The youngest voices in Balearic literature

PalmThe island's literary scene is constantly evolving. In recent times, in fact, a new generation of writers has emerged, sharing a number of common threads: born during the 1990s and early 2000s, almost all confess to having written practically since they were born. Many of them have managed to publish thanks to an award, and for all of them, having published has affected their writing in one way or another. Even so, more than one describes the literary sector as not very permeable, or even hermetic, and they don't hesitate to share the doubts and contradictions they experience as part of it in order to reach their readers—although most prefer to discuss all of this either in writing or in WhatsApp audio messages, rather than in person. They have diverse interests and influences, ranging from iconic pieces of recent audiovisual media such as Twin Peaks From classics of world literature, such as José Saramago, Mercè Rodoreda, and Emily Dickinson, to other authors of her generation, from Laura Gost to Sebastià Portell, including Núria Bendicho and Pilar Codony. These are the new voices of Catalan literature emerging from the Balearic Islands.

The meeting with readers

In the latest edition of the Ciutat de Palma awards, many were surprised by the youth of the winner of the Llorenç Villalonga Novel Prize. Joan Moragues Roca (Muro, 1998) was 26 years old when he received one of the most prestigious awards given annually in the Canary Islands. In addition to the cash prize, the rules specify the Palma City Council's involvement in the publication of the work, which Moragues acknowledges has been nonexistent. "For some suspiciously curious reason, let's put it that way, they haven't offered me any outlet for the novel, and a whole year has passed and nobody has bothered to show any concern, so I've had to fend for myself. And the truth is, I've encountered a certain neglect; there's no personal touch, and it's not easy to break into this world." Readers will find the novel, with a working title, in the first months of 2026. First came the stars, in the L'Àngle Editorial catalog. Two narrative threads are presented, in different spaces and times, with one of them focused on the life of a real scientist, Fritz Haber, who played a very important role in the Second World War, whose trajectory was the seed of this first novel by Moragues, who currently works as a Mathematics teacher at the IES Albu.

He's not the only one of this new generation dedicated to teaching. Blanca Pavón (Sa Pobla, 2000) also teaches in the Aerospace Engineering degree program at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia while pursuing a doctorate in Aerospace Propulsion, as does Irene Zurrón (Palma, 1990), a professor of Catalan Literature at Rovira i Virgili University. And then there's Aina Fullana (Manacor, 1997), author of the award-winning novel The good days (Edicions Bromera), Zurrón studied Catalan Language and Literature at the University of the Balearic Islands, studies that, in his case, provided him with his first serious introduction to literature. The second, he says, came with the Documenta 2024 prize, which he received ex aequo with Víctor Recort, which led to the publication of the collection of stories A black cat in the garden At La Otra Editorial, memories and unease with the world share space with a long list of unanswered questions and existential signs that are part of everyday experience. "I entered the competition with some insecurity, even fear," the writer explains, "and when they told me I had won, I thought they had made a mistake. Even so, now that a few months have passed, I admit that I am very happy and satisfied, and that this has given me a new dose of confidence in the fact that I am serious. Until now, I didn't know what would happen to the things I wrote, and now I know that when I write again, I will keep in mind that they can reach readers." The tribe in the middle of the mountain (Tándem Ediciones).

"It's hard not to get discouraged"

The City of Manacor Poetry Prize for Unborn roots by Julia Febrero (San Juan, 1998); the mention for the Vila de Lloseta Poetry Prize for A chasm of impossibilities, which has barely reached bookstores thanks to Nova Editorial Moll, by Aina Coll (Lloseta, 1990), and the Antoni Vidal Ferrando prize that it has received MonumentAlba Noguera's (Palma, 1997) book, published by Adia, like Júlia Febrer's, is just one of the awards that have opened doors for these authors. However, some acknowledge that the abundance of prizes does not imply a consolidation of the literary scene, not even close. This is the case for Alba Noguera, who states that "sometimes it's hard not to get discouraged." “Although there are many awards throughout the Catalan-speaking territories,” says Noguera, “this doesn’t always translate into real opportunities to develop a sustained career in the world of writing. This disconnect, I think, generates a feeling of scarcity and even competition (for resources, grants, residencies, spaces, and time for the connections that literature offers),” the author points out (Alba Noguera requests that, in her case, the masculine or neuter pronouns be used). She also notes the “marked centralization of literary life in Barcelona.” “My feeling is that if things don’t happen in Barcelona, ​​it’s harder for them to be perceived as relevant,” she says.

From Barcelona, ​​in fact, where she works as a cultural manager while pursuing a master’s degree related to this same topic, Clara Fiol Dols (Palma, 1995) cites Noguera’s novel, in which a character named Blai returns to his native island after years of living in a farmhouse, one of the most impacted places lately. It was 2018 when Fiol published his poetic debut, Milocas and rabazas, with the publisher Documenta, and in 2021 when her second book of poems was released, Corporawith Adia. However, in her case, her literary career has run parallel to her musical one and her participation in projects like Marala, among others. "The fact that I presented myself to the world more as a singer may have also affected my published work, which in the end has been more circumstantial. I don't really know what publishing has meant to me because it hasn't become a source of income, although it has been a privilege that I, who only had one published work, have been able to release a second." She acknowledges that she always has notebooks and literary projects underway, since, she says, she has been writing since before she knew how to write. "I was already inventing poems and rhymes back then, like many children do," she says.

Maximum freedom

Blanca Pavón, the aerospace engineer who debuted last Sant Jordi, has also been writing all her life. IncubusA science fiction novel published by Nueva Editorial Moll. "I don't think I've ever lived without writing," she says, a sentiment echoed by the poet Aina Coll from Lloseta, who is happily nervous about the release of her debut. "Publishing has been a bit dizzying because I have a deep respect for literature and for writers," she reflects, "but at the same time, it has been a joy that I experience with profound gratitude." Aina Fullana, for her part, was only 12 years old when she began her novel, one that remained unfinished because the computer she was writing it on broke down and she couldn't recover it. With adolescence, she set writing aside, and it was during her university studies that she felt reconnected to it.

Four years after receiving the Valencia Alfonso the Magnanimous award for The good daysFollowing the success of her book, which has been adapted into a play and is currently being translated into Spanish, Fullana is working on a new novel that has already been confirmed for publication. "I signed with the publisher a few months ago and I have a deadline and everything, which is a bit new for me because I've never written like this before. They've given me a lot of freedom, both in terms of the subject matter and my writing style. It's not a commission, but it's true that I still have to see how I relate to this freedom, if there's really a possibility of dedicating myself to it," shares the author, who currently works as a linguist for a media outlet.

Fullana often reflects on her relationship with writing, as does Júlia Febrer, who affirms that her writing style has changed a lot over time and is confident that it will continue to do so. "It wasn't until perhaps a year ago that I decided to start working more with words. I felt that I did have things to say, that I wanted to do something with everything that had settled inside me. Because, in the end, we write based on readings that have surprised us," explains the author ofUnborn roots.

Finally, the one who is very clear about what readings fueled his literary vocation is Josep Pons Sansaloni (Ferreries, 1992) from Menorca, who published the dystopian novel in 2021. An ending at the Raig Verd publishing house. "I've been writing since I was nine. I started because I really liked the stories Pere Melis published in the newspaper Minorca“I loved the rich language I used,” the writer recounts. “At first, I wanted to show off my extensive vocabulary, and sometimes my writing came out a bit difficult to understand. I’d like to say that this has changed, but I’m not entirely sure,” adds this Menorcan with a touch of humor, whose literary debut invited us to reflect on the limits of self-worship.