#young-writer — Public Fediverse posts

"Get to know the physical detail of the period that you would like to write about." Wise advice for young writers of historical fiction from Elizabeth Lowry, whose novel THE CHOSEN was shortlisted for this year's #WalterScottPrize for #HistoricalFiction

@bookstodon #Writing #youngwriters #YoungWriter #ywsp #amwriting

Will be skipping cricket practice today as boy was nominated by his skcool as a good writist and they have sent him to a "Young Writers Collective" event today at Fremantle Prison.
I believe it's in a building in the grounds, not the cells.
#Fremantle #FremantlePrison #YoungWriter #Writer

Reaching

When I write
I find myself reaching—

reaching
reaching
reaching
reaching

for something.

Satisfaction.
Accomplishment.
Arrival.

There is none now.

Only words.
More words.
Another page.

Perhaps
I still have far to climb.

Perhaps
I have mistaken a hill
for a mountain.

Perhaps
the pinnacle
was never there.

Perhaps there is no
there.

Only this:

the reaching,
the climbing,
the wanting
to arrive.

And still
nothing.

No summit.
No flag.
No voice saying—

enough.

Perhaps
I am not finished.

Perhaps
I never will be.

Or perhaps

this is only doubt and hope —

standing at the bottom
of something,

looking up.

(Journal entry April 8, 1986, age 19, expanded 40 years later)

Reaching

When I write
I find myself reaching—

reaching
reaching
reaching
reaching

for something.

Satisfaction.
Accomplishment.
Arrival.

There is none now.

Only words.
More words.
Another page.

Perhaps
I still have far to climb.

Perhaps
I have mistaken a hill
for a mountain.

Perhaps
the pinnacle
was never there.

Perhaps there is no
there.

Only this:

the reaching,
the climbing,
the wanting
to arrive.

And still
nothing.

No summit.
No flag.
No voice saying—

enough.

Perhaps
I am not finished.

Perhaps
I never will be.

Or perhaps

this is only doubt and hope —

standing at the bottom
of something,

looking up.

(Journal entry April 8, 1986, age 19, expanded 40 years later)