The best young writers in NSW work with professional writers from UWS

The University of Western Sydney will host a master class for budding young writers at the UWS Bankstown campus on Friday 5 October, 2012.

The young writers participating on the day are all State Finalists in the Sydney Morning Herald's Young Writer's Competition and each student will get to meet and work with a professional writer from the University's Writing and Society Research Centre.

Ms Maree Graham, from the UWS Student Recruitment Unit, says the University is proud to support the competition that aims to develop the writing skills of young people.

"UWS strongly believes in nurturing the talents of young people even before they decide whether to go to university in the future or not," says Ms Graham.

"We are happy to provide the State Finalist with an opportunity to work with UWS professional writers to help guide them with future writing skills."

During the master classes, students will also have the opportunity to meet staff and students from the Writing and Society Research Centre.

Published fiction writer, Felicity Castagna, and published poet, Kate Middleton, will spend the day with the group of students workshopping current stories they are working on and providing them with a writing exercise to challenge their writing skills.

The Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer Award started as a celebration of the young writing talent in NSW and ACT. Since then, the competition has grown to become one of the most prestigious writing competitions for secondary students in the country.

The competition is now in its 27th year and continues to be the premier short story writing competition for senior students in NSW and ACT.

Ends

3 October 2012

Contact: Kristy Gleeson, Media Officer