Hannah Marshall
Image credit: Max Cao
“I was looking at a list of festivals that were happening around the country…
There are so many excellent writing and book events but to me, as a young writer, the New Zealand Young Writers Festival stood out. I loved the idea of a festival dedicated to celebrating new and up-and-coming writers. I made a snap-decision to attend.
On a Thursday evening in late October, I walked into the Writers Block in Dunedin. I had booked at the last minute, and so while I didn’t know much about the line-up when I arrived, I ended up discovering new writers whose work I really love. Being around other writers over that weekend was definitely one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve had. I connected with a lot of other creators and also discovered opportunities I hadn’t known about before, which has been exciting. The writing community in New Zealand can feel small at times, so it was amazing to be in an environment focused on the work of a young and new community.
I write to explore different worlds and also to process my own. For me, writing is a form of escapism and a way to better understand what’s going on around me. I mostly write fiction and poetry, and I’ve also written book reviews and opinion pieces for various publications. When I share my work, my greatest motivator is connection: to make people laugh, or think, or relate to what I’ve said.
Starting work on a new piece of writing, I always experience a feeling of uncertainty, because I never know whether what I’m writing is going to become my next-best thing or a total flop. But I also feel excitement, because there are so many possibilities and I never know which direction it’ll take me.
When it comes to my creative rights, I’d say this: it is very difficult to make a career out of writing, so being paid for my work helps me feel legitimate and valued. The most rewarding part about writing is knowing that your work is appreciated and is making an impact, and so having ownership of my work and being recognised for it is hugely important.
Thinking back on that weekend at the New Zealand Young Writers Festival, the session that had the most impact for me was Jordan Hamel’s spoken word workshop. It was a safe, welcoming environment – relaxed, low-pressure and fun. Usually, sharing my work makes me nervous, but the chill vibe let me feel brave enough to say anything. For a lot of us attending, it was our first time sharing our work in that way, so being able to do this in an inclusive, non-judgemental setting was empowering. Later, I found I had the confidence to sign up to the Otago Poetry Slam, purely because everyone in the room had been so supportive. And I’m so glad I did, not only was it a great experience, but I won!”
Hannah Marshall is a poet, writer and reviewer, and the winner of the 2021 Otago Regional Poetry Slam.