Five international writers came up with some top tips for a UIC audience at the International Writers Workshop on 30 October.
The writers, who were Sonya Sones, Petri Karra, Marjorie Evasco, Maxine Case and Gan Yao-Ming, led sessions of public reading and then shared their insights into writing to make the most of their visit.
(From left) Sonya Sones, Marjorie Evasco, Petri Karra, Maxine Case and Gan Yao-Ming at the International Writers Workshop held in UIC
“I write for underdogs,” said Sonya Sones, an American poet and fiction writer, best known for her novels in verse written for teens. “Nowadays teens may face too many difficulties. They must be given hope,” she said.
“I always find a new way to describe something I have already done in previous books. I want my readers to feel themselves on the page.”
Petri Karra comes from Finland, born in a working class family. He said that his source gains from his deep heart inside, his experience, and mostly his background.
“Reading can expand your horizons, and experience, too. If you don’t know what to write, write what you see,” the Finnish writer said.
Marjorie Evasco is a poet from the Philippines, and her first collection of poems won the National Book Award from the Manila Critics’ Circle.
“I enjoy reading but started to write very late. When I was young I entered several poems to a contest but only one of them survived. From then on I wanted to become a poet because I wanted to do something challenging.”
Speaking of how she felt about readers’ thoughts on her books, she said: “Once your book is published, it is not yours anymore. You have given it to the world.”
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| Writers talk with the audience |
The 2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book (Africa) winner Maxine Case agrees that a writer should challenge himself/herself within certain feasibility. “Find the balance between what’s easy and what’s hard,” she said.
“It is important to write every day. Remember it is your work and what you get paid for,” she added.
The Taiwanese fiction writer Gan Yao-Ming also deals with writing on a daily basis. When asked what if he feels like writing something but just cannot put it into words, he came up with an amusing answer: “You can’t marry a celebrity, so chase after boys or girls around you. Write what you can instead of what you want.”
“You’d better not get your routine writing interrupted. You can jump from one page to another page, or Chapter One to Chapter Three. I reserve some good hundreds of words so that I can keep the passion and impulse to write next day,” he added.
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| The audience are greatly interested in the writers’ writing adventures |
The workshop was organised by the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences and attracted many a literature fan.
In addition, Programme Director of Contemporary English Language and Literature Programme, Dr Charles Lowe, spoke at the workshop and encouraged students to explore the essence of writing through enormous reading activities.
Among the audience, Li said the writers’ earnest talks were rewarding. “Their answers to our questions broaden my horizons of thinking, and will serve as good advice for my future writing.”
Reporters: Liu Yiyu and Yu Xue
Photographer: Irene Yu
Editor: Deen He
(from MPRO, with special thanks to the ELC)
