Nurturing imagination, from blank pages to published stories
At a writing camp organised by WoW-KL, 60 young authors used their creativity to produce over 100,000 words, soon to be published in an anthology.
Sixty young writers, aged nine to 16, came together for a three-day camp titled “Drop Everything and Write” at Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation. During this event, participants set aside their daily routines to unleash their imaginations, ultimately producing more than 100,000 words of original stories. The camp, organized by World of Words Kuala Lumpur (WoW-KL), was a part of the preparations for the annual festival.
WoW-KL, launched last year, aims to promote purposeful reading, creativity, and lifelong learning, with the ultimate goal of nurturing confident readers and writers. Experienced storytellers, authors, and language specialists guided the campers through the creative process, including Shanthini Venugopal and Aneeta Sundararaj. The students worked on developing their ideas into finished stories, overcoming fears and embracing their unique voices.
The process allowed them to visualise characters and settings, encouraging them to explore possibilities without the pressure of perfection. At the end of the camp, each participant submitted an individual story for publication, gaining a sense of pride and a lifelong love for expression. The Asia Pacific Language Centre supported the campers, helping them strengthen their stories while preserving their individual styles.
The inaugural WoW-KL festival will be held on Aug 14 and 15 at Universiti Malaya, bringing together award-winning authors, storytellers, and cultural figures for conversations and activities centered on books, ideas, and self-expression. With over 1,500 participants in the inaugural edition, organizers hope to welcome even more attendees in 2026.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
