John Marsden (writer)

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This article is about the Australian author. For the Sydney-based solicitor, see John Marsden (lawyer).

John Marsden (born September 27, 1950) is an Australian writer. Marsden was born in Melbourne, the third of four children. He spent much of his childhood in rural Australia, moving first to Kyneton in Victoria, then to Devonport in Tasmania.

At the age of ten, Marsden's family moved to Sydney and he enrolled at The King's School, Parramatta, which was renowned for its overbearing military style of education. Upon completion of his high schooling, Marsden began a Law/Arts degree at the University of Sydney, and worked at a mortuary, in a sideshow and as a security guard, before finally becoming an English teacher.

He taught for nine years at Geelong Grammar School, and became Head of English at the school's Timbertop campus. In 1982, he was arrested while on the blockade attempting to stop construction of the Franklin Dam. As all the prisons in the region were full due to the number of people arrested, Marsden was placed in the high-security Risdon Prison for a night. He later wrote that he used the experience to help him write scenes in Letters From The Inside and parts of the Tomorrow series.

His first book, So Much To Tell You was published in 1987. His landmark Tomorrow series is recognised as the most popular book series for young adults ever written in Australia. The first book of this series, Tomorrow When The War Began, has been reprinted 26 times in Australia. The first sequel of a new series of books featuring Ellie Linton from the Tomorrow series (The Ellie Chronicles) was published in 2003, with the second novel and third novels released in November 2005 and November 2006 respectively.

Marsden's current project is making an alternative setting school on his bush property, the Tye Estate near Romsey, Victoria ^[1]. The school, named Candlebark, opened on January 31, 2006 with 52 students ranging from Prep (5 years old) to Year 7^[2].

Marsden currently holds writers conferences and writers weekends, both for people with completed scripts and for teenagers wishing to learn to write. He personally takes the workshops and mixes his writing skills with drama and his ability as an English teacher.