Any Kiwis out there ?

Kaarl

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Hi all,

I see a few of our trans-Tasman cousins but I was wondering if anyone from the motherland is out there ?

I'm living in the U.K. right now but it would be great to catch up with someone from N.Z. that also enjoys writing.
 

OJCade

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Hello! I too come from the land of odd birds and proper Marmite (not the sloppy British stuff). :)
 

Kaarl

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I am a traitor and prefer Vegemite. I'm glad to see there are a few of us kicking around on these forums.

I love the experience of being in the U.K. (everything is so old and historic) but I definitely miss home. What passes for a spacious back yard over here is sacrilegious.
 

FerrisW

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Another Kiwi here (and I'm also new to this site)! I've been back in NZ for a couple of years after living in the UK for more than a decade. It's great to see other NZers around here!
 

Hilary

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And another one - have lived in Auckland for eighteen years although born in the UK. Can I be counted?
 

Carla

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Hey there - I live in Wellington. Writing poetry, kids stuff and other miscellany.
 

lastlittlebird

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Nice to see so many people here :)
I'm in Palmerston North at the moment, but I've lived in Auckland and I'm originally from Wellington.
Not writing as much as I like at the moment... I'm doing a Grad. dip. in teaching and it's running me ragged.
 

Kaarl

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And another one - have lived in Auckland for eighteen years although born in the UK. Can I be counted?

I'm sure that makes you a Kiwi , although it is Auckland .... :D
 

LittleKiwi

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*Raises hand*

Like you, I'm a kiwi living in the UK. We're currently planning our return home but it won't be for about another year yet.
 

gingerwoman

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I'm a Kiwi (well, a Kiwi-US hybrid). :hi:
There's a few of us about here.
lol I am too. I was born in New York City to American parents, but I've lived here since I was 2 years old so basically a Kiwi, or a Jaffa. My debut full length novel published by Samhain is in my avatar.
 
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amaikaorii

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I'm a kiwi! We moved to Australia in December last year, but I'm kiwi enough that the Aussies here have a hard time understanding my accent. I had no clue we sounded so different. ;)

I'm originally from Nelson, but spent most of my adult life in Christchurch until it broke. My husband was badly hurt in the quakes, so we moved here to be closer to his family. It's nice to be in a city that's still a city, and wow the weather!!! But I really miss NZ's greenness and yes..decent backyards.
 

LHGalloway

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Another American-NZ transplant here, sitting in a dairy farming town in the Northland. Population: less than 500. I don't actually own any cows.

I'm originally from NYC, but spent seven years in Africa before landing here. I know how to ride an ostrich, but can't drive a car. True story.

I'm currently working on the second draft of my first novel, and obsessing over word count. Would love to meet more local writers.
 

LittleKiwi

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Another American-NZ transplant here, sitting in a dairy farming town in the Northland. Population: less than 500. I don't actually own any cows.

I'm originally from NYC, but spent seven years in Africa before landing here. I know how to ride an ostrich, but can't drive a car. True story.

I'm currently working on the second draft of my first novel, and obsessing over word count. Would love to meet more local writers.

My mother's family come from Ruawai, spent a whole lot of time there growing up.

For those not living in NZ anymore, how long have you been away? Do you still get homesick?
 

LHGalloway

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What is your issue with word count?

I over plotted. When I wrote my first draft, it read like a plot summary. It came out to 77k, and I thought I was in the clear.

In my second draft, I've been adding dialogue and doing more show and less tell...and the word count per chapter has nearly doubled.

Chapters 1-10 are already 50k, and the book has 29 chapters. From lurking here, I gather that 120k is a hard sell, and 150k is fatal.

Draft 3 will involve a paring knife.
 

gingerwoman

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If you want a book long enough for agents it probably needs to be 85 thousand words or more if you want a book for the digital first market it can be a lot of lengths and 50-70 is good for an e-book novel.My novel is coming out in print, but my editor said the vast majority of my sales will be e-book.
 
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LHGalloway

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For those of you with agents, have you sought representation outside of NZ? There doesn't seem to be many agents here, especially those with a strong reputation.

Publisher Random House NZ takes direct submissions, but Harper Collins NZ requires an agent.

I'm thinking an international agent is the best approach for a NZ-based author?
 
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lastlittlebird

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For those of you with agents, have you sought representation outside of NZ? There don't seem to be many agents here, especially those with a strong reputation.

Publisher Random House NZ takes direct submissions, but Harper Collins NZ requires an agent.

I'm thinking an international agent is the best approach for a NZ-based author?

Yup. I wouldn't limit myself to NZ agents or publishers.

From my limited experience (did a Masters at the IIML, so I've met and talked to a few "names" in the industry, but I don't have an agent) NZ publishing is still operating by and large the way it did in the 80's, with the assumption that writers will submit straight to the press and will then stick with that press for any subsequent books. No agent needed.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing... but it limits your chances of making enough to pay your utility bill by a considerable amount. Local presses are never going to sell more than a few thousand copies, simply because we don't have the population to do anything else.

Submit anywhere that will have you and even places that you suspect won't. That should go for everyone, kiwi or not :)
 

LittleKiwi

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Yup. I wouldn't limit myself to NZ agents or publishers.

From my limited experience (did a Masters at the IIML, so I've met and talked to a few "names" in the industry, but I don't have an agent) NZ publishing is still operating by and large the way it did in the 80's, with the assumption that writers will submit straight to the press and will then stick with that press for any subsequent books. No agent needed.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing... but it limits your chances of making enough to pay your utility bill by a considerable amount. Local presses are never going to sell more than a few thousand copies, simply because we don't have the population to do anything else.

Submit anywhere that will have you and even places that you suspect won't. That should go for everyone, kiwi or not :)

Agreed, decide who you're going submit to based on which agent is best for your story, not where they live. I've managed to find very few details about NZ agents who are experienced with YA books, don't think I'd feel comfortable submitting to them.