Tell me your story
He’s an established novelist, was longlisted for the 2010 Miles Franklin Literary Award and his work appears regularly in Australian newspapers and magazines. Now author, Patrick Allington, is turning his attention to aged care.
Above: Author, educator and now, ‘writer-in-residence’ at a Helping Hand aged care facility, Patrick Allington.
By Yasmin Noone
Every person, regardless of their age or life experience, has a tale to tell albeit it a story of romance, comedy, tragedy, drama or adventure.
Renowned author, Patrick Allington, knows this better than anyone so over the majority of 2012, it will be his mission to help aged care residents get their story down on paper for all to read and enjoy.
Over the next nine to 12 months, seniors at Helping Hand’s Parafield Gardens facility in Adelaide’s north will engage in a writers’ workshop, run by Mr Allington, and supported by the aged care provider and the South Australian Writer’s Centre.
As the facility’s new ‘writer-in-residence’, Mr Allington will encourage interested seniors to express themselves through the written word. During the workshop they will transform their personal stories of childhood, marriage and every day life into memoirs, poetry, short stories and other creative writing forms.
Mr Allington, whose mother was a proud employee of Helping Hand for many years, believes the workshop will do as much to him as it will for the older participants.
“This opportunity to work with senior Australians is a gift,” Mr Allington said.
“All the people who I’ve met thus far have a rich life history. Whether their story is about everyday things from the past or big things, they are all fascinating and it’s a gift for all of us if we can get them written down and read by other people.”
Mr Allington hopes to use the stories to create an anthology, both online and in print.
But, he said, the main purpose of the workshop is not only to produce a series of written products – it is to also provide participants with a certain sense of satisfaction and enjoyment that can only be reaped from producing a literary work.
“The two almost go together. I’d like as many nice bits of writing to emerge as concrete achievements. But that’s not the defining point of the project. It’s to enable people to work and get a sense of satisfaction from the participating in the process.
“…It’s quite clear that people of all ages get an enormous sense of satisfaction by looking back over their lives. It’s also true that that process can bring to the surface, difficult and painful memories as well.
“There’s a careful line to be tread there by me and anyone wanting to tell part of their life story. But I hope that the people involved enjoy the process and the workshop gets them thinking about their lives and the things that are important to them.”
Mr Allington’s novel Figurehead was longlisted for the 2010 Miles Franklin Literary Award and his short fiction, essays, profiles and critical writings appear regularly in Australian newspapers and magazines.
As an experienced author and educator, Mr Allington acknowledges how difficult it can be for many to take their first steps in writing.
“Most people will usually preface what they say [with the phrase,] ‘I don’t have anything interesting to say or tell you’. Then they start talking, often just because you asked a few questions.
“One memory leads to another memory and then it gets very interesting as they start to analyse what they are saying themselves.
“…Often, [to get a person started on the process of getting their story down on paper,] it’s just a matter of finding a way to get that person talking and thinking – it almost doesn’t matter what the starting point is…
“When a stray bit of memory turns into storytelling, it’s quite an organic process. The harder part is when the bare bones of a story start to appear on the page, and trying to fashion that into [a story].”
Although the formal part of the workshops have not yet begun, Mr Allington has visited some of the participating residents to start them on, what be believes, is the most important and first part of the writing process – the ‘getting to know you’ stage.
“We are now in the early stages of the process – just chatting and learning about their lives is really critical to the process.
“Writing down stories about a person’s life can be a reflective and exciting time but also quite daunting and challenging as, in effect, you are exposing yourself on the page to people.
“It works much better for everyone if they are comfortable with me and I am not just a stranger demanding to know about their childhood and life story.”
The Helping Hand workshops will involve one-on-one lessons as well group sessions. English students from a local school will also work with the residents, helping those who are physically unable, to put pen to paper.
Older people from or aged and community care organisations within the City of Salisbury are invited to be involved in the project.
To participate, contact the South Australian Writer’s Centre over the next month by calling 08 8223 7662 or emailing seniorsproject@sawriters.org.au