List of Australian Writers Festivals 2023
Are you planning on attending a writers festival this year? Are they a luxury or a necessity for you as an author/aspiring author?
Each Australian writers festival has a unique vibe. You might get to listen to an internationally renowned wordsmith in a big city auditorium, or feel like you’re eavesdropping on an intimate conversation with a debut author in a tiny country pub.
Some writers festivals have satellite events for self-published authors, while others offer workshops on writing craft, book launches galore and fun and festivities. There might even be ‘Meet the publisher’, literary speed dating and opportunities to pitch your book or meet a literary agent.
Writers festivals are great places to meet book lovers, other writers and publishing insiders. But have you ever thought of attending as a presenter? Perhaps you could also pitch yourself for a panel at a writers festival or to deliver a presentation? Yes, every publisher and literary agent is pitching their clients and authors, but if you have a unique angle and stellar style, maybe it could be you up on that stage!
Or perhaps, get in on the ground floor and start volunteering at your local writers festival or set up a new literary festival in your suburb or region.
When choosing a festival to attend, here are some things to take into account:
- Keep an eye on the programming to see if the authors and publishing insiders you’d like to meet with or hear from will be attending.
- What extra events is the writers festival offering in the genre you’re most interested in?
- Are there any other creative events or meetups organised around the event?
- Can you tack a holiday on to the festival to make the best use of your time and money?
- If you are treating your writing as a business, check with your accountant to see if you can write off the cost of travel, accommodation and tickets to writers festivals.
- If you decide to go to a festival that is not in your region, book your accommodation as soon you find out the festival dates.
Here’s the link to the information I’ve collected on writers festivals in Australia in 2023.
Hope to see you at one! I’ve already pencilled in Byron Writers Festival for 2023, this year it’s being held in beautiful Bangalow for the first time.