Hot off the press: 12 fantastic novellas and 3 poetry chapbooks by our amazing students!
21 Dec 2018
Last Sunday, in the blazing sun out the back of our Parramatta centre, the smiles were dazzling. Our two longest programs – Year of Novella and Year of Poetry – culminated in the publication of 12 novellas and 3 poetry chapbooks by some of our most talented and dedicated writers. Their books were beautifully edited, illustrated, and typeset by an incredible team – thank you so much to the generous volunteers at Penguin Random House. Our students read extracts of their work to a crowd of very proud parents, family, friends and community, then signed their books like pros.
Farah Alameddine, recently turned 17 and the author of From, Lebanon, spoke about what participating in Year of Novella meant to her.
The Novella program has taught us much more than the faults in our writing. It’s taught us that our stories are needed; that everywhere we turn there is a story that can be told. And that whatever the story may be, if we weave it with conviction, it will convince others.
We know now that whatever we choose to do with our lives, our writing will touch people and will break and re-shape the world around us into what we envision it to be. Just like it did to us while writing.
The Story Factory has given a group of very different people voices of value. Voices we find within ourselves, voices that we trust, a determination to know that we can be better and can inspire better from others.
And for that, we are forever grateful.