The Teen Read Out event at the Festival of Words is an annual favourite, wrapping up a weeklong writing experience that gathered teen writers together in a virtual space this year.
The Teen Writing Experience is a staple of the Festival, taking place over a week before events begin and concluding with participants presenting their work to a captive audience.
After a warm introduction from both Sage Hill Writing executive director Tara Dawn Solheim, author and retreat instructor Kristine Scarrow took the screen to introduce each of the twelve teen writers who presented their work.
The readings ranged from fiction to poetry and covered all kinds of themes and topics — body dysphoria, mysterious attics, saving baby birds, and the experience of love.
Some of this year’s writers were returning participants, said Scarrow, and all of the participants enjoyed connecting during the retreat despite the physical distance of the virtual format.
“One of the comments I’ve heard most from the kids this year is how as young writers, they’ve never really been able to be in relationship with other young writers and share in the kinship that writers seem to have with one another. Each of them expressed gratitude at the chance to talk shop with one another and speak with their peers about their passion of writing,” said Scarrow. “It’s like finding out you were a part of a club that you weren’t even sure existed.”
This is the second year that Scarrow, a guest of the Festival of Words last year, has mentored the Teen Writing Experience.
“I applaud these teens for their hard work and the incredible support they’ve given one another this week,” she said.
The Festival of Words continues until July 19, with a full schedule of events available here.
Stay tuned for coverage of the festival as it progresses through the week.
