AUTHOR Patrick Ness has recommended pupils get stuck into trashy literature alongside the classics.

He visited Dorcan Technology College, off St Paul’s Drive, yesterday to give Year 10 pupils from Dorcan and Kingsdown tips on writing and an insight into his own work as part of the Swindon Ten Youth Festival Of Literature.

This was the second day in a week of writing and reading events for all 11 secondary schools in Swindon.

Mr Ness, 38, from Bromley, in Kent, has written books including The Knife Of Never Letting Go and The Ask And The Answer.

He said it was important for pupils to read a variety of literature, including magazines, to find their own style.

“They should definitely read Austen and Dickens, but also contemporary stuff,” he said.

“How else will they find out what’s important to them?

“How else will they know what they like?”

He told pupils where his ideas for books came from and how they could come up with story ideas by using their own lives.

The teenagers then got to ask the author some questions including one he said he had never been asked before – why he writes in the present tense.

Other students approached him after his talk for his advice.

The Swindon Ten Youth Festival Of Literature is aimed at encouraging young people to explore and celebrate literature.

The £10,000 festival is funded by school partnership Swindon Ten.

Mr Ness said: “The festival is an excellent way of celebrating and promoting reading.

“It makes it seem less of an untouchable profession, shows that we’re just ordinary people, there’s nothing special about me other than that I write books.”

As part of the Riveting Reads project in June, all students had read Mr Ness’ novel and they chose it as their second favourite out of five, which was why he was invited.

He said: “It’s so great for any writer to talk to his readers, it’s just such a great experience, teenagers are just the best audience because they’re so honest. It’s so satisfying to hear a room of teenagers arguing about books.”

Dorcan pupil Hannah Olagoke, 14, from Covingham, said: “I thought it was inspirational.”

Rhianne Duke, 15, from Nythe, said: “Literature brings people together and gives people something in common.

“Patrick was amazing, he was really inspirational.

“We talked a lot and he explained to us what he does and that you can’t just have one idea, you have to keep the story flowing.

“I’m hoping it will help us in our English.”

Aaron Jenkins, 14, from Walcot, said: “We learned a lot more goes into books than you think.”

Other events yesterday included caricaturist Fred Blunt visiting Nova Hreod School and a speed-writing exercise.