Have you heard that some authors, when writing, use different coloured sticky notes to plot out their stories? They jot down ideas then make a timeline all around their writing space. Imagine miles (or kilometres) of neon pink, yellow and orange squares snaking around the walls of your room!
Well, author Kris Yang had a similar experience when writing his choose your own adventure book called, “Triton’s Adventures in Minecraft”. Every week, he had to compose two different endings to his chapter, which then often branched out into two additional endings.
The only way to keep track of all of his plotlines was to print the drafts out and tape them together to see where they matched up and to make sure there were no holes or omissions. In the end, Kris’ story took up a lot of space, as it slowly spread across the room page by page.
It took at least a year to complete his book. Kris’ advice to other writers is, “If you would like to write a book like this be mentally ready because it is quite a challenge.”
Kris kept himself busy with a variety of other writing during his choose your own adventure project. He researched and wrote a poem for the Royal Canadian Legion’s poetry competition taking several weeks to carefully compose it. The result…his poem won first place in the Junior Poetry Division both municipally and regionally. It went on to compete at the provincial level where it fared very well.
His poem is featured below. Research, diligence, old photographs, patience, paper, sticky tape, rhyme zone and the thesaurus helped Kris to achieve being both a winning poet and author of a unique choose your own adventure book within the space of a year. The teaser for his newest novel is, in his own words, “About a kid who goes to a new boarding school where ‘stuff’ happens.”
Paying My Respects
By: Kris Yang
Bodies never found
Maybe buried in a mound
Three thousand five hundred ninety eight
Took the hand of fate
On the ridge at Vimy.
Trapped in no mans land
Our heroes could not withstand
Seven hundred thirty three cut clean
They died at the scene
Battling at The Somme.
Raiding from the sea
They were ordered not to flee
Five thousand fought on France’s shore
Witnessed too much gore
On the beach at Dieppe.
Each year for one day
Our heartfelt respects we pay
To the warriors who fell for us
Whose bravery we discuss
On Remembrance Day.
I wonder what I’d do
If I were twenty-two
And had to face a war
Do things I might deplore
To protect my home.
As the bagpipes play
I silently pray
For those who bore the pain
So Canada could attain
Safety, peace and hope.
