13 Feb 2025
In the second semester of 2024, language lecturers David Brennan and Jonathan Culbert from the School of Languages ran extra-curricular creative writing classes and the second XJTLU creative writing competition was held. The classes were attended by both domestic and international students and indeed some teachers from the School of Languages.
This year’s winning story was Melting Sunset, by Xiaoya Nie
David Brennan and Xiaoya Nie
The runner up was On the Playground, by Yukun Jiang
Jonathan Culbert and Yukun Jiang
Both stories were very good and displayed huge potential.
Let’s hear what the students had to say about it:
Xiaoya Nie: Creative writing on every Thursday evening is the moment I look forward to. We have writing training at CB to learn how to transform chaotic ideas and fragments of plot into logical words. We practice under the guidance of our teachers, David and Jonathan-- by the way, they are really good teachers, patient, funny and creative. It makes me happy to learn from them. At the beginning, I was interested in this course, but at the same time I was very nervous. I was shy about showing my works to others, and I was also worried about making jokes when I wrote in poor English. However, after several courses, my anxiety gradually disappeared, and I began to become more confident and my faith in writing was encouraged. At the same time, writing in different languages makes me feel the different feelings brought by thinking habits and narrative language, which is a wonderful experience. I hope that more people can participate in this interesting course, and you can not only gain knowledge, but also enjoy the happiness of two hours of creation here!
Yukun Jiang: The creative writing contest offers an opportunity to share our writing and thoughts, and gives supportive recognition of the work of someone like me, who had never written any novel before. The brainstorming and supportive atmosphere of the creative writing is indeed an enjoyable journey.
Yuan: The course helps with technical aspects like plot structure, dialogue, character development and different genres. A creative writing course like this is an invaluable investment in both craft and personal growth. It equips writers with skills, community, and confidence, making it a transformative experience for anyone eager to explore the power of words.
Gwen: "Dynamic, captivating, and exceptionally interactive. This course is a must for anyone aspiring to write fiction—don't miss out on this opportunity to hone your craft!"
Let’s hear what the teachers had to say about it:
David Brennan: I gained a lot from teaching these classes and though it’s becoming something of a cliché to say my students taught me more than I taught them I think the correct sentiment can be summarized by the great physicist and teacher Richard Feynman: “If you really want to master something - teach it.” And Oppenheimer expressed the same idea: “There is no better way to learn than to teach.”
The last time we ran this course and competition (2021) the winner went on to do an MA in creative writing at Glasgow university. She recently published her first English short story. To me this is verification that we are doing something useful. This year’s winning story Melting Sunset is on the same level of excellence and it was very evident that the winner really took on board what we were trying to transmit in the class. Big expectations for her if she continues writing.
Jonathan Culbert: It was an honor to spend several spring evenings in the company of some of the university’s most creative minds. Although I was one of the instructors, there wasn’t a session where I left feeling that I hadn’t learnt something: the name of a Chinese writer whose work I could seek out; a new take on some aspect of plot or character development that I, at least nominally, was teaching; or simply a whimsical, wacky, wonderful idea for a story. All round a great experience.
2025 classes and competition:
In 2025 the writing competition will again be held and this time both fiction and poetry classes will be delivered by David Brennan, Kyle Sparks, and Rebecca Sparks.
The precise dates and locations will be announced soon.
It’s a wonderful opportunity for those who have an interest in writing fiction or poetry.
The winning story:
Melting Sunset
Well grown and manicured the grass lay on lawn in front of the yard.
There was a big oak tree growing five steps away from him. Keith remembered how hurt it was to fall off from the tree. He had climbed up and down from the tree thousands of times when he was a kid. Through the gap in the canopy, a bird nest was visible. The canopy, once thought to be as high as sky, can be reached with a straight arm now.
The sun moved through thin bands of clouds slowly, sliding toward the horizon.
‘Congratulation.’ Keith turned back his head, and saw the smiling young lady came, sun shining on her brown hair, with a small iron bucket in her hand.
‘Thanks, Vivi.’He greeted her, with a coke in his hand.
She worn a blue dress today, pretty and bright.
Keith put down the coke, and smoothed his hair by his hands.
Vivi went to the stool beside him and sat down.
‘All packed?’
‘Uh-hum.’
