Focused solely on Malaysian writers, MYWritersFest2021 welcomes all writers interested in writing and publishing.
By Khor Hui Min
From the beginning, the founders of the Malaysian Writers Society (MWS) wanted to provide a platform for Malaysian writers that transcended genre, language, function, medium and experience levels. One of the ways to achieve their vision was to organise a festival for writers every year.
In the days before the pandemic, the Malaysian Writers Fest, often referred to as MYWriters Fest, was a month-long affair, with mini events held on different days. It evolved from year to year, starting with events in the Klang Valley, Perak, and Penang in 2015, then gradually spreading out to include other states such as Melaka, Pahang, Sabah, and Sarawak. The highlights of these festivals included author meet and greet sessions, book launches, and, in 2019, writing retreats in Ipoh and Kuching—all culminating in a grand finale in Klang Valley.
Group photo of participants at the inaugural MYWriters Book Fest in 2015. Photo courtesy of Malaysian Writers Society.
The committee was gearing up for a bigger fest in 2020 until Covid-19 put plans on hold. This month, Malaysian writers will finally get to congregate to celebrate their common love for writing and books with MWS’s first-ever fully virtual festival from 22 to 24 October 2021.
“With the current restrictions in place, the 2021 edition of #MYWritersFest is a virtual weekend festival that will feature various talks, panels, and workshops, as well as online ‘Sesi Mengopi’ for Society members to socialise and get to know each other better,” said Festival Director Jaymee Goh, who is also the Vice President of MWS.
The programming will cover a wide range of topics, from publishing basics to short stories and poetry, and even writing for games. Panelists include local authors Ninot Aziz, an award-winning author, writer, and media specialist; and Malachi Edwin Vethamani, a writer, poet, editor, critic, bibliographer and academic, as well as Emeritus Professor with University of Nottingham. Malaysians abroad will also be part of the programming—award-winning author Zen Cho will give a special pre-recorded interview during the Opening Ceremony, and novelists Lilian Li and Kamalia Hasni will Zoom in from the US and the UK respectively to speak on social media publicity.
Spoken word poet Nana at Buku Jalanan Seremban Zine Fest. Photo courtesy of flatlined.photography.
For those who love poetry and performance, you will be delighted to know that internationally-renowned spoken word poet Nana will be conducting a bilingual workshop, titled Forget Memorising: A Spoken Word Workshop.
Besides that, the Who, Who, and Why Who! workshop on creating solid characters in fiction will be conducted by bestselling author Gina Yap Lai Yoong, whose trilogy ‘Ngeri’ has been reprinted more than ten times since 2012. One of the original founders and past President of MWS, Yap is a book consultant and has been mentoring writers since 2014.
While it would be impossible to replicate the camaraderie of in-person events, MWS aspires to continue increasing accessibility for MYWritersFest.
Mass book launch at the opening of MYWritersFest2019 at Intermark Mall.
“Since #MYWritersFest2021 is virtual, there are few physical obstacles for attendance this time. In the past, people would not have been able to enjoy all the festival events due to the geographic reach of the festival,” said Goh. She further added that taking the festival virtual posed some challenges, such as deciding on the platform and technical issues. The organising committee also had to figure out programming that would enable attendees to not just listen to experts, but to also interact with each other—which was how the ‘Sesi Mengopi’ sessions were formed.
“MYWritersFest is focused solely on Malaysian writers, both at home and abroad, and is curated especially towards small-time writers. It is designed to be inclusive to local writers who may feel alienated at more prestigious festivals. We need events in Malaysia like this one to show what writers are able to do even with minimal resources and full-time jobs,” Goh explained. “We would like to encourage young and also new writers interested in publishing to attend, especially those who are interested in meeting and networking with other writers, or who have heard of the Society before but have never gotten the chance to attend any of our events due to geographic limitations.”
For writers facing financial constraints, MWS is offering scholarships this year. One free Day Pass will be awarded to one person from each state. Scholarship applications close on Friday, 8 October. Poet and panelist Kwan Ann Tan is also sponsoring three spots per workshop for unpublished writers. Applications officially closed on Saturday, 2 October, though applications after this date will be placed on a waiting list.
Wan Phing Lim reading from her work at #MYWritersFest2017 at The Art Assembly, Hin Bus Depot, Peanng. Wan Phing will be on the special panel of Malaysian authors published by Penguin Random House Southeast Asia in 2021. Photo courtesy of Malaysian Writers Society.
For those residing in Penang, you can check out MWS’s Penang newsletter for updates on their current activities, which includes monthly critique sessions on the last Saturday of every month. They will also be launching the latest edition of their annual zine, NutMag 5: Lost, on 16 October.
The Malaysian Writers Society remains dedicated to the professional advancement of Malaysian writers, writing locally or abroad and plans to continue forging stronger community networks for budding writers, helping to demystify the publishing process, and supporting freelance writers by setting a greater professional standard.
—
For more information about the festival, head on over to https://malaysianwriterssociety.org/mywritersfest/.
Khor Hui Min has always liked writing and publications. Since 2001, she has worked as a writer, technical writer, copywriter, and schoolbooks editor. In August 2017, she became a self-employed writer and editor. She writes magazine articles, company profiles, websites, coffee table books, press releases, conference news dailies, etc.
Cover image: Full house at the launch of MYWritersFest2019 at Intermark Mall, Kuala Lumpur. Photo courtesy of Khor Hui Min.