Writer Hong Ming-dao (洪明道), who was awarded a subsidy for young writers from the Ministry of Culture in 2017, will attend a forum at the Taipei World Trade Center, venue of the 2019 Taipei International Book Exhibition, on Feb. 15. Hong will be exchanging views with Cheng Ching-hong (鄭清鴻), editor of the Avanguard Publishing House, regarding the difficulties and achievements in the process of writing his new book "Waiting (等路)," as well as the prospects of writing in one's native language(s).
The Ministry of Culture has provided subsidies to 82 writing projects since 2017. Among the 13 completed projects, Hong's "Waiting," a short stories collection, was published by the Nine Songs Publishing Company in November 2018, while five works by other young writers are under negotiations for release by local publishing companies. Hong's "Waiting" was favorably reviewed by Taiwan's literary circle, and it was selected by Mirror Culture as a recommended book of the year.
To explore the definition of "homeland," Hong skillfully used a mixture of Taiwanese and Mandarin to write nine short stories on nine small townships that take place in various historic periods spanning from post-World War II to the modern day. Approaching the theme from different timeframes and perspectives, the stories reveal the lives of people on the edge, trying to comply but resisting certain changes. Nevertheless, the author has chosen to give the characters hope, in spite of their stormy lives. In Taiwanese, the book title is pronounced "dan lo" and has other meanings apart from "waiting," including "souvenir" or "gift." Hong tries to hint that disruption or self-banishment could be a new lease on life or a new starting point.
On Feb. 15 at the Taipei book fair, Hong will discuss the obstacles and triumphs of writing stories, his learning process of writing in Taiwanese, and the significance of providing subsidies to novice writers. He will be accompanied by Cheng, who will elaborate upon the outlook for writing in one's native language and introduce the various literary genres now available in Taiwanese, including fantasy, yuri, thriller, and suspense, which reflect the diversified and colorful publishing environment of Taiwan.
The hour-long forum will kick off at 8.30pm.