Media Release: Young Writers Share Pandemic Experiences
Eighty three young Australian writers bring to you A User’s Guide to a Pandemic: a digital collection of writing that shares the experiences of teens in Australia as they live through the current surreal times of COVID19.
The online book is the result of a collaboration between youth writing centres Story Factory (Sydney), 100 Story Building (Melbourne), The Story Island Project (Tasmania) and StoryBoard (Byron Bay) aimed at amplifying the voices of young people during the uncertainty and disconnection of the pandemic.
The young writers participated in online workshops delivered by the four centres and created pieces of writing that investigate the challenges, unexpected joys, boredom, worries and hopes of these unusual times.
Sania (15) a student from Beverly Hills Girls High School who took part in the Story Factory online workshops said, ‘When I read my short story piece, it feels as if I've turned how I felt during isolation into a narrative. It's like another part of me. That's why I felt proud of it.’
For Loyola (13) from Melbourne, Victoria writing acted as a way to take her mind off the anxieties of COVID times.
‘I loved going through ideas, planning, and thinking deeply about what we were writing. Meeting the other people doing the workshops was great too, even though it was online and not in person.’
The works take many different approaches to exploring the pandemic: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, personal statements, and ephemeral observations about life in lockdown.
You could find yourself getting intimate with the excruciating pains of remote schooling. You could be jettison to 2040 into a dystopian post-COVID world. You could also find yourself musing over your new-found relationship with your couch!
Story Factory Executive Director and Co-founder Dr Cath Keenan AM said, ‘These are such strange times and we wanted to hear directly from young people about how they were feeling, and what they were thinking. We also wanted to find a way to help them feel connected with others during a period of isolation.’
‘In partnering with fellow writing and literacy organisations across the country we were seeking to forge new connections - between cities, students and through our shared experiences of the pandemic.’
Lachlann Carter, CEO of 100 Story Building, said: ‘This online book offers a unique window into the remarkable intelligence, fearlessness and humour with which young Australians are coping with the situation.’
‘We hope this collection acts as an authoritative and authentic resource for researchers, journalists and writers attempting to understand life in Australia during the COVID19 pandemic in the times to come.’
In his introduction, Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief describes the collected pieces as ‘the most gorgeous things you can ever hope to experience as a human - which is just kids thinking out loud. Kids just building on ideas.’
The online collection is available for a free download here.
About 100 Story Building
100 Story Building is a centre for young writers in Melbourne. We use storytelling as a tool to foster creativity and imagination. The centre is open to all children but we especially focus on children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Our mission is to build their literacy skills, confidence and sense of belonging that are fundamental to future success.
For interviews with young writers (Melbourne) or Lachlann Carter and further details, please contact:
Chetna Mahadik, Marketing Coordinator, 100 Story Building
E: chetna@100storybuilding.org.au
For interviews with young writers (Sydney) or Dr Cath Keenan AM and further details, please contact:
Amy Goodhew-Banks - Marketing and Communications Manager, Story Factory
E: amy@storyfactory.org.au
