In my youth, my ambition was to become a sports commentator, taking inspiration from Jackie Fullerton, who was my neighbour. I often spotted him diving into the weekend match analysis on the television or at our local Spar purchasing milk. There were no authors in my circle, and in the 80s, Ballymena was not particularly known for its literary culture. From my list of reading, writers were either no longer alive or resided in big cities like Paris, London and New York. I had a voracious reading habit, going through numerous books on a weekly basis, yet the thought of crafting stories myself never crossed my mind. It’s challenging to dream about a career you’ve never seen up close.
It wasn’t until I reached the age of 25 that I explored writing, marking my initial attempts in the artistic field. By that time, I was living in the writer-rich city of Portland, Oregon. I had become a frequent attendee at every book reading and author discussion held at Powell’s bookstore, absorbing wisdom from personalities like Patti Smith, Douglas Coupland and Dave Eggers. I was finally around real-life examples of the profession I yearned to join. Additionally, I found a group of people who shared my unique perspective on life; musicians, filmmakers, budding poets who were always up for an intellectual conversation over a cup of coffee or craft beer.
The most pivotal moment, however, was identifying my own deficiency. After completing my first short story, (which I realised was far from perfect, with flowery prose that Raymond Carver might have wept over), I understood that writing was where I truly found myself. As beautifully expressed by Julia Pimenta Galiza de Frutas in her tale, Margaret Roche: The Writer in Me, “I knew I wanted to write because I wanted more.”
Reading through the remarkable array of poems and stories from these Fighting Words authors, it is evident that they too are in pursuit of this ‘more’. Coming of age isn’t a comfortable journey. The transition from being a reliant child to a liberated, open-minded adult is often fraught with challenges. This rings especially true for those with creative sensibilities, who possess an innate desire to convey their profound thoughts and emotions. This journey can seem even more overwhelming in 2024 when the planet appears on the brink of collapse.
The demands of striving for more are no petite matter. However, the work undertaken here is courageously daring, accomplished and, primarily, imperative. It raises profound queries concerning the climate catastrophe, technological advancements, warfare, and issues related to mental health, carrying along wit, creativity and an unyielding persistence. The younger generation of Irish authors ensures the continuity and sustainability of Irish literature. In fact, they are not mere future writers, they are already actively contributing to our society.
Furthermore, it’s only appropriate to appreciate the remarkable efforts of Fighting Words, that provide upcoming writers with valuable support—an element the adolescent version of me would’ve greatly cherished. They provide consistent and valuable access to successful writers via workshops, lectures, and mentorship. This enables the budding writers to identify and model themselves into the writers they aspire to be. It allows them to join a community of like-minded, word-passionate, and distinctive individuals making the journey to adulthood feel less solitary.
Most importantly, Fighting Words provides young writers with a channel to express their thoughts, perspectives, worries, aspirations, and ambitions. Their words are of significance to all; their voices need our attention. Those endowed with expertise, authority and, not to forget, monetary resources, must facilitate these young talents, and ensure they feel welcome, to pave way for the upcoming generation.