List of Australian Writers Festivals 2023
What Writers Festivals are on in Australia in 2023? Bookmark this page for a list of some of the writers festivals bringing authors, readers, book lovers, the writing community and the publishing industry together. There are a huge number of literary festivals and events in the first half of the year, and less so in the second, so start planning now.
I’ve also written a short blog post about things to think about if you’re attending a writers festival this year.
Check with your accountant if attending a writers festival is a legitimate expense for your writing business, as writers festivals are a great opportunity for writers to mix with readers, other writers, publishers, literary agents, creatives, librarians, illustrators and book lovers.
If you have a writers’ festival to add to this list, please send me the details. Thanks to writers Kai Ash, Tina Cartwright, Fiona Taylor, Jess Gately, Alicia Thompson, Lisa Kenway, Virginia Muzik, Rebecca Fung, Ryan Butta and the amazing Catherine C. Turner (who found many of the more obscure ones!) for doing just that!
NB: Some details may change so please stay up to date on each festival’s website for the latest.
Writers’ Festivals in NSW, 2023
- Addi Road Writers Festival, Marrickville, Sydney Inner West, 20 May, 2023
- Bad Sydney Crime Writers Festival, Nov 2-5, 2023
- Banjo Patterson Australian Poetry Festival, Orange, NSW, Feb 17-26, 2023
- Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival, Bellingen, NSW, June 9 – 11, 2023
- Book Fair Australia, Sydney Olympic Park Homebush, 14-15 October, 2023
- Blue Mountains Writers Festival, Blue Mountains, NSW, 20-22 October, 2023
- Byron Writers Festival, Bangalow, NSW, August 11-13, 2023
- EnQueer Sydney Queer Writers Festival, Sydney, Feb 19, 2023
- Football Writers’ Festival, Walsh Bay, Sydney 15-17 July, 2023
- Headland Writers Festival, Tathra, NSW, 27-29 October, 2023
- IF Maitland Indie Writers Festival & ArtFest, Oct 20-29, 2023
- Kyogle Writers Festival, Kyogle, NSW
- National Young Writers’ Festival ONLINE Date TBA
- Newcastle Writers Festival, NSW, 31 March – April 2, 2023, Newcastle NSW
- Northern Beaches Readers Festival, NBRF, NSW
- Oracles of the Bush, Tenterfield, NSW, March 30 – April 2, 2023
- Romance Writers of Australia Conference, RWA, 11-13 August, Sydney
- Scone Literary Festival, Scone, NSW, March 10-12, 2023
- StoryFest, Milton, Mollymook, Ulladulla (NSW) 16-18 June, 2023
- StoryWeek, TBA
- Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney, NSW, 22-28 May, 2023
- Words on the Waves Writers Festival, Central Coast, NSW, May 31-June 5, 2023
- Write around the Murray (NSW and VIC) 13-17 September 2023
- Write Here! Writers’ Festival, Lake Macquarie NSW
- Writers Unleashed, Sutherland Shire Writers’ Festival, Sutherland, NSW
- Writing NSW Speculative Fiction Festival in Callan Park, Saturday 24 June 2023
Writers’ Festivals in VIC, 2023
- Bendigo Writers