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Competition allows young writers platform to shine

By Xu Qin | June 8, 2014, Sunday | Online Edition

THE fifth Young Writers' Debut Competition, held by Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd Reading Club, announced details of this year's contest on May 31 in Shanghai.

The competition is coorganized by Joint Publishing (HK). 

The competition covers the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. It features an illustrious judging panel including mainland stage director and playwright Tian Qinxin, Hong Kong writer Liu Wai-tong, and Taiwanese illustrator Page Tsou. The theme of this year's competition is "Discovery."

Tian Qinxin said:"Having an eye for discovery is important not only for writers, but also for anyone who wants to live their life to the fullest."

SHKP Deputy General Manager Rick Man, joined by Joint Publishing Deputy Editor-in-Chief Anne Lee, and Sun Ganlu, deputy chairman of the Shanghai Writers’ Association, were on hand to kick-off the contest.

"Since 2006, it has helped 33 young people make their writing debuts, and the works have been well received," Lee said. "Some of the authors have already published second books. I'm pleased that the fifth competition will be open to Taiwan and Macau to offer a platform for more aspiring young authors to fulfill their dreams. This kind of cultural exchange will breathe fresh air into Chinese literature."

Zhan Dan, 33, won last year's competition. She graduated from East China Normal University with a master's degree in Chinese literature in 2007. Zhan said she had never thought of writing a book even though she loves reading. She has worked as a sales representative, magazine editor and copywriter for advertising companies, traveling between Shanghai and Beijing. The pressure from work and life in big cities finally wore her out.

"I picked up writing while I was lying in the hospital bed and became an active blogger. It was my teacher who suggested I enter the competition," Zhan said. "Though I had never published any articles at all, the panel accepted my writing. It was such a thrill."

Joint Publishing (HK) released Zhan's first book, "Running Backward," last year in both traditional and simplified Chinese. The collection of 12 short stories was hailed as brilliant and ambitious by the literary review website douban.com.

"Thanks to my mentor Zou Jingzhi, writer and playwright of Zhang Yimou's new movie 'Coming Home,' I now boast a book of some 700,000 words, starting from one short story of some 7,000 words. Zou suggested I pursue my own style instead of copying others. Throughout the publishing process, he kept telling me I should be faithful to my self, which I think inspired my creativity," Zhan said.

Asked whether she would continue writing, Zhan said she didn't know for sure, but the competition had definitely given her the confidence to do whatever she wanted in the future.

The competition welcomes entries in a range of genres and formats, including novels, fairy tales, documentaries, travelogues, picture books, photography books and screenplays. Lee said, "there are no restrictions," and she hopes more young people pick up a pen and pursue writing.

Liu, one of this year's judges, said: "I believe in the vitality of mixing different forms of arts. Creativity comes from discovery in two ways: to find your multiple existences in this world and to find multiple meanings that have never been brought out by others."

Tsou, a visual artist at Practicing Fine Arts in Taiwan, shot to international fame after winning the 2011 Bologna Book Fair illustration competition in Italy, said: "I'd never thought I would have my illustation 'Brave Tin Soldiers' published until I won the prize for 'dancing feathers'."

"So, I'd say to my young friends here that if you want to be discovered and put a solid credential on your resume, you'd better come and join us."

Besides judges from current and past competitions and past winning writers, VIP members of the SHKP Reading Club like travel writer Tao Lixia, novelists Lu Nei and writer Wang Ruoxu were also at the weekend ceremony to show their support and encouragement to budding writers.

Deputy chairman Sun, said: "Reading is essential to a good, healthy lifestyle. We are happy to have the SHKP Reading Club in Shanghai today. It's not only a nice way to spread the joy of reading, but also a platform to promote reading through discovery writing."

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