Bernard Beckett

How not to get lost in your story

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illustration of man walking into maze

Bernard Beckett is a brainy, elegant writer, best known for his young adult novels Genesis, August and Lullaby. Here, with a new book in the offing, he shares his rule for stacking up stories that work. Like most who dabble in writing, I’ve tried my hand at a few different formats: play scripts, screenplays, novels … Read more

A petty matter: Why it’s OK that teens don’t know what ‘trivial’ means

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News that the word ‘trivial’ had stumped students taking an NCEA history exam has prompted worldwide ridicule and much handwringing about the state of New Zealand education. But is that really the right reaction, asks high school teacher and author Bernard Beckett. Trawling through the comments section of news sites, like driving on this country’s … Read more