A User’s Guide to a Pandemic was an idea that started during the national lockdown earlier in 2020. The idea was simple – that young people needed to write about this. So, four writing centres for young people across the country got together – Story Factory (NSW – that’s us!), 100 Story Building (Melbourne) & The Story Island Project (Tasmania) and StoryBoard (Byron Bay) and created A User’s Guide to a Pandemic – a writing project that amplified the voices of young people during the uncertainty and disconnection of the pandemic. Students wrote in their own time or participated in online workshops, and created pieces of writing that investigate the challenges, the unexpected joys, the boredom, worries and hopes of these unusual times. What they’ve created is truly extraordinary. A book written entirely by Australian young people during the weirdest year of their lives. It’s full of joy, wisdom, imagination and truth – just like them.