Young people encouraged to sign up to free online conference, 18-19 June
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the six teenage writers and illustrators who have been recruited to steer the nationwide What’s Your Story? programme, aimed at helping to increase opportunities for young people to access and contribute to literary culture across Scotland.
Niamh Weir (below) from Clifton has been selected for the What’s Your Story? programme. Niamh, 16, is a short story writer and enjoys building worlds and creating suspense in action-packed stories while taking inspiration from issues, events and trends happening in society currently.
She has been working with her mentor, Julie Bertagna, children’s and young adult author of the award-winning Exodus (Young Picador).
This team of young writers and illustrators have been responsible for planning and hosting StoryCon 2020, Scotland’s biggest creative writing and illustration conference for young people.
This year, it will be hosted online, through Zoom workshops and how-to videos. Bestselling author Juno Dawson, comic artistic Frank Quitely and award-winning writer and journalist Patrice Lawrence are among the line-up.
StoryCon will run from Thursday 18 June to Friday 19 June, and young people can sign up for free registrations on EventBrite.
Gaelic content will also be available, supported by the Gaelic Books Council. Poet and author Morag Ann MacNeil and author Tim Armstrong will offer tips on comedy writing and sci-fi.
Young people across Scotland will also be encouraged to submit a story around the idea of ‘see you in ten years’. A selection of the work will be published and put in a time capsule, which will be re-opened in a decade’s time.
More information can be found at the What’s Your Story? website.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “This is the fifth year of the What’s Your Story? programme, which nurtures new and upcoming talent in the Scottish literary scene.
“We are grateful to our funders for making this programme possible, and also to our mentors for providing life-changing support and advice to the young people. Although it is disappointing we cannot hold StoryCon in person, we have a fantastic line-up planned, which will support young people currently learning at home.”
Niamh Weir said: “I applied to What’s Your Story? to challenge myself to explore and develop my abilities as a writer. I hope to build my confidence and have the best time working with inspirational mentors and like-minded teens.
“I am so excited to be on the StoryBoard and to be involved in this amazing, creative community.”
The What’s Your Story? participants have been involved in creative development: benefitting from an induction programme with the National Library of Scotland, professional mentoring in their chosen forms and genres, and a week-long retreat at Moniack Mhor, Scotland’s creative writing centre, where they had dedicated time with their mentors.
The programme will culminate with a showcase, presenting the work the young people have created throughout the year. Industry experts will train the teens to perform their work live, against a background of visuals and music.
What’s Your Story? is free to take part in and travel expenses will be covered for all participants. The programme is funded by Badenoch & Co., Kiran’s Trust and private individuals.
Six teens in total were selected by a judging team, which included representatives from Creative Scotland, the National Youth Arts Advisory Group, the Super Power Agency and Scottish Book Trust. Participants were selected on the enthusiasm and dedication they expressed for teenage participation in creative and literary culture.
