News Item

May 17, 2011

News item – Student writers learn from published writers at Young Authors’ Conference

Nearly a hundred students in grades 5 – 12 ate and chatted their way through lunch during the midway point of the district’s Young Authors’ Conference held May 3 at Chemainus Theatre. During the 11th day-long event held in the district every two years the budding writers had the opportunity to attend two, two-hour workshops conducted by published and respected Vancouver Island writers.

The range of writing offered by the seven presenters was broad. Selected in their schools based on their writing abilities, the students could learn such skills as how to conduct a media interview and how to write a media release from journalist Jeffrey Batemen; or write a play by attending a workshop on the theatre stage and learning from Nicole Nattrass, actress and Chemainus Theatre education coordinator. They could learn comic book writing and illustrating from local artist Dean Griffiths; or how to use history and suspense in their writing from historical novel author John Wilson. Other authors enthusiastically sharing their skills with the students were juvenile novel writer Rachel Dunstan Muller, prolific children’s writer Margriet Ruurs and well known StableMates series author Nikki Tate.

“It’s a good mix variety of writers,” said Lenore Underhill, who heads the Young Authors’ Conference planning committee. The Maple Bay principal is a founding member of the conference which dates back to 1991.

“The conference provides a way to the students to discover different writing genres and writing styles,” added Ian Zibin another committee member and vice principal at Chemainus elementary.

“I learned how (direct) quotes in a media release make it come alive,” said Brianna Kerwin, a grade 6 student at Maple Bay.

The schools are allocated seats at the conference based on school enrolment, explained principal Underhill.

“This year the largest contingents are from Mount Prevost and Quamichan middle schools who each sent seven students,” she said.

The conference was housed this year in the Chemainus Theatre, the theatre’s dance studio and the set studio.