‘You’ll go tomorrow morning, right?’
‘Yes.’ Keith nodded, fiddling with an acorn in his hand, which he pitched out carefully from amount of them.
‘Sounds good. So, still worry for what?’ Vivi asked, taking out a cold beer from the bucket. Keith saw there are ice full the bucket.
‘No… nothing.’ He clenched the acorn into his palm.
‘Really? You look a little lost.’ Vivi said. ‘May I?’ She reached out her hand.
‘Of course. ’Keith handed her the acorn, and shaken his head: ‘I have prepare well, I think.’
‘I see…’Vivi nodded, taking an ice cube out of the bucket, passing it to Keith: ‘Exchange.’
Keith raised one side of his eyebrow and laughed.
Keith look at the sky though the ice cube, which reflected sunshine and shone beautifully. The ice shone melting quickly in warm hand. ‘Well, I don't know.’ Keith said, ‘It is a kind of mixed feeling now. ’
‘People worry about what’s unknown and what’s changing. ’
‘But you aren’t.’ He said, with a sudden sigh, ‘How can I be good as you? ’
‘As me?’
‘Yes. You are always the best…’ Keith took a deep breath and thought for seconds, ‘You went to a totally unfamiliar place for study, organized your life well, and did excellent in your program. I remember when we first meet, Vin was congratulating you for getting the offer from your ideal summer internship.’
‘And most important,’ He added: ‘You always looks, you know, like some kind of lively plants…of course beautiful plants, I mean. ’
‘Really? ’ Vivi started to laugh.
‘Yeah, always confident, always brilliant.’
‘Oh…’ She laughed louder, a red cloud rose over her face.
‘Don’t laugh. You're really good.’
‘Thank you, Keith.’ Vivi said, ‘I’m shocked. I never heard you said that…But, actually I was worried and afraid. When I came here, three years ago, the same age as you, and I was just like you, nervous, excited, feeling as if I had everything and had nothing…So trust me, you’ll do better than you thought you might be, as long as you keep moving forward, as you said, growing like a plant…’ She stoped for a while, frowning, and then winking: ‘Well, forgive me, I didn't mean to preach.’
‘… Thank you, Vivi.’
‘Don’t forget that you are not alone…You have friends, family. You know what? Maybe they can’t help much, but when you realized you are not facing alone, it may make you feel much better.’
‘I see.’ Keith raised his coke, taking a sip.
‘Good luck.’ Vivi raised her beer, taking a sip.
The evening air was still hot and dry. Keith saw Vivi push back her hair, and started to look the carefully chosen acorn gently.
Keith turned his head back, toward the shining sunshine, which made it a little hard to open his eyes.
‘Vivi.’ He suddenly called her name.
‘Yes?’ She held the acorn close to her eyes, ‘It is really beautiful, isn’t it? ’
‘Vivi.’ He called again.
She didn’t answer this time, so he turned back to her.
‘I…’ He choked.
Vivi looked at him.
Keith saw there was a sparrow lingered in the shadow of the oak, but seemed found nothing. An awkward silence between them.
‘Will you left it to me?’
‘Leave what?’
‘The acorn.’ Vivi looked at him, smiled.
‘Well, OK, of course, if you like…’
‘Anyway, you can have it back.’ Vivi said, reached out her hand.
‘What?’
‘My ice cube!’
Keith opened his hand, there was only wet palm left.
‘Well…’
They looked at each others face and laughed loud.
The poor sparrow jumped, and fly into the warm sunset sky. It seemed that it had found what it wanted.
‘Thanks, Vivi...’ Keith said, took a soft breathing out and smiled to her. ‘Good luck to us.’
Vivi also smiled, saying nothing.
Beer and coke clinked.
Lightness went down, the bright orange sky changed to a dull pink and soon turned to a deep purple, with a gold edge framing the skyline. They sat there, without speaking, waiting till the first star rising.
Author's bio:
Xiao Ya is from Chengdu. She is a 3rd year student and now studies in China study program. A stacker, but always finish things well before the DDL. She feels reading a good book is like being struck by lightning. Likes many different styles of writers. Last year she was a fan of Wilde, Stephen King, Hemingway, Wang Zengqi, and this year she plan to read more books about philosophy...
13 Feb 2025