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If you're 13-18 years old ...

Courage_FugeWriting is like anything you love and choose to do from the heart – the
more you practice the better you get. So don't be afraid to have a go. Plenty
of published authors started out writing at a young age: Australian novelist
and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award-winner Sonya Hartnett wrote
her first book at 13 and had it published at 15; South Australian Lauren Fuge's
When Courage Comes to Call was published when she was 17; Christopher
Pasolini had Eragon published when he was 19. Looks like it's never too
early to start! Check out our 'Opportunities' sheet.

 

The Centre is now running school holiday Creative Writing Programs for young people 13 - 18 years.

Sign up to our enews for more, and register your interest.

We have a limited number of scholarship positions available for disadvantaged youth, young writers living in regional areas, and young writers with a disability. Contact us for more details.

 

Here are some tips:

  • get in there and try out different stuff, different techniques, different ideas
  • try experimenting, emulating other writers styles and forms
  • read broadly, not just what you like, it's the best training program there is
  • write everyday, even if it's only a couple of sentences
  • carry a notebook
  • practise making short writing sketches of things you see and hear
  • edit and redraft until it's as good as you can get it
  • being a writer is a bit like being a teenager – rejection is the norm
  • work out where you want to go and how you want to get there
  • be real about your goals but don't give up your dreams
  • find a couple of writers who you think are at the top of their craft and ask yourself how do they construct their stories?
  • don't just read passively – stop and ask yourself how did the writer do that?
  • try and find writers of your own age or a bit older who you can talk to about writing
  • join a writing group – adults will often take you seriously and will help you (but ask your parents first)
  • join the SA Writers Centre – there's a reduced youth rate
  • and only use exclamations marks sparingly, preferably for exclamations


Try our 'Competitions' page.

And remember, the SA Writers Centre is a place were your artistic hankerings will be treated seriously, were you can talk to published writers about how they 'made it', participate in writing workshops and seminars and feel like a real writer. Feeling like a 'real writer' and taking yourself seriously is half the battle. We've now got a $15 Youth Membership which gets you a whole swag of cool stuff. Check it out!