Celebrating Young Writers' Talent

The Portico Young Writers' Competition: A celebration of writing talent in the North West.

Although you’ve probably passed it a dozen times without realising it’s there, the Portico library has sat on Mosley Street in Manchester for over two hundred years. And this week, something quite special was happening there.

For the past four years the Portico Library, with support from Manchester Metropolitan University, has run the Portico Young Writers Prize, a writing competition for 14-19 year olds across Greater Manchester. But this isn’t just a writing competition; it is a project in which entrants are selected by their schools and teachers (each school entering selects two ‘laureates’ from their most talented young writers), who are then mentored by students and alumni of MMU’s Writing School and undergraduate English and Creative Writing programmes.

Humanity Hallows has been invited down to attend the launch of this year’s competition, and find out a bit more about the prize.

Buzzed in through the door, up a few flights of steps and into the main gallery of the library, I was greeted by Richie, an MA Poetry student at MMU’s Writing School currently interning with the Portico. He administrates the prize, and took up his internship after being involved as a mentor in a previous year.

“The mentors are all at the back with Sherry,” he informs me. “We’re expecting the young writers in about half an hour.”

It’s hard to take in the Portico in one glance. If you can imagine the ‘classic’ image of a library, then the Portico certainly fits. The Gallery room is skirted with floor to ceiling bookshelves, each lined with crackling, leather-bound books. It is a perfect setting for an afternoon of writing workshops to kick start the competition.

I make my way to the back of the Gallery. Sherry sits with a group of mentors, talking them through the afternoon’s event. Sherry has been the Writer in Residence at the Portico for the past two years. Also a Creative Writing Lecturer at MMU and a published children’s author, she has overseen the project since its inception. Later, when I manage to grab her for a quick chat about the competition and the project, she explains the workings of the prize, and the mentor/mentee relationship that makes it such a unique competition.

“The Portico has always wanted to have a young person’s prize alongside their main adult prize. What makes this distinctive from other competitions for young people is that we are looking for excellence. We are looking for the best talent in young writers in Manchester.

Writing can be pretty scary for young people, as it can for anybody, so MMU provide each entrant to the Portico prize with a personal mentor, who is an MMU student who’s had experience of creative writing workshops and who are writers themselves, who they can contact for support to help make their writing the best it can be before submitting it for the competition.”

For the moment, however, she is finishing running over a few points before the young writers arrive. The student mentors all look eager to get started. For some, this is their second year mentoring a young writer, but for most this will be their first time.

I speak with Sophie, an English Literature student at MMU. “I would have jumped at the chance to get this sort of help when I was younger... the young writers are going to feel so supported with their work...”

“But as well for us as students we gain a different insight into the creative writing process...” Dan, studying English and American Literature adds. “We do writing workshops at Uni, but coming from the other side is interesting for us from a technical point of view...”

The mentees begin arriving shortly after that and take a seat under the grand white dome of the Gallery. Beneath the auspice though is a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Everyone is chatting, drinks and sandwiches are in ample supply, and as the Gallery begins to busy, there is a real sense of excitement in the air.

Emily Adams and Rachel Wood are lower sixth form students from Sir John Deans Sixth Form Centre. As hopeful writers, the competition and the mentoring offers a chance not only of exposure and a potential win, but of guidance with their writing.

“It’s one thing to write for coursework but it’s another to show people what you’ve written, and put it forward for judgement. It’s a great opportunity to get advice as well, and get feedback about our work from the mentors.”

It’s a sentiment shared by members of staff and teachers present: “It’s a really good platform for students to get mentored by young enthusiastic writers who can pass on their enthusiasm and their expertise in some way....” says Annabel Lloyd-Hughes, an English teacher from Manchester Grammar School for Girls. “The process is really interesting, and of course there’s the setting.”

For Mr Day, from Christly King High School in Preston, there’s a longer term goal in mind.

“It’s the start of something really,” he says, stood with his school’s selected Year 10 Laureates. “Once we’ve got this we can look at having students down here more. For our students here as well, it’s a relationship they start now, and they can carry this enthusiasm and this link throughout their GCSEs and into their A Levels.”

The event gets started. Sherry matches the mentors with the young writers, and begins the afternoon workshops. After today the young writers and their mentors will meet regularly at the Portico to work on their piece for the competition. They will be submitting their pieces over the summer. The winners, I’m told, will be announced in October.

