It happened when I was twelve. My mum bought me a copy of Voiceworks magazine. Voiceworks (in case you are unfortunate enough not to know) is Australia's literary journal for under 25s, published by Express Media. It's awesome.
Well, I wrote a poem and sent it off to Voiceworks, and to my utter joy it was accepted, and soon afterwards I received a cheque for $40 and a shining copy of the magazine. My first publication.
That was in 1994 (I think). I had an opportunity to revisit that poem recently, and let me tell you - it isn't very good. It's bloody awful, actually.
2009 is Voicework's 21st birthday, and I'm totally excited to still be involved (I'm on the management committee of Express Media). Voiceworks gave me my start, and 5 published books under my belt, I couldn't be more grateful or admiring of the work it does.
Happy Birthday, Voiceworks!
Now...
Do you want to read that terrible first poem I wrote? Here's your opportunity. To celebrate the 21st, Express Media has published The Words We Found, an anthology of Voiceworks' best writing by young people (edited by Lisa Dempster).
And wondering what to get a budding young writer for Christmas?
Buy a copy of The Words We Found.
Subscribe to Voiceworks.
10 comments:
I want to go to there.
Wow, I really wish that I'd been that proactive with my writing when I was 12.
Yay! Looks brilliant.
I love voiceworks! I stumbled upon it last year (or was it the year before?).
i remember turning 25 and thinking that i really should have got my arse into gear and submitted something to voiceworks. i felt really sad that i missed that opportunity.
love all your books, lili. we want to do 'pink' for the teen bookclub i run...the girls are really excited.
I too love Voiceworks, and it couldn't've been that bad if it was accepted!
It looks very interesting, I've never heard of voiceworks again so I'll check them out! He he, i want to here to poem.
Hey, Lili. It's one of the kids that will be interviewing you tomorrow. Well. Just writing to say hi. And to WIN a copy. Looks very interesting. See you tomorrow!
I wrote to voiceworks. I don't even think I was published. I don't remember anymore.
I wish I had known about Voiceworks when I was twelve! I don't think news of this marvellous organisation reached us way down here in lil ol Tassie!
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