Thirty-five students and seven teachers attended the writer’s workshop, which was held at the Sports School’s lecture theatre in Bandar Seri Begawan.
The event began with a talk by our esteemed guest of honour, Dr. Aammton Alias, a GP by profession with a passion for expressing himself through words. He is known for his book, “Real Ghost Stories of Borneo” and various other works ranging from Sci-Fi and Asian horror to non-fiction. His books can be found on platforms such as Amazon, eBay and bookstores in Brunei.
During his talk, he shared his personal journey as a writer in Brunei and his sources of inspiration. He also discussed the methods he used to successfully publish several books and how being part of the writers’ community, ‘NaNoWriMo’ has helped him maintain consistency with his writing.
For aspiring writers, he had the following advice:
“If you have difficulty expanding your story, it’s not about using complex words but tapping into your own story. For me, it’s the supernatural.”
He also offered a tip to students preparing for their O-level exams:
“Remember, O- level examiners have to read thousands of papers. Keep your writing piece exciting to read!”
He also spoke about his late friend Deen, owner of the indie bookstore, dbookhaus, in Brunei, who encouraged him to write his renowned book “Real Ghost Stories of Borneo”.
He emphasized the importance of writing and encouraged the audience to propagate Bruneian culture through their writing, aiming to correct the world’s perceptions about Brunei.
“One of the ways we connect with others is through stories,” he remarked.
“We often don’t realise what we have”. He mentioned that a friend visiting from Southampton, UK was impressed by a beach in Brunei, Pantai Seri Kenangan, where the river meets the sea – This encounter changed Dr Aamton’s initial indifference towards the beach, leading him to appreciate its beauty more.
He then went on to share his 5 principles of writing, focusing on writing with intention:
“If you spend all your time writing a book and it only reaches one person but changes their life, would it be worth it? If yes, then write.”
He also highlighted that every piece he writes carries a hidden message for the world:
“When I wrote the ghost stories, it wasn’t just about the ghosts; it was a snapshot of Brunei. So, think about the hidden message that you want to bring to the world ”
The audience remained engaged throughout the talk.
The session concluded with a lucky draw, where 4 winners received signed copies of Dr. Aammton’s book and 5 received CfBT merchandise. The final segment featured a workshop by Lucille Borger, a CfBT teacher, who shared frameworks and guidance for creative writing that students could apply to their writing for the competition.
The writing competition is underway and the deadline for submission has been extended to the 31st of July. For more information, follow CfBT’s social media at:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/CfBTBrunei
Facebook: facebook.com/CfBTEducationServices
Instagram: instagram.com/CfBT_Brunei