Young writers take part in a field trip in HCM City as part of the fourth meeting for young writers organised by the city’s Writers Association (Photo courtesy of Writers Association) HCM City (VNA) - Intoday’s society, the most important duty of young writers is to offer qualityworks that expand people’s intellectual horizons, delegates said at a meetingfor young writers held in Ho Chi Minh City last week.
Organised every five years by the HCM City Writers Association,this year’s event attracted more than 100 writers born in the 1980s from HCMCity and the Mekong River Delta.
Huynh Trong Khang, 23, popular for his novel Mo Phan TuoiTre (Tomb of Youth), said that his works respected readers and that healways tried to deepen his knowledge to produce quality works that can enhancereaders’ tastes.
“Never allow yourselves to fall behind,” Khang said.
Nguyen Dinh Minh Khue, head of the Young Pen Club at the HCM CityUniversity of Social Sciences and Humanities, said: “Young writers are focusinga lot on youth’s feelings such as love, hatred, heartbreaks and loneliness.”
Some of the books have become bestsellers, such as Buon LamSao Buong (How to Get Rid of Sadness), a novel by Anh Khang aboutsadness and anxiety in love. As many as 70,000 copies since 2014 have beenprinted.
Hamlet Truong and Iris Cao released their co-written novel AiRoi Cung Khac (Everyone Will Change) which features young people’sfeelings and thoughts about love and relationships with family and friends.
Around 20,000 copies were printed in 2015 for the first edition.
However, Khue said: “I know that life is complicated and peopleneed to share their feelings. But it’s strange that the market is overwhelmedwith these kinds of books to serve specific readers, particularly youngpeople.”
“I thought that true writers are ‘strong men’ who help improvereaders’ tastes as well as intellectual standards,” he added.
Poet Vinh Thong, who began writing at the age of 14 and haspublished 22 poetry books, recommended that young writers focus on urgentissues and problems in society.
“Most writers love to write about school, friendship and love whenthey start their writing careers. But when society changes, they should changetheir mind,” said Thong, a 22-year-old student at the HCM City University ofSocial Sciences and Humanities.
Literary critic Tran Xuan Tien of the city’s Van Lang Universityagreed with Khue and Thong.
“Young writers are doing their jobs well. They satisfy the needsand wants of the readers, particularly young people, but they should be moreresponsible in their work. Respect for readers doesn’t mean they should justsatisfy the crowd’s needs, but instead means they should help improve readers’tastes and minds.”
Writer Tran Minh Hop said: “I realised writing is the best way foryoung writers to contribute to society’s development, even though it’s a hardroad.”
The 29-year-old likes to write about the poor and their hard livesto introduce readers to the reality of life and society.
His novel Co Gai Ban O Mau Do (The Girl SellingRed Umbrellas) won the Young Writer prize given by the HCM City WritersAssociation in 2011.
“Some writers are too inexperienced to understand the duties of anauthor,” he said, adding that becoming a professional writer wasdifficult.
Veteran poet Tran Quang Chuyen said young writers have moreopportunities now to approach the world’s cultural and literacy achievementsand to travel everywhere to open their minds.
Chuyen is a member of the Vietnam Writers Association and thecity’s Writers Association. Of his 15 poetry books, some have won prizesawarded by prestigious magazines and associations.
“Love and responsibility for life and people will help youngwriters have energy and creativity to create quality works,” he added.-VNA
Organised every five years by the HCM City Writers Association,this year’s event attracted more than 100 writers born in the 1980s from HCMCity and the Mekong River Delta.
Huynh Trong Khang, 23, popular for his novel Mo Phan TuoiTre (Tomb of Youth), said that his works respected readers and that healways tried to deepen his knowledge to produce quality works that can enhancereaders’ tastes.
“Never allow yourselves to fall behind,” Khang said.
Nguyen Dinh Minh Khue, head of the Young Pen Club at the HCM CityUniversity of Social Sciences and Humanities, said: “Young writers are focusinga lot on youth’s feelings such as love, hatred, heartbreaks and loneliness.”
Some of the books have become bestsellers, such as Buon LamSao Buong (How to Get Rid of Sadness), a novel by Anh Khang aboutsadness and anxiety in love. As many as 70,000 copies since 2014 have beenprinted.
Hamlet Truong and Iris Cao released their co-written novel AiRoi Cung Khac (Everyone Will Change) which features young people’sfeelings and thoughts about love and relationships with family and friends.
Around 20,000 copies were printed in 2015 for the first edition.
However, Khue said: “I know that life is complicated and peopleneed to share their feelings. But it’s strange that the market is overwhelmedwith these kinds of books to serve specific readers, particularly youngpeople.”
“I thought that true writers are ‘strong men’ who help improvereaders’ tastes as well as intellectual standards,” he added.
Poet Vinh Thong, who began writing at the age of 14 and haspublished 22 poetry books, recommended that young writers focus on urgentissues and problems in society.
“Most writers love to write about school, friendship and love whenthey start their writing careers. But when society changes, they should changetheir mind,” said Thong, a 22-year-old student at the HCM City University ofSocial Sciences and Humanities.
Literary critic Tran Xuan Tien of the city’s Van Lang Universityagreed with Khue and Thong.
“Young writers are doing their jobs well. They satisfy the needsand wants of the readers, particularly young people, but they should be moreresponsible in their work. Respect for readers doesn’t mean they should justsatisfy the crowd’s needs, but instead means they should help improve readers’tastes and minds.”
Writer Tran Minh Hop said: “I realised writing is the best way foryoung writers to contribute to society’s development, even though it’s a hardroad.”
The 29-year-old likes to write about the poor and their hard livesto introduce readers to the reality of life and society.
His novel Co Gai Ban O Mau Do (The Girl SellingRed Umbrellas) won the Young Writer prize given by the HCM City WritersAssociation in 2011.
“Some writers are too inexperienced to understand the duties of anauthor,” he said, adding that becoming a professional writer wasdifficult.
Veteran poet Tran Quang Chuyen said young writers have moreopportunities now to approach the world’s cultural and literacy achievementsand to travel everywhere to open their minds.
Chuyen is a member of the Vietnam Writers Association and thecity’s Writers Association. Of his 15 poetry books, some have won prizesawarded by prestigious magazines and associations.
“Love and responsibility for life and people will help youngwriters have energy and creativity to create quality works,” he added.-VNA
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