Young voices carry immense power. At Fusion’s event, mentees from the Writers Wheel project came together to share ideas, creating a space for open conversation. This gathering marked the conclusion of a meaningful journey - one that encouraged young writers to embrace their creativity and grow in confidence.
At 15 Park End Street, a sense of safety and imagination filled the room. The young writers brought fresh, unexpected perspectives, and one reader stepped forward to share their work. Their dialogue was sharp, making us all chuckle - yet beneath the humour, tension built. As the piece unfolded, vivid descriptions painted a striking portrait of personal relationships, leading to a surprising revelation: the identity of a vampire!
The first workshop, led by Laura Theis, drew inspiration from fairytales to spark fresh ideas. We crafted writing prompts by posing questions to familiar fairytale characters - ‘Why did you eat the apple?’ (directed to Snow White) ‘How do you take care of your hair?’ (a question for Rapunzel). Randomly pairing these questions with unexpected answers led to the creation of new narratives, whether in poetry or prose. One participant cleverly reimagined an online relationship, weaving fairytale prompts into a modern setting.
The second workshop, led by Maya Little, explored the art of reinterpretation. Using pre-existing text as a starting point, we uncovered new meanings within familiar words. Across the group, the same lines were transformed in countless ways - reshaped, reimagined, and repurposed. Each version was uniquely beautiful.
Next came a slightly more stressful challenge - writing poetry under ever-changing constraints. Every minute, a new rule was introduced: ‘Start each line with the last word of the previous one!’ Then, ‘Make every word alliteration!’ And for an extra twist, ‘Include three alternative names for butterflies or moths!’ The task pushed us to think quickly, embrace the absurd, and find joy in the unexpected. It was a brilliant exercise in letting go of perfection.
As the session progressed, you could feel the shift - people growing more comfortable. ‘I’ll share… why not?’ Writing is inherently vulnerable, and this experience, shared between adults and young people alike, laid that vulnerability bare. But instead of shying away, we met it head-on and transformed it into something empowering.
I have no doubt that we all left feeling more confident, at ease, and inspired in our writing.
