Published on March 9, 2023
Meet Ethan P, one of our talented students at HVGS who has recently immersed himself in the world of creative writing. Ethan’s short story was recently selected to be published on “Good Reading,” a popular website that showcases the best in literature and storytelling. Ethan’s story will be in the YA April/May issue.
In an interview with us, Ethan shared his journey to becoming a published author.
We are thrilled to have Ethan as part of our school community and look forward to seeing where his talent and passion will take him next. We congratulate him on this impressive achievement, well done, Ethan!
When did you start creative writing?
I started creative during secondary school at HVGS.
What do you love about writing stories?
I love writing stories because they can serve as a creative outlet for any stresses or anxieties I may be feeling.
What are your favourite fictional books and why?
Some of my favourite fictional books include:
- Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”. I really enjoy the tone and mood of the book, as well as Dostoevsky’s portrayal of an unreliable narrator’s slow descend into mental anguish.
- Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”. I enjoy the absurdity and peculiarity of Kafka’s work and find it very interesting.
- Albert Camus’s “The Outsider”. I find it fascinating how Camus strives to find meaning in an existence and the universe, that he believes is fundamentally absurd.
- Frank Herbert’s “Dune”. I really like the world-building of “Dune”, and how Herbert explores the power of religion and belief.
What does it mean to you to have your story published in Good Reading Magazine?
I am very grateful that my story was published in the Good Reading Magazine. I am very excited to see how I can further pursue creative writing in the future.
Do you hope to pursue writing after you finish at HVGS?
I have not decided if I would like to pursue writing after graduation. After graduating, I would like to study something like an arts degree, where I could study language, linguistics, or international relations.
Do you have any tips for students wishing to get into creative writing?
The key way to improve in writing is to be curious and actively widely read. As a learner, I still have so much that I am yet to read, understand and learn. Even If I do not pursue writing in the future, I would still like to continue learning, growing, and improving. When I write, I am almost in a perpetual state of procrastination. I am constantly questioning if what I am writing is good or not. This often limits me because I am more focused on that than on my writing. I am trying to break this bad habit.
“My second tip is that it is better to write something bad than nothing at all because practice will make you improve.”
What makes a good story to you?
I am not sure what makes a good story; I believe that it is very subjective. Everyone will be drawn to different stories. Another thing I must work on is trying to read a diverse array of stories and try not get stuck in one niche of literature.
You can learn more about Good Reading Magazine by clicking here.
