Best Australian Yarn: From the Outside author Simone Field reveals her inspiration

Schoolteacher Simone Field has a simple, heartfelt wish for her short story about little Harrison Jesse Lockhart.

“My hope and prayer is that From the Outside breeds a bit of hope and empathy in people,” she says.

Harrison has been labelled “neuro diverse” and Field tells her story, which has made the Best Australian Yarn Top 50, from his perspective as he navigates his first day of school.

It is a subject close to her heart. Field studied psychology before adding her education degree and she has worked closely with special needs children, including in her current Year 3 class at a small Perth Christian school.

“I’ve studied enough to try to put myself in that position, though understanding that every child’s experience will be different,” she says.

“It is an amalgam of observations.”

Field says the secret to success for such children is a school policy that welcomes all students and sees every child for themselves. Teachers need support and to educate students to be kind.

“Mine just are,” she says.

“My class is the most compassionate, empathetic group of children I have ever met in 20 years of teaching. The female friend in the short story is an amalgamation of some of the children in my class.”

Field has always been a reader but came to writing much later.

“As soon as I started I felt like it had opened something and I just wanted to get these things out,” she says.

“I’m not much of a planner. Once I have the idea germinating, I sketch out a few rough points, but there’s no timeline or sequence.”

A close friend sent her the link to the Best Australian Yarn competition, and she knew she had a story to tell. She says she didn’t think she would be in with a chance and is thrilled to make the long list.

“I’m very honoured and very, very excited.”

She’s also thrilled people will be able to read Harrison’s story.

“I hope they are able to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. Seeing someone react in a way that you might not react doesn’t automatically cancel them. Maybe they have their own struggles.”

The competition, which is run by The West Australian in partnership with Minderoo Foundation, was launched in February and allowed professional and amateur short story writers to compete for a $50,000 prize pool, the richest in the world.

Field and the other authors in the Top 50 now have the opportunity to win the $30,000 major prize. Nine other finalists shortlisted for the overall prize will receive $1000 each, the top WA entrant $4000, the best Australian regional entry $3000 and the best youth entry $2000.

The prize jury is chaired by the editor in chief of The West Australian, Anthony De Ceglie, and includes Minderoo Foundation co-founder Nicola Forrest, author Robert Drewe and publishers Terri-ann White and Rachel Bin Salleh.

The winners will be announced on November 18.