On Wednesday, the 16th of October Bentley Wood High School welcomed author Sue Wallman to deliver a talk to students about her career as a writer. Sue has written seven exciting thrillers for teens and there was a great deal of anticipation about her visit as her books are popular with our students.
The Hall was buzzing with excitement as students from Years 7 to 9 assembled in turns to listen to Sue as she shared some of the key experiences that shaped her journey to becoming a writer and a published author. With warmth and humour, she recounted the reasons she decided to write thrillers and even some of the disappointments she faced before she eventually found success.
Students were particularly captivated by Sue’s insights into the writing process. She encouraged them to embrace their unique voices and not to fear making mistakes, highlighting how every writer develops their craft over time.
Sue engaged the students with a fascinating account of what goes on behind the scenes in the partnership between authors, their agents and publishing companies. Students were surprised to discover how involved publishers can be with developing crucial elements of a book such as the cover design, character creation and even the plot!
The Q&A session that followed was lively, with students asking about her inspirations, favourite books, and advice for budding authors. At the end of the day Sue kindly took part in an impromptu session of signing autographs and posing for photos with her newest fans. The visit not only ignited a passion for reading among our students but also demonstrated to them the importance of perseverance and resilience in the pursuit of one’s aspirations in life.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sue Wallman for taking the time to visit Bentley Wood and for inspiring our young writers. We encourage our students to explore her books and consider the power of their own narratives.
