Budding writers learn the ropes

CASEY’S young writers are fast learners.
Last Thursday Star News reporter Lachy Moorhead was again the guest speaker at the weekly writing session held by the Casey Youth Press, a group run out of the City of Casey’s Youth Services division.
The Casey Youth Press group was started late last year, and gives students aged in their late teen to mid-twenties the opportunity to write about local events, news, issues and fictional stories, and get their work published on the youth website and Facebook page.
Teaming up with Star News, the City of Casey invited Lachy for the second time to visit and talk to the students about his experience as a journalist, while also fielding follow-up questions from last year’s presentation.
Lachy was asked about ethics in the media, how reporters source their stories, and what stories he has previously covered.
The students asked many intricate questions, showing maturity beyond their years and also highlighting how much they had gleaned from the previous presentation.
Lachy also spoke about the structure of his day, the difference between an ‘on-the-record’ and ‘off-the-record’ conversation, tips for interviewing, and the perks of the job.
The Casey Youth Press initiative was born out of council’s ‘Fresh Words’ writing program, which encourages young writers in the municipality to write and contribute their own original pieces.
For more information on Casey Youth Services, visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/youth/home.