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Jay Pelchen

Goodreads Author

Born

Australia

Website

https://www.the-world-that-was.com

Member Since

October 2023

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Jay Pelchen started his working life in an Aussie chocolate shop.

At university he studied mechanical engineering and physics, though his friends always said he liked reading too much to be a “real” engineer.

He has spent his professional career working to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The World That Was is his first novel.

Jay lives in Vienna, Austria with his wife Joti.

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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Jay Pelchen Break the process down! Writing an entire book seems like a gargantuan task but breaking it down into more manageable steps makes the whole process le…moreBreak the process down! Writing an entire book seems like a gargantuan task but breaking it down into more manageable steps makes the whole process less daunting. I shared my "Engineers Approach to Writing" on Reddit, showing how I: started with a single paragraph capturing the idea; turned that into an A4 page; turned that into a sentence for each chapter; then created a 500 word summary for each chapter. Turning that 20,000 word summary of the entire book into a 120,000 word novel sounds hard but turning 500 words into 2500 words sounds (and was) much more achievable.(less)

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How do you get inspired to write?

Jay Pelchen I think everyone has an idea (or twelve) for a book and that alone can serve as an inspiration. However, the writing process is long and motivation is…moreI think everyone has an idea (or twelve) for a book and that alone can serve as an inspiration. However, the writing process is long and motivation is tough to maintain. I promised myself to make at least some minor progress on the story each day, even if just a post-it note with a character's hair colour or some other detail. Seeing consistent progress was super inspiring. I also printed out a physical copy of my book with each few chapter that I wrote, providing further evidence of tangible progress. Finally, researching specific details for the book or going to visit locations in person was hugely inspiring and provided weeks of boosted energy for the writing and editing process.(less)

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Jay Pelchen’s books

Average rating: 4.1 · 422 ratings · 59 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors

The World That Was

4.10 avg rating — 422 ratings — published 2024 — 3 editions

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Honeyeater

by Kathleen Jennings (Goodreads Author)

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Sep 06, 2025 05:40AM

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Jay Pelchen is now friends with Ava Zulal
May 19, 2026 04:54AM · like
Jay Pelchen is currently reading Honeyeater by Kathleen Jennings (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 06, 2025 05:40AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Honeyeater by Kathleen Jennings. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Honeyeater by Kathleen Jennings <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jay Pelchen wants to read All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) by Martha Wells (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Jay Pelchen rated a book really liked it Excalibur (The Warlord Chronicles, #3) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Jay Pelchen rated a book liked it Enemy of God (The Warlord Chronicles, #2) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 06, 2024 10:01PM · 3 likes · like
Jay Pelchen has read Enemy of God (The Warlord Chronicles, #2) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Jay Pelchen rated a book really liked it The Winter King (The Warlord Chronicles, #1) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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