Fertile ground for young writers to develop their talents

On the morning of October 21, within the framework of the Ho Chi Minh City Literature and Arts Days, the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association organized a discussion on Southern Youth Literature.

From left to right: writers Tieu Quyen, Nguyen Dinh Khoa, Vo Thu Huong and Tran Duc Tin interact in the discussion

Attending the discussion were Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Van Minh, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thi Kim Nguyen and leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association, writers and poets of many generations.

Ho Chi Minh City, a good land for young writers

Opening the discussion, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association Trinh Bich Ngan expressed that at the recent conference summarizing 50 years of Ho Chi Minh City literature and art, she really liked the working style of Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang. Instead of reading a nine-page speech, he chose to have a dialogue with artists.

Therefore, in the morning discussion on October 21, she wanted to give a forum for young people to freely speak up and share their concerns in the journey of literary creation.

Writer Vo Thu Huong talks about young literature in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: QUOC THANH

Nguyen Dinh Khoa made his mark when he won the Young Author Award of the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association in 2024 with the work Variant.

He started writing about 10 years ago, from the 20-year-old Literature Contest. Until now, Khoa sees that our Ho Chi Minh City is extremely dynamic, open, has the largest number of readers compared to the whole country and a very liberal personality, can comfortably accept many new topics, many different literary genres, giving young people like Khoa more motivation to experiment in writing.

A young, dynamic city is also a good condition, with many new issues for young people to exploit and incorporate into their works.

Young poet Tran Duc Tin believes that literature originates from people and its goal is also to focus on people. When he first started writing, he had many worries and confusions, but fortunately, he received sharing and encouragement from his predecessors.

"My uncles and aunts advised me to just write about myself, to go deep into the core of myself and I will find everyone in there" - Tran Duc Tin said and he believes that after the merger, Ho Chi Minh City has a strong writing force, the previous generation has been shaped, so today's young people from that foundation must strive to develop their best inner strength.

Need competitions to discover young writers

Dr. Ho Khanh Van and Dr. La Mai Thi Gia from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, shared about the Literary Startup Award that the school actively built to create a playground and discover talents of young writers who are students from universities.

Ms. Khanh Van has been involved in the Literary Startup Award since its inception and is now in its fourth year. Ms. Van believes that this award is extremely meaningful. There have been newspapers and competitions for students such as Muc Tim newspaper (with the Vom Me Xanh group), Ao Trang newspaper, the New Pen competition in Tuoi Tre newspaper...

It is a fertile ground for young writers to develop their abilities, both to start their hobbies and to earn royalties, promoting the movement of writing school literature. There are still some literary competitions, but those dedicated to students are too rare.

With Literary Startup, the organizers also wondered if young people still love literature.

"I am now optimistic. On social networks, the way you use language may make me a bit worried, but when I started composing, I was surprised. You used very creative language, closely linked to the roots of the nation, thereby revealing your concerns about generations, homeland, and family, making us happy because we feel that you are very great on your writings," Ms. Van confided.

She hopes that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports , the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association, and relevant departments will pay attention to creating larger playgrounds for students, thereby discovering and nurturing writing talents from a very early age.

Writer Luu Thanh Tuu brought 20 young writers from the old Binh Duong to the discussion. He confided that when it merged into Ho Chi Minh City, he and the creative force in the old Binh Duong were very happy because the associations, specifically the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association, had wholeheartedly cared to help everyone integrate into the new environment.

Mr. Tuu believes that Ho Chi Minh City literature often hears many Western voices, and rarely hears Southeast voices. He suggests that young writers should approach industrial zones and workers' lives to gain more perspectives and new works in the conditions of Ho Chi Minh City's expansion.

Writer Vo Thu Huong, who won the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association's Children's Literature Award, affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City has a large number of writers from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even 15 and 16 year olds who are still in school have joined in.

"They are like successive waves that do not overlap, creating a lasting flow. Everyone has the freedom to express their personality and creativity. We have a motivating environment so that each writer feels compelled to write and create" - Vo Thu Huong said.

LINH DOAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/manh-dat-mau-mo-de-nha-van-tre-phat-huy-tai-nang-2025102209151543.htm