Triona Campbell, debut author of the acclaimed new YA thriller A Game of Life or Death, offers her inspiration and top tips for budding writers...
Like every other parent or caregiver on the planet, I have been fascinated by how my kids interact with video games.
The time spent on YouTube watching other people play, the endless TikTok's on gaming hacks, the hours spent playing online. It’s where they go to connect, find their tribe, have agency, and be entertained.
It inspired me to pitch Gamermode, Ireland’s first series on video games (it's available on the RTE Player).
During the research for the series, I got to meet the people creating the VR classrooms of tomorrow. Explore Ireland's remarkable history with Video Games and meet the pioneers creating our future. Gaming is now an influence in all our lives. You might not be one of Ireland's estimated two million gamers, but you’ve probably come across gamification on the apps you use for fitness, for increasing cognitive abilities, and learning languages. Seen its influence on the TV you watch (The Last of Us on HBO) and the movies you’ve brought your kids to (Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros, etc.)
For me, chatting to gamers competing in eSports tournaments. Talking to young coders and game creators – the next generation of tech entrepreneurs - about the future and where technology might bring us. I started thinking…
What if you based a thriller in this world?
What if you had someone who grew up in a care facility and then went to work at a large tech giant run by an almost cult-like leader?
What if this too-big-to-fail company had a secret they didn’t want people to know…
What if they killed the whistle-blower to stop her from telling anyone?
What if her only family came looking for answers…. and then revenge…
That’s where the A Game of Life or Death started. A thriller that begins with the discovery of a dead body.
One girl starting to unravel the secrets her sister kept while working for a too-big-to-fail tech company. A book about hope, love and the limits we will go to - to find the truth and get revenge….
It’s also my debut book. Written in the early pre-dawn hours before the school run and during a lockdown.
Featuring breathtaking twists, page-turning thrills and a scorching romance, A Game of Life or Death is unmissable for fans of Ready Player One and Black Mirror.
— Scholastic UK (@scholasticuk) February 4, 2023
Out now! @Triona_Campbell #AGameOfLifeOrDeath pic.twitter.com/WGCTbcP2kz
So - for those of you reading and thinking of writing - here’s my two cents:
· Do it – you never know till you try.
· Figure out when you can write and make it part of your routine. The important thing is to show up – just you, the words and the screen/page. It’s a craft. The more you write, the better it gets.
· Remember: the first draft is for you, and no one else. Turn off your inner critic and focus on the story you want to tell. Enjoy the process. Life is far too short otherwise.
· Writing is 30% writing and 70% rewriting (don’t be afraid to finish, leave it for a bit and then re-read everything again with a fresh perspective).
· If you can - find your tribe by joining a writer's group or a book club that focuses on the genre you want to write in (there is magic in those small groups).
· Check out online resources (YouTube is great for videos of recorded talks with your favourite authors).
· There are lots of (ordinarily free) resources about. Look at Arts organisations and local libraries. As well as information on writing competitions and opportunities (if you fancy a deadline to work towards).
· And lastly – the most important one - read everything you can. A good reader makes a great writer.
A Game of Life or Death is published by Scholastic
