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This Friday, Otumoetai College Year 13 student Céline Murray, 17, will launch her book Seven to Seventeen at the Nautilus Restaurant.
Céline is the youngest of forty writers launching their books in both print and electronic formats with the Bay's newest publishing venture, Oceanbooks. Seven to Seventeen is a compilation of stories written over the past decade, including seven that have previously won prizes in the Whakatane Friends of the Library Short Story Competition, and provides insight into the development of a young writer over time.
In publishing her book, Celine joins ranks with some well-known young writers. For instance, Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was 18-years-old, Christopher Paolini wrote the first volume of his dragon trilogy Eragon at 16, and The Diary of Anne Frank was written when Anne was 14. In 2005, Nancy Yi Fan became Harper Collins' youngest author, the publishing company accepting her manuscript for Swordbird when the Chinese-born American was just 12-years-old and launching her writing career with an initial print-run of 50,000 books.
Startling? Yes, because although there are plenty of young people with imagination and a passion for writing, published young writers like Yi Fan are as rare as phoenix tears. Why is this? Browsing the internet, I uncover plenty of reasons: naiveté and limited life experiences, for example. The tendency of young people to dwell on familiar plots and fads is another common argument. After all, who wants to read an anthology of despairing teenage poetry? Do we really need another unrequited vampire love story? One more boy-wizard with father-figure issues?
However, perhaps the most likely reason that young writers struggle to succeed is a shortage of writing and publishing opportunities for teens. Outside of the classroom, where can our promising young authors go for practical help to improve their craft? Where can they learn about competitions and courses? Get support? Ask a question?
One of Tauranga Writers aims is to support the development of young writers. To this end, the country's longest standing writing group has established a website to support emerging writers offering inspiration, information and tips from established authors (http://www.youngnzwriters.weebly.com).
This month's exercise by best-selling children's writer Susan Brocker discusses the concept of showing rather than telling a character's emotions, and April's tip comes from beloved local storyteller, Gaye Hemsley. Who knows? Perhaps the project will kick-start the writing career of New Zealand's next Margaret Mahy, Keri Hulme, or Michael King.
Celine's Murray's ambitions for Friday's launch are not so lofty. Her print run doesn't run to 50,000 copies. No-one is talking about film rights. Nevertheless, for a young writer with her first book, it's an exciting start.
Oceanbooks will launch books by 40 writers on Friday 30th March, 5-7pm at the Nautilus Restaurant, Cross Road, Sulphur Point. All welcome.
