Young writers launch new platform for a new generation to showcase their work​

3 December 2018 - A new literary platform supported by Norwegian PEN, PEN Turkey and PEN International with a focus on showcasing the work of young Turkish writers – Ilkyaz - was launched today in Turkey.  Ilkyaz, which means spring, will act as bridge not just between our readers and writers, but also between the first and later stages of a writers’ career - newly emerging and more established names; between young Turkish writers and writers and audiences from around the world.

The mission of the project in the words of its Coordinator, Ege Dündar, is:

‘İlkyaz is a platform built to showcase and nurture the imagination of writers under 35. Our focus is young literature. But our job is exchange. In these times where divisions thrive, and interaction between people gets increasingly narrow due to political, economic or ideological boundaries, literature is a shelter for us all. It’s an avenue where we can meet beyond our differences, and witness our communal home, that is the Earth, through various windows’

İlkyaz is a monthly, literary platform that features works from writers under 35 years of age, a photo blog with brief insights into daily lives, a bookshelf with suggestions by renown authors to young writers, a section providing excerpts from the early works of authors renown in both Turkish and world literature and lastly a section highlighting the works of writers of 15 and under, whose voices are rarely heard.

Each month, the works will be translated into English and another language through partnership with PEN Centre’s located in various countries around the world to reach a wider readership. Norwegian PEN will be taking the lead on translating and sharing the works of our first set of young writers.

To view the new platform click here.

For more information please email: ilkyaz2018@gmail.com