The Talented Young Writers Program

The Talented Young Writers Program has been running for many years. It's when students, interested in authors, books and writing, attend a workshop off school campus with other students from the Great Southern area. A guest author presents readings, sets writing exercises and answers questions. NASHS has been sending students for many years. That was all pre-covid.

This year, the first term event was when covid first hit and our students couldn't attend offsite. Due to this, The Literature Centre had to evolve the presentation format and introduced online videos, recorded by Australian authors. The concept was new for everyone but meant our students could enjoy the program in the comfort of our Performing Arts Theatre, surrounded by familiar faces.

We had morning tea, warm blankets in the winter, desks to work at and a caring group to share our writing with.  We had a great session in Term 2! Term 3 we were evacuated because of the fire and Term 4, just recently in Week 8, we had our final session for the year.

The students have responded to the writing prompts set by the authors and produced some amazing pieces of writing that are in their infancy. The writers reiterate that it is not the beginning idea that's so important, it is the persistency and dedication to drafting, editing and editing some more. A most important lesson.

This term's author was Mark Smith. A groovy Victorian author, who shared his love for mountain biking, surfing, walking the dog on the beach and writing.  A few of our participants had already read his works and loved them! So, to be able to then follow the lessons he provided was fun and beneficial to everyone's writing.

The group are still quite shy with one another but we are slowly building trust, so we can share our work out loud, tell stories and record them on our pages/laptops. This writing group is a work in progress and it is looking like 2021 will be even more fun than this year.

Early in the new school year, information will become available to students and parents, so that expressions of interest to join the program can be submitted. If you are someone interested in writers, reading and your own creative writing - then perhaps it's for you! Please keep a lookout for the posters or messages in the notices. Otherwise, feel free to find me in the English Office and I can update you.

Congratulations to all the participants from 2020 - you have inspired some great changes for next year. I look forward to working with you again.

Jo Morgan 
English Teacher