![]() ![]() After I posted it, I was greatly encouraged by the feedback given by some of my peers and the group administrators.Īs the days continued, there was a sense of immediate gratification in giving my own twist to each of these cues. I felt that writing without worrying about the style or ‘correctness’ of the piece gave me the chance to bring in hidden nuances and unacceptable thoughts, minus the burden of making it look perfect. This was really close to my heart as it spoke about life with a close friend who turns out to have more than just a fair share of shades of grey. With trepidation, I wrote my piece on the second prompt in a single sitting, all the while trying to still my inner editor from breaking the thought process. It was quite a revelation to read people’s submissions – the sheer honesty, talent and their willingness to put themselves out there surprised me. I couldn’t bring myself to submit my response to the first prompt and waited to see what others had written. I am sure most budding writers, like me, have wondered that if all that they’ve written is better off tucked away in a journal rather than made to stand bare in front of a group of total strangers, awaiting their judgement. Of course, I was beleaguered by self-doubt and, ironically enough, at the same time by the fear that I may not live up to the talent that I thought I possessed. Writing short essays, based on 30 prompts over 30 days, sounded like a tall order but I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could bring myself to write on a regular basis. Furthermore, being part of this group would give me an opportunity to network with other amateur writers without being judged. It seemed to me that here was a group of people who were committed to nudging their fellow writers to re-evaluate their own work. MYWriters included a performance workshop as part of the Penang Writers Workshop.The community promised ample opportunities for creative expression, masterclasses by leading experts, and feedback by peers as well as experienced editors from Bound and TCR. To bridge this gap, the writers are preparing way ahead of time. There are writers who write beautifully but they are shy ,” says Miriam. However, as time inches closer to the showcase day, the writers have one more challenge to overcome: not all writers are born performers. On 2 nd July, Neong and Aimi Shaheera will showcase their work alongside another five participants and more seasoned writers in the second edition of Stories Alive in Spoken Words “But after joining this, I started to be keen on publishing.” “Before this, I decided writing would just be a hobby,” says Aimi Shaheera. The workshop series seems to have breathed new life into her creative writing efforts. “They give me a sense of belonging, which I will always appreciate,” says Neong.Īmong the other participants is Aimi Shaheera Salleh, a secondary school teacher from Penang. He has enjoyed reading other participants’ work, giving and receiving feedback, and getting inspired. Nonetheless, it turned out to be a fulfilling experience. Neong, who is also a stay-at-home father, hesitated before he decided to brave the fortnightly 8-hour drive to attend the workshops. In each workshop, the participants explore a specific storytelling technique or element guided by seasoned writers Anna Tan, Yee Heng Yeh, Wan Phing Lim, Tunku Halim, and Fa Abdul. Since March this year, Arthur Neong, an emerging writer from Shah Alam, has been driving to Penang every two weeks to attend the Penang Writers Workshops 2023, a workshop series organised by MYWriters. However, do we, as a society, have a diverse enough representation in literary art to harness this power of literature? That’s where the conversation comes in-which, I think, closes the gap between the audience and the writers.”įor Miriam, “it expands not just the writers’ work, but the power of literature.” Talking about her experience listening to Diyaa performing “ Kumki ”, Miriam says, “You make me feel seen and valued. Miriam thinks creates a platform for sharing life experiences and perspectives about issues, feelings and emotions. Diyaa’s words have spoken beyond numbers to her audience. In fact, Malaysia’s Institute for Public Health found that being “made fun of how body or face looks” is the most common way Malaysian teenagers are bullied. I did not expect that amount of support,” says Diyaa, recalling the moment after her reading. People came and told me, ‘Thanks for writing it’. ![]()
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