I slip away from the hubbub and find Lynne Allen, the Chair of the Portico and chat with her about the library, and the wider context of this competition.

“This competition and this project means a great deal to us at the Portico, because many people have lived their lives here and don’t know about us. Our intention is to bring new audiences to the library and engage much more fully with young people of all ages, because they are future. Especially at this time when libraries are under pressure and closing all over the place, we feel it’s very important for us to engage with young people as fully as possible.”

And they are doing so hand in hand with MMU.

“It has to be said that this would not have happened without the support of MMU, the Writing School, English Department and the staff and students who’ve been involved over the last four years,” Lynne says to me.

As I leave to the chatter of workshop talk and the scribble of pens, I’m struck by how much work the Portico and MMU are doing to develop writing talent in the North West. It seems that the Portico, steeped in heritage and history, is very much looking to, and investing in, the future.

The Portico Adult Poetry and Fiction & Poetry Prize has been running for over 25 years, counting Anthony Burgess amongst its previous winners. For more information about the Portico, including its competitions and exhibitions, visit http://www.theportico.org.uk/

For more details of Manchester Metropolitan Universities Writing School and Undergraduate Creative Writing Programmes, visit: http://www2.hlss.mmu.ac.uk/english/the-manchester-writing-school/

Celebrate The Need of Humanities In The 21st Century

Do Humanities Matter in the 21st Century? Neil Harrison, Richard Reed, and Sascha Wilts all agree with a resounding and resonating… YES! 

Words by Siobhán O'Toole

Left to right: Richard Reed, Neil Harrison & Sascha Wilts

Today’s award ceremony celebrated three deserving winners who all entered wonderfully diverse pieces in reaction to the above question earlier in the year. 

The competition, launched by MMU’s Humanities Faculty, asked students from all subject areas to enter either an essay of 1000 words, or a three-minute video, which responded to the question: ‘Do Humanities Matter in the 21st century?’ The competition brief encouraged entrants to consider Humanities in regards to new media, new messages, new meanings, values and attitudes, culture, and the rising significance of the digital age. 

Dr. Jess Edwards, Head of the English Department, kindly began proceedings by introducing the significance of such a question, and reminding us that the asking of it today is not a new thought, but one that has occurred innumerable times before, notably so in dark periods of austerity. Such periods encourage societies to defend the study of Mathematics, Sciences, and subjects with clear economic benefits, but question the study of subjects such as Philosophy, Politics, History, English, Sociology, and so on. These are seen as subjects with indistinct economic benefits, despite their immeasurable influence regarding our development and improvement as people and communities. 

To convey this, Jess discussed the role of Patricia Waugh (literary critic and professor of English Literature at Durham University), and her thoughts on this significant question—one notable opinion being that such enquiries regarding the value of Humanities, in no way affect the creative output of a society. On the contrary, Waugh said that it is in times of deep austerity that the greatest works arise. 

Jess supported such views by sharing that, despite national decreases in applications to study Humanities subjects, this is not the case at MMU, which remains resilient and receives encouraging numbers of applications every year. Before introducing the three winners, and presenting them with their prizes, Jess conveyed his pride in his position as Head of the English Department, and ‘defending the role of Humanities every day’. He noted that the work entered by the three winners was, ‘marvellous, passionate, articulate and persuasive’, whilst also presenting a summary of the judges’ views on the entries as, ‘very different in style, approach and message. However, all entries were equally as convincing and stimulating as the next.’ 

It was then time for the presentation of prizes, something highly anticipated by all three winners, due to the fabulous nature of each award. Firstly, Jess presented Sascha Wilts, a German Erasmus student of English, with third prize of a £25 Amazon voucher for his essay: ‘Do Humanities matter in the 21st Century? – A Plea for Humanities’. Secondly, Jess awarded Richard Reed, a combined honours student of International Politics and Marketing, with second prize of a £100 Amazon voucher for his film, entitled with the competition question. Lastly, Neil Harrison, student of History and fellow Student Press Officer, was presented with first prize; a brand spanking new iPad, for his essay: ‘Responding To Threats: ‘Do Humanities Matter in the 21st century?’ The iPad, he said, would go straight to his children, who would know how to use it better than him due to using them frequently at their school. 

