Simon Sweetman (Writing for the Page, 2025)

It was a lot to cram in—but I'm sure glad I did!

Image of Simon Sweetman.
Simon Sweetman. (Photo by Gerry Keating)

Simon writes: 'I’m a full-time staff member at The University, and 30 years ago I was an undergraduate student here, casually attempting a BA, majoring in English. I wandered in and out of classrooms over the years, sometimes committing, sometimes dipping out to be a musician, a freelance journalist, a tutor and guest lecturer, and perhaps most absurdly, a performance poet.

'Over the last few years, I started chipping away at an Honours degree (English) while working. It was wonderful to be mature enough to care where the money was going, and understand the cost financially, mentally, and emotionally. On a whim, I decided to submit to the MA, and was successful. I couldn't believe my luck. I'd work out the small problem of working full time later! My manager was very understanding, my colleagues were supportive, my wife (a graduate of this very course, 25 years before me) was appalled that I would spring such a thing on her while she was busy writing her own book. But hey, we have always made such things work.

'It was a lot to cram in—but I’m sure glad I did!

'I've always written a lot, and often, and always on the side while doing a full-time job or being a full-time at-home parent. But this was more of a pivot. This was my chance to take short story writing seriously, where previously I'd really only published poetry and journalism.

'I hedged my bets to begin with, and submitted a set of very short prose poems, I suggested hybrid form, I reckoned I was going to write little and often. A few weeks into the course, I'd largely forgotten about my original pitch and had decided I would be writing a novella, and a batch of stories.

'My supervisor, Pip Adam, gave me such confidence, and was always available. I was so lucky. To have one of the best writers in the country answering your emails and reading your material, providing the smartest comments, it was all the encouragement I needed to turn up each week to class, and every day to writing.

'The group was an interesting mix of talent, everyone working very differently; everyone's personality so clear in their writing that we were all sure we could do a blind test and match the words with the writer. Our facilitator Sue Orr was the absolute greatest. She had the measure of everyone, and provided inspiration for all, but never through sugar coating, and always with grit.

'Pip taught me to slow down enough to work on reshaping raw material bit by bit. Sue provided brilliant examples of work I could study or try to stand next to. She utterly understood what I was trying to do, and actively encouraged it. The other writers in the class quite possibly hated my work. At least, at times. That only made me more committed to keep going.

'I loved the (extra) focus this course gave me, and it legitimised my urge to take the short story form seriously, and in turn to be taken seriously as someone working at it.

'What a unique year. I would literally leave my desk and walk across campus to arrive in time for a robust workshop conversation, then return feeling so inspired. It also kept me humble. The day after a very good workshop where I received some glowing feedback, I was tasked with writing a simple comms story in my day job here. It came back with red-line corrections all through it. Because there is always work to still do. And you are only ever as good as the last thing you wrote.'

Bio: Simon Sweetman is a Hawke's Bay born, Wellington-based writer of fiction, poetry, cultural criticism, and journalism. In 2012 he published On Song (Penguin), a collection of music journalism. In 2020 he released his debut volume of poetry, The Death of Music Journalism (The Cuba Press), and in 2024 he released The Richard Poems (The Cuba Press). His poem, 'Girls and boys at the Havelock North public swimming pools'  (from Richard) was selected for the 2004 edition of Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems.

His show featuring poetry performance with live music accompaniment from the band Filtersphere – 'DICK: Reading Richard' – was performed at the 2025 Fringe Festival at Photospace Gallery, and then again in late 2025 at a three-night stand at BATS Theatre. He organises and hosts the monthly open mic session for writers of all disciplines, SAY THE THING (last Wednesday of every month, MEOW, Edward St, Wellington). He is often called on to provide music commentary for RNZ. And he writes every day on the Substack 'Sounds Good!'

He also works at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington as an Advisor in the Communications and Marketing Group.

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