1. Example of my writing style.
Applying for a job at KiwiRail I was asked to write a short piece on the topic My
connection with rail. I wrote the piece below in about 30 minutes and got offered the job.
Myconnectionwithrail
WoodyAllenfamouslygrewup ina house directly beneaththe ConeyIslandrollercoaster.
As he tellsit,conversationswere routinely pausedeveryfourminutes while the deafeningclank of
metal wheelscareeningonthe overheadrailseclipsedall othersound.Itlastedfor11 seconds.
Like Woody,my familywasintimatelyconnectedwithrail.We livedwithin100yards of the Main
Trunk line. Ourvisitorsmarvelledhowwe,too,stoppedtoletthe enginenoise subside before
continuingconversations.
Back then,there wasa railwaysidingnotfarfrom us.It had once alsobeenthe seldom-usedLinton
RailwayStation.Occasionallymydadwouldcall aheadtoPalmerstonNorthandrequestthe 10.15
passengerrailcarknownasthe SilverFern stopthere forus; we had notransport and townwas eight
milesaway.
Overthe yearsthe sidingproved anovel playgroundforuskids.We walkeddownthe aislesof
abandoned carriagesplayingthe partsof the MilkyBar Kidor the GoldrushGang fromthe Crunchie
ad.
Dense blackberrybushesgrewonboth sidesof the dual setof rails.Insummerwe pickedthe dark
berriesandhelpedmummake jam. Sometimeswe justwalkedonthe railsforfun.Wantingto see
howfar theywouldtake us – but alwayswithone earalertto the soundof a distantengine.
The railwaycrossingnearour house hadsignswithtwowhite Xs andwords in black:RAILWAY
CROSSING.There were nobellsorbarriers. That was,until soonaftera man ina van drove overand
didn’tlookbothways.
He leftbehindawife andsix kids…