Creepy-Horror is on its way
Do you ever get that creepy feeling?
… Like there’s something spooky hiding under your bed?
… Like a rumbling growl from a dark alley as you walk past?
… Like that shivering sensation at the back of your spine, as if someone you can’t see… is watching you?
Get ready to be freaked out! Creepy Horror is the theme of Early Harvest 8, our annual fiction publication edited and written by young writers.
Early Harvest is a year-long program that brings together an editorial board of primary school students to publish an edition of the annual fiction publication Early Harvest.
Under the mentorship of publishing professionals (editors, writers, illustrators, and designers), the young editors make all the editorial decisions from cover to cover. They invite submissions, select authors, commission artists, edit stories, create illustration briefs and produce a literary magazine that showcases young, emerging writers alongside popular, award-winning authors and illustrators. The workshops and submission process bring together children from diverse backgrounds and empower them to use their creative voice in a real-world context.
This year, we have partnered with four schools in Dandenong: St Gerard’s, St Mary’s, Dandenong West and Doveton College. Over 500 students will be participating in the program this year from Year 3 all the way to Year 6.
The students have set the ball rolling by selecting the theme for Early Harvest 8. Through Term 2, the students will be working on turning their creepy ideas into a full-length spine-chilling story. Luckily, children’s author Tony Wilson has come on board to mentor them through the process. Through a pair of live-streamed video sessions, he will guide them through some tricky and in-depth aspects of story writing such as: How does a writer play with people’s expectations? What exactly is ‘creepy’ and how do you sneak those ‘creepy’ feelings into your story? Can a creepy story be funny? How do you mine details from your own life to enrich your stories?
The first webcast was a rousing success, with Tony and the young writers discussing why original stories matter and how and where to look for inspiration in real life.
In our second session in June, students will have the opportunity to ask specific questions, share their doubts and challenges, sound out ideas, and get further advice from Tony.
Listen to a short exchange between Tony and the writers.
Check out the previous editions of Early Harvest here.
The Early Harvest 2019 program is made possible by the generous support of Gandel Philanthropy.