My name is Amy Maynard, and I’m the South Australian State Representative for Express Media. My role is to promote Express Media in SA, through events and projects aimed at young writers.

As well as working with Express Media, I also work with Writers Bloc as a member of their social media staff. Specifically, I’m the editor of the Tumblr, where I commission and curate works of fiction and art, and oversee interviews, events, and reviews.

My real passions are for comics and writing. I’m doing a PhD on modern Australian comic book publishing, and whilst I don’t make comics myself, I’m always happy to help support the great scene we’ve got going in South Australia and nationally. One of my proudest moments was co-organising the Inkers and Thinkers symposium, which was held earlier this year. We had a mix of academics and artists sharing their knowledge and love for comics with the general public. I was also at the Emerging Writers’ Festival Adelaide Roadshow in September, running a comics masterclass with Ben Rosenthal, Stewart Cook, and Mike Cooper.

In regards to writing, I’m really interested in things a little bit outside the norm. I write short stories that generally could be considered pulp fiction, and my freelance writing is focused around pop culture. I’ve recently taken an interest in spoken word poetry. Like comics, it’s a bit too daunting for me to try myself! But it’s an art form that I appreciate and admire. We have so much talent for spoken word in South Australia and Adelaide, it’s just been wonderful to see.

With Express Media, with assistance from Lauren Boxhall, I hosted a Voiceworks launch at the SA Writers Centre, and there are plans in place to host another one at the end of the year in conjunction with a live streaming of the Express Media Awards. I’m currently setting up a young writers group with assistance from the present editors of Dubnium. I think it’s really important that young writers get support and confidence in their writing, and find a community where they can share their stories and receive valuable feedback. We will also provide practical advice on getting published.

In 2015 I’ll be coordinating Buzzcuts, with a focus on Adelaide Writers’ Week. I also really want to see young people involved in comics workshops and events, as it’s a medium that sometimes gets overlooked in the arts scenes, but can be so fun and rewarding.

There are so many brilliant young writers in Adelaide, and South Australia in general, and I feel proud and grateful that I get the opportunity to work with them through Express Media.