On Sunday December 15, 2024, a group of nine teenagers from Western Sydney became published authors as they launched their very own novellas or collections of poetry through Story Factory’s Year of the Novella and Year of Poetry programs.
These programs are two of Story Factory’s most intensive, where high school students commit to writing an entire novella or collection of poetry over the course of a year. Along with their family and friends, these young people celebrated their achievements at a launch event at the University of Sydney.
Dr Catherine Keenan AM, Story Factory Executive Director, said: “These remarkable young people have worked incredibly hard, and we were delighted to celebrate their successes by launching their books into the Sydney literary landscape. Our Year of the Novella and Year of Poetry programs provide young people with the opportunity to really see themselves as authors, and find and use their voices for whatever they choose.”
Students attended workshops once a week during school term, where they brainstormed, wrote and reworked, before submitting their manuscripts for professional editing. In addition to writing support and guidance, the young writers were also provided with the opportunity to meet and learn from established authors including Benjamin Law, Debra Oswald, Will Kostakis and Tiffany Tsao, who gave their time and expertise to support the students on their writing journeys.
Along with nine new participants from the very first Novella Kitchen – a two-day, bite-sized, book-writing bootcamp that gave students a taste of Story Factory’s Year of the Novella program – these 18 students glowed as they spoke about the difference the programs had made in their lives, and thanked their family and friends for supporting them on the journey to becoming authors.
Year of Poetry student, Sarah Dizon, said: “Had I not wanted to join Story Factory every Thursday, I wouldn’t be where I am today: a published author who gets to bravely share her written art to the world. Thank you, Story Factory, for your generosity over these three years; I was able to nurture my creativity without judgement. For my friends in my class and those in the Year of Novella, keep writing, keep saying your silly metaphors and similes, always keep your creativity close. Turn your anger, ache and love into art. Write a poem, write a story – because art is what keeps the world moving, and young voices like ours deserve to be heard, always.”
This event not only celebrated the young people’s achievement but also recognised their growth into confident young authors.
Purchase your own copy of the students’ work on the Story Factory website.
An excerpt from “There Is Happiness in a Bowl of Shrimp” from orange peelings by Sarah Dizon:
I’m peeling a bowl of shrimp while my mother has a massive jackfruit / that she’s intensely trying to get into. Her eyes light up the kitchen / when she sees a glimpse of the yellow fruit inside, and suddenly she’s / like a little monkey in the wild trying to salvage through hunted fruit. // “Mum, relax, it’s like it’s your last day alive,” / And she’s there eating her reward with two hands, “It could be!” // Her hands covered in sticky mess, how do I even tell this silly monkey / she is the reason I find love in small things? // Because she is hanging out with her best friend and all I notice / from afar is that her eyes sparkle a heaven when she smiles and her laughter is louder / than what I’m used to hearing. / Because I see pieces of her crafted within me – and I write because / I am proud. / How could I tell this woman she is the embodiment // of a little glimmer of yellow jackfruit in a bed of weeds?
