You won a prize! Great, but now what?
You won a prize! Great, but now what?
3 chapters…
01.
You know that weird mix of pride and embarrassment when you were younger? The feeling that flushes your cheeks, and simultaneously, makes you want to stand up tall and be seen but also run away and hide? It happens at school assemblies and sporting club end of season breakups and music and drama performances. Those moments when you’re being recognised, seen, validated, celebrated for an achievement, and it’s wonderful but also a bit much to take in. Last Friday, it was on full display at the Young Writers’ Awards, held by the South Australian English Teacher’s Association.
02.
I was an invited guest because I sponsored the Rising Star Award. An honour, really, to be there and to sponsor a prize. As I told the crowd in my short speech, I wanted to sponsor this prize because it was my Year 8 English teacher who first saw something in me that no one else had seen - she saw me as a writer. That validation was exciting, terrifying and, ultimately, igniting. So to see all these young faces accepting their awards, a little awkward, a little bashful, but secretly proud, and with family supporting them, it was glorious. They were already way ahead of me because I never won a writing prize when I was younger. But like them, I did have a teacher who saw the spark in me and tended the flames.
03.
So what had I just witnessed? Well, it felt radically different to the ‘everyone wins a prize’ phenomenon. Because it wasn’t actually, fundamentally about the prize at all. It was about someone noticing our special gift, the thing that lights us up, the thing that we would do even if we never won a prize, the thing we love. And saying, “Hey keep doing that, keep experimenting, keep playing, keep performing, keep being you. Keep being you! In fact, never stop! Be you, forever. Now, and forever. Yes, here’s a prize and you deserve it. But you deserve it because it represents you being you. Keep doing that.” Hmm, yes. Pride and embarrassment and maybe one other feeling - youness. Okay, that isn’t an established feeling or even word. But maybe it should be. Because now that you’ve won a prize, what should you do? Keep on being you, of course.
3 endnotes…
The Olympics produce winners. They’ve got to hand out the medals to someone. But this post race truth-telling by Australian walker, Jemima Montag, shows that, sure you can win a medal. But what it actually means is so much more profound. Check this out
I know, I know, I know, you’re not meant to like Emily in Paris. It’s silly. Over the top. Ridiculous. Or ridicule, if you’re French! But that’s what I love about it. It’s over the top and ridiculousness. And fun, very fun! Season 4 out now!
I’ve been collecting Kind Words - ones that have been sent to me or said about me, my book, my writing. It’s a reminder for those times when I’m not feeling as optimistic or positive. This is one of my latest faves: “I’m not a big reader - max 2-3 a year. I often start then give up. I polished yours off in 3 sessions in bed 🤗 Really enjoyed it.”
Until next time,
Love to you and yours!
P.S. Want to buy my book? You can! From my website or Amazon or Apple or Kobo or Google Play or Barnes & Noble or Bookshop.org