Richard’s entry was the only one in video format, all others were essays, and so I automatically assumed that he was adept at filmmaking, to which he replied, ‘it’s something that I’m interested in, but not very good at’, a comment that many academics present would disagree with. 

Of his inspiration, Richard said that a major factor was science and technology, noting that, ‘I come from the 80s, before mobile phones, and I remember that everyone got on and survived very easily without all of these new technologies. They have taken over in a sense, and they are not necessities’. In addition, he explained his love for the Humanities in regards to how they permit you to speak and understand the world in which we live: ‘I love different opinions and learning from mistakes, otherwise how do we grow and develop?’ 

Whilst the room of academics and staff mingled, drank coffee and enjoyed nibbles, Neil added, ‘all Humanities subjects are important, they all have a role to play, and I tried my best to convey the importance of all subjects; Politics, History, Philosophy, English’. This he certainly did, his essay exuded a love of the Humanities and a passionate defence of their inclusion in Education today. 

Today’s event was extremely touching and rousing. In a society where many deem the study of subjects such as my own (English) as rather pointless, it is extremely encouraging to see that there are many who, not only value the study of the Humanities highly, but regard it as a vital component to society. These people silence those who question our studies; the friends who interrogate your future, the taxi drivers who ask, ‘but you speak English beautifully dear, why study it?!’, and the masses who assume that your vocation must be to teach. Discussions similar to the one I was lucky enough to attend today, silence such negativity and closed-mindedness. 

Reviews:

Do Humanities Matter in the 21st Century? - A Plea for Humanities
An Essay by Sascha Wilts

Sascha Wilts’ essay, which examines and argues for the value of Humanities in the 21st Century, is an extremely passionate and convincing piece that provides substantial reasoning for his views. He begins by outlining that, for him, Humanities is questioned due to a modern focus upon statistical results, rather than the critical thinking and analysis that exposure to literature, history, philosophy and the arts provides.

However, for Sascha, in order to change the world and its problems, we must understand it, something only achieved through constant examination and reflection upon our society. In order for society to develop, we must consider others and the differences within society, so that we welcome and celebrate such differences. Only when people are open to communication, reflection, critical thinking and the welcoming of otherness, will society truly flourish and develop. His quote from Einstein says it all, ‘Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.’

Do Humanities Matter in the 21st Century?
A Film by Richard Reed

Richard’s argument for the value of Humanities in society today, begins with an extract from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and his ‘to be or not to be’ monologue. He provides a fitting example of the arts and literature, and their value when contemplating the development and change of our world, ‘and by dream we say mend the heart-ache’, the heartache of society’s lost connection with its true needs. In order to convey his ideas, Richard does so effectively through the attention-grabbing form of video, with informative, and sometimes amusing, discussion of his thoughts. The first of which, is the importance of studying Humanities in reaction to the development of market driven science, and a move away from peace.

With images of wartime cemeteries and poppies, Richard discusses the need for Humanities when taking from the past, and learning from its mistakes. Overall, he argues that in order for an equality of Education, communication in Politics, cultural balance, equality of market forces, understanding of science vs. nature, and development of imagination, love and understanding, we must embrace the study of Humanities. His argument is flawless, intriguing, stimulating, well informed and its format highlights that the Humanities can work in harmony with the digital world.

Responding to Threats: Do Humanities Matter in the 21st Century?
An Essay Neil Harrison

Neil Harrison’s piece on the value of Humanities, in regards to society’s response to threats, provides fervent, insightful and fresh ideas about a day which has been covered innumerable times on a global scale. He analyses the ways in which society responded to 9/11 as conveyable of society’s need of Humanities in order to develop, and most importantly, react against and alter atrocities in the world that need such an outcry from such large numbers of people. Atrocities such as malnutrition, economic crises, consumerism, all of which affect societies on a global scale, and could be altered and banished purely by awareness and the will to change, which for Neil, originates from Humanities: history, the arts, literature and politics. In Neil’s own words, ‘we must understand what has happened in the story so far, and we must communicate our messages creatively and effectively. In other words, we need Humanities.’

Siobhan studies English Literature at Manchester Metropolitan and is an inspiring writer, hopeless optimist and romantic, and a complete technophobe. Follow Siobhan on Twitter @smo_07

Language and the Internet

Professor David Crystal, Language and the Internet, Monday, 11th March, 6pm, Geoffrey Manton Building, MMU

Words by Megan Lucie Adams

Photo from lidahibu.com

Language is something we can all take for granted and it is often something many of us believe we can use, shape and mould as we wish. In a world where Twitter and Facebook ask us, ‘What’s happening?’ or ‘What’s on your mind?’ on a daily basis, it is clear that the internet has some grip over what we say and how we say it, more than we care to believe. “Are you addicted to the internet?”, asked Professor David Crystal to a bursting and honoured lecture theatre at Manchester Metropolitan University this Monday evening.

Dr Sharon Handley, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, had the esteemed pleasure of welcoming Professor David Crystal to the university. As a renowned scholar and prolific author of over one hundred and twenty books, Patron of the Internal Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL), a Fellow of the British Academy, and decorated with an OBE, Professor Crystal was met with nothing but admiration and applause when delivering his lecture. Presenting itself in the Digital Humanities strand in the Institute of Humanities and Social Science Research Program at MMU, Professor Crystal began his engaging and inspiring lecture by ‘tweeting’ on his Blackberry and speaking passionately about the language of the internet and what is next in an ever-changing digital age. Instead of accusing today’s young demographic for our lack of attention to detail whilst surfing and engaging with the World Wide Web, he brought our awareness to the rapid changes in both technology and language.

Beginning in the 1990s, internet linguistics gave birth to computer mediated communication (CMC) or, how it is now known in America, electronically mediated communication (EMC) and in Europe, Digitally mediated communication (DMC). It has since produced technology that many of us did not imagine we would see. Take our GPS systems for example, iPhones and even voice activated washing machines, technology is evolving faster and becoming more innovative than ever before. However, next time someone tells you that txt speak is more popular than standard English, that we abbreviate more and that people who txt will in fact be poor spellers, tell them that David Crystal disagrees. Humouring John Humphreys in the Daily Mail, he quoted, “People who send txt messages are like the Vandals and Goths of ancient times raping and pillaging the English language”, yet it was this very argument the Professor aimed to counter with his engaging and informed set of facts and statistics.

Most of us will remember the way we began txting. I for one am guilty of dropping my vowels and substituting words for numbers, yet now, as an English undergraduate, this irritates me and, if I’m honest, it was the very moment I saw my mum doing the same thing that I knew it was time to stop. This particular point was brought to my attention during the lecture and as quickly as language develops, so did the final part of this informative ninety minutes. Professor Crystal concluded his lecture by offering examples by which EMC, speech and writing differ. He asked his audience to consider imagining a conversation without simultaneous feedback, without which we would not engage into any verbal conversations. He also brought the idea of publishing online to our attention, suggesting that blogs offer a new medium due to the editorial changes that the writer can themselves control.

In a world where the internet has become revolutionary, Professor David Crystal was himself an activist of the language being used today. Suggesting that although our vocabulary has expanded, our grammar evolved and morphology and orthography become more flexible, the internet has not radically changed our language, it has simply introduced more styles and more diversity. Speaking at the end of his lecture, Professor Crystal said, “The whole language of the internet is interesting [...] as a linguist, what upsets me more than anything else is to find that people are very ready to talk about the social side of the internet and not quite so ready to talk about the language side. That’s why a talk of this kind, I hope, will fill out for you a perspective which unfortunately has been too often missed.”

In a very entertaining, useful and engaging lecture, Professor David Crystal delivered his interesting research around the language of a medium close to us all. He reminded me of my love for the English language, its quirks, its adaptability and its sheer defiance to be generalised. It can foster new relationships online, become a medium to which we can be our own editors and offer a variety of new styles of which we can explore. However, despite this interest in the social aspect, we must, as Professor Crystal suggests, remember and pay homage to a language that is simply so fascinating in its own intellectual form.

Talking Heads- Horror and the Gothic: Unleash your Inner Zombie

Dr Linnie Blake discusses zombies, horror and the value of Humanities
Words by Sophie Bannister

Gothicist and Principal Lecturer in Film Dr Linnie Blake

Welcome to the very first Talking Heads, where we explore why the Humanities matter in today's society. In this week's instalment, Student Press Office journalist Sophie Bannister talks to Dr Linnie Blake and Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes about their exciting upcoming Gothic week, their work with Horror, and how zombies are taking over our television screens.

You can find out more information about Dr Linnie Blake by clicking here. You can also discover more information about the subjects discussed by accessing Linnie here.