror books. I also like comedy.