TheYyear 7s were asked what key points they took away from meeting and listening to Robert Newton, the author of the novel Runner, which they are studying in English.

Amongst the common thoughts were the themes reflected here:

“That you could be good at something, but you haven’t realised it, so it’s good to give things a go”.

“Anybody can be a writer – not just a stereotypical type of person. You can be sporty and a writer. You can be a firefighter and a writer”.

“You may not get an idea straight away, but sometimes you just have to write, and it will come to you”.

Robert shared how he came to be a writer and how he is inspired by gems in his life that spark stories. He explained how his detailed research into setting, era and characters led to a rich repertoire from which he could construct the narrative of Runner. The students thought it was like “making it real” that Robert put himself in the character of Charlie, actually running through the streets of Richmond at different times of the day.

Robert was happy to answer a myriad of questions about his experiences and books, and engaged the Year 7 students with his warmth and cheeky humour.

Ms Jenny Corbin

Learning Leader – Library