Writing_Magazine_-_November_2019_UserUpload.Net

http://www.writers-online.co.uk NOVEMBER 2019^29

YOUNG WRITERS

out into the world and experience
things to write about them. The
cliché of a writer as a solitary, tortured
genius might have something vaguely
romantic about it, but inspiration
strikes from a life well lived. Have
hobbies other than writing, make a
wide circle of friends, and let yourself
be inspired.
Learn to love editing. It’s hard work,
but its necessary. Editing is perfecting,
it’s polishing something with potential
into its true and gleaming form. Don’t
see editing as a chore – look forward
to the process of making your craft as
good as it can be.
Meet other writers. These days
its easier than ever to connect with
likeminded people. Is there a writing
group at your school or university? If
not, perhaps you can start one? Look
out for writing groups and classes
where you can meet people of different
ages and who write different genres.
If your local searches fail, seek writing
friends online. Connect to other
writers using the #writingcommunity
hashtag. Join critiquing forums like
Scribophile to share your work and
seek opinions.
Improve your craft. Nobody was
born a brilliant writer, and success as an
author comes not only from raw talent,
but from hard work and a bit of good
luck, too. Identify your weaknesses and
work on them. Read grammar guides if
you find that a struggle, or read widely
of fiction if you want to improve your
vocabulary. If you find dialogue hard,
don’t avoid it – brush up on it. Don’t
steer away from descriptive scenes
because your adjectives sound wooden
and worn – learn to do it better.
Enjoy it. Writing is a marvellous
thing. Knowing from a young age that
you want to be a writer gives you the
chance to learn as much as you can
while you’ve got the time and means to
do it. Really relish in your local library,
enjoy free time to read and write
without the pressures of paying the
bills or raising a family. These are the
golden years for your mind to explore
the craft of writing – don’t waste a
moment of it.

Writing exercises
One of the best things you can do to

improve is trying out writing tasks on a

regular basis. What you produce might

not be material for a novel or even a

complete short story, but all writing

is good writing and can inspire other

things. Lists of exercises can be found

online, as well as in writing textbooks,

but here are two to get you started.

• The first line exercise
  Pick up a book from your bookshelf
  and read the first line. Everyone knows
  that the first line has to be excellent,
  to grab the attention of the reader.
  Analyse what makes this first sentence
  so good. Is it description or dialogue?
  Does it evoke an emotion that makes
  you want to read on? Does it drop a
  bombshell you want to explore? Note
  down what makes this first line so
  brilliant, or if it doesn’t strike you,
  what you find boring about it. Do this
  with several books and then attempt
  your own brilliant first line. Here’s
  one you can start with, the opening
  to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
  After reading, what questions do you
  ask yourself? What do you want to
  know? When he was nearly thirteen my
  brother Jem got his arm badly broken at
  the elbow.


• Link three things exercise
  What do a bassoon, a slice of toast

and an armadillo have in common?

It sounds like the start of a bad joke,

but it could actually be the start of

an intriguing short story. Perhaps the

story is about a professional bassoon

player who, on dropping his toast

at breakfast, discovers an armadillo

stowed away under his kitchen sink?

What about linking a plane ticket,

a broken necklace and a song? You

might write about a teenage girl who,

spending her savings on a one-way

ticket to track down her long-lost

mother, has nothing to remember

her by but the broken necklace she

left behind and the lullabies she sung

her in childhood. If you’re stuck for

inspiration, pick three unrelated things

(they don’t have to be nouns) and link

them together, or ask someone else to

pick for you.

Remember

You can change your mind – writing

isn’t for everyone. When you’re young

is the time to try things out and to

change your mind, so don’t worry if,

actually, writing isn’t for you.

There are lots of different types of

writing, not just fiction. Try out as

much as you can and read widely.

There’s no better time to start than

now, and no such thing as too much

writing experience.

COMPETITIONS FOR YOUNG WRITERS

Try out your skills by entering these competitions

for young writers.

Competition: BBC 500 Words

Age Groups: 5-9 and 10-13

Write: 500 words

Website: https://writ.rs/bbc500words

Competition: The Young Walter Scott Prize

Age Groups: 11-15 and 16-19

Write: 800-2,000 words

Theme: Set in a time before you were born

(deadline, 31 October)

Website: http://www.walterscottprize.co.uk/young-walter-scott-prize/

Competition: What’s Your Story, Scottish Book Trust Age Groups: 13-19

Write: Twice-yearly submission window for writers and illustrators

Website: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/whats-your-story

writing experience.

Competition: The Young Walter Scott Prize