Emerging Writers Mentoring Program
We are thrilled to announce the writers selected to participate in our Autumn 2023 Program.
Emerging Writers Mentoring Scheme
The program welcomes David Gorman, Klair Farrugia, Holly Trenaman and Kyle Allen:
Meet David Gorman, an emerging writer whose passion for poetry and writing is fuelled by a desire to make a difference, and a day job in emergency services preventing catastrophic disaster. In his writing David explores the philosophy, beauty and absurdity of the human condition through observation, play and creativity. After decades working in high pressure and life and death environments, and a generalised anxiety disorder diagnosis, David decided to pursue a dream of creating works of great socio-cultural significance. Over the last couple of years, he has honed his skills, in poetry and non-fiction, receiving guidance and support from established authors and peers alike. David's writing is characterised by relatable, meaningful and thought-provoking themes. He draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including his work experiences, fatherhood, history, and current events. As an emerging writer, David is constantly pushing himself to grow and improve. He is committed to making a meaningful contribution to the world of poetry and writing and hopes to inspire others to make a difference to life and humanity through their own creative passions.
Klair Farrugia self-describes as a doctor in melancholy, suffering from increasing bouts of oversharing. With Maltese and Irish parents, and a life on Dharawal, Gadigal and Wurundjeri land, understanding life in the ‘in-between’ is a driving force for their writing. With a day job as a social scientist and an aptitude for pseudo-psychology, Klair is trying to treat writing more like they do surfing: with performance, play and a preparedness to be lost in the white-wash. With a PhD in sociology, they are interested in merging theory, history into everyday reflections of the world around them. With expertise in community engagement and qualitative social research, there is a particular interest in how to bring individual reflection on emotion together with wider community/societal narratives. They work at the Australian Human Rights Commission and have a strong interest in trauma-informed research and community engagement.
Holly Trenaman writes adult fiction and children’s picture books, while also working as a screenwriter/producer. She recently graduated from a Bachelor of Screen Production at The Australian, Film, Television and Radio School in Sydney, and now studies a Master of Art: Creative Writing at UTS. She has had six short films that she’s written produced, and five articles published in print and online. Growing up on sitcoms, her motto is 'Have a laugh', as she believes humour is the best way forward, though she has always craved a realistic representation of young female characters. Thus, she hopes to create the change she wants to see in alleviating standards of perfection, by creating stories that showcase imperfect women.
Kyle Allen is a 22-year-old, high-functioning autistic creative writer from Batemans Bay, NSW. He is majoring in Creative Writing at UOW. During his major studies, he created a zine, wrote for and edited for an anthology, completed numerous short story, poetry and script works, and have even dabbled in the usage of game programs such as Ren'Py in order to create multimedia works. He loves to explore themes of perseverance, struggle, hope, loss, and alienation, to name some through prose, script, and poetry. His aim is to meaningfully create empathy and understanding surrounding his own struggles, and those of others throughout the world. Writing empowers and inspires, especially for those who are disadvantaged. * Kyle will also be supported by the program’s partnership with Bramble Journal.
Emerging Refugee & CALD Writers
Fatima Sayed, a 2022 mentee, will continue to work on translations of her poems from Arabic to English with Jumaana Abdu. One of Fatima poem’s was published in SCWC’s 2022 anthology Mantle in the original Arabic with its English translation.
The program welcomes Xiaoxue Li and Gabi Martinez.
Twenty years of experience living in Shanghai has given Xiaoxue (Shirley) Li a greater understanding of the beauty of classical Chinese language. She has loved writing since primary school and studied journalism at university in Shanghai. After graduating as a journalist, she moved to Australia with her family. Since then, she has been learning to write creatively in a second language, English. Xiaoxue Li currently works for a local company marketing team. In her spare time, she plays the piano and accompanies her child to the beach to swim.
Gabi Martinez is an experienced health promotion professional and an emerging writer who migrated to Australia as a child from Uruguay in 1970 during a politically tumultuous time and settled in the Fairy Meadow Migrant Hostel. After attending a film night about the revolution in El Salvador she joined a socialist youth organisation at 13 and became a political activist. At 15 her family moved to Sydney and she moved from my local high school to a selective high school in Sydney’s Inner West. It was a culture shock. She spent her teen years as a socialist activist. She left school at 15 before finishing fourth form due the depression that followed the abuse she experienced and found work in the male dominated railways. At 17 she left the socialist cult but felt isolated and lost. She saved enough money to buy a ticket to Uruguay. She boarded a plane to Montevideo, walked around lost in South America meeting family and having an identity crisis. She was determined to go back to education after her transformative time overseas. At twenty she started at Sydney University. It was a lonely time, she never felt like a belonged in an institution full of well-spoken kids with clear skin and good teeth. She persevered as she wanted a degree, her ticket to professional work, which she finally achieved. She has worked in health, education and community sector for over 20 years and is now focusing on mastering memoir writing.
Emerging Aboriginal Writers
Nicole Smede and Tabatha Cann, mentees from 2022, will continue to work with mentor Judi Morison. Nicole is working on a book of poetry exploring her reconnection with her First Nations heritage, weaving in her ancestral Gathang language and the Gumea Dharawal/Dhurga languages of where she currently lives, and Tab is writing a memoir about her survival as a strong Aboriginal lesbian despite her experiences of homophobic abuse and internalised homophobia.