Editor’s Message

I’m thrilled to be involved in Whitireia’s online journal, 4th Floor. The writing is fresh and exciting, and each piece highly individual in its voice and style. There’s a diversity of culture and a level of maturity that epitomises Whitireia writers – people who are able to see the extraordinary beneath the everyday, and who observe themselves and their fellow travellers with the sharp focus of those whose driving passion is to write.

Whitireia’s writing programme not only provides excellent teaching of craft, but also fosters a rich and supportive environment that’s conducive to pushing out creative boundaries and exploring both the inner and outer worlds of the writer. However, perhaps the programme’s most enduring gift is the ongoing support of graduates as they cross the line, stepping out of the writing closet to declare themselves: A Writer.

Those who have risked this bold step will know how intimidating this can feel. It’s as potentially painful, and as joyous, as stepping off a cliff and hoping you will fly! Yet, it is also one of the most exhilarating, intellectually charged challenges there is. 

With this in mind, I commend all these writers – for their boldness, their generosity, and for their excellent story-telling skills. 

 Mandy Hager