Author in residence
Of the many pleasures that have come so far from writing for me, one of the best must surely be those opportunities, whether arranged or spontaneous, to engage with experienced and budding readers and writers. Writing, even works of fiction, often open a window into the author and the period after releasing a novel can be one of some trepidation as the writer waits for the public’s pulse. Putting yourself out there carries risk which, for me, makes those engagements much more charged. Hale’s Centre for Writing is a fantastic initiative, well led by Naomi Bryant and valuably supported by Kelly Clarke. I’ve very much enjoyed all of the sessions I’ve had with the year 7, 8 and 9 boys there this term as part of that program – our workshops bringing characters to life, our casual chats about wandering on less travelled roads, following uncommon pursuits and other sources of fertile material for writing, discussing some of the classics and of course the ocean!
