VietNamNet Bridge – Ten years ago, it was a special event when a young writer was introducing her/his novel, because at that time novels were not the area for young writers. What about today?

The three novels by young writer Dang Thieu Quang.

The novel writing contest, held by the Vietnam Writer Association in 2002-2004, did not have any young writers. The three youngest contestants were over 40, namely Nguyen Xuan Hung, Le Ngoc Mai and Vo Thi Xuan Ha.

At that time, critic Bui Viet Thang said: “It is not strange or concerning because writing a novel requires more experience than writing poems and short stories.”

He guessed that it is ordinary to have a bright name in literature or a bright literary work every ten years and there would be a high tide of Vietnamese novels at the end of the first decade of the 21^st century (2008-2012, for instance).

The critic’s guess may have come true. In the past 1-2 years, particularly in 2008, novels written by young authors are no longer rare.

Besides the appearance of writers who are very familiar to local readers through short stories, such as Nguyen Dinh Tu, Do Bich Thuy, Nguyen Thi Diep Mai, some new faces have emerged, like Dang Thieu Quang, Nguyen The Hoang Linh, Vu Phuong Nghi, Nguyen Quynh Trang, Nguyen Van Hoc and Thuy Anna.

The comment that young writers are afraid of writing novels is no longer true, as novel are the choices of many young writers.

Novels have become a target of many book printers and distributors, a fact that contrary to some experts who said that readers currently only like short or very short stories with a lot of information.

However, the quality of novels by young writers is controversial. Writer Suong Nguyet Minh said in an interview: “Actually, I’m not satisfied with novels written by young authors. Perhaps others like them, but I do not like either young novels or Vietnamese novels in recent years. I prefer short stories.”

Young short stories are better than young novels. In forms, the writing style in novels is not diverse as most young writers use a realistic writing style, mainly telling and describing. This style was very popular in the 1930s.

(Source: TT&VH)