Top Authors Inspire Young Manawatu Writers

Top Authors Inspire Young Manawatu Writers

Lydia Whyte: winner of the Speed Date An Author writing challenge

Nine-year-old Lydia Whyte from Carncot School has won the hotly-contested Manawatu Speed Date an Author writing competition.

Speed Date an Author, part of the New Zealand Book Council’s Writers in Schools programme, gathers six top New Zealand authors and illustrators speak to groups of school students about the craft of writing. Following the latest Speed Date event, 37 intermediate-aged children from 13 schools entered the Speed Date an Author writing challenge.

The writers and illustrators at the June 16 event in Palmerston North were Fleur Beale, David Hill, Janice Marriott, Fifi Colston, Diana Neild, and local literacy trainer Marion Orme. The young writers who entered the Speed Date an Author writing competition had to use six words chosen by the authors in their story: ‘fossick’, ‘creep’, ‘pomegranate’, ‘effusive’, ‘steal’ and ‘chasm’. Lydia Whyte, and the two runners-up, Jotham Harris (Levin East School) and Frances Harnett-Darlington (Tiritea School, Palmerston North) deftly wove the words into their winning stories.

Lydia Whyte used the six words with a flair that also showed how much she’d learned from the workshop writers. Lydia’s story transported the judges to wartime London, where a young girl hunts for treasure in the ruins before the air raid siren sends her scurrying for cover. The judges were particularly impressed with her skill in setting the scene, and creating realistic scenarios, enacted against an attention-grabbing historical backdrop.

Lydia was delighted with her win, saying:

‘It was a real thrill to win such a big competition. I really loved the Speed Date an Author workshops and tried to take in what I learnt there. I hope we get to do it again!’

Lydia has won $100 worth of Booksellers’ vouchers, a certificate, and a huge pile of books donated by the writers’ publishers. The two runners-up also received a pile of books each, along with a certificate recognizing their achievements.

Speed Date an Author was sponsored by Booksellers NZ, McKenzie Booksellers, Random House NZ, Scholastic NZ, and Penguin NZ. The event was run in partnership with Ross Intermediate School (special thanks to Keith Butler), and the National Library of New Zealand.

ENDS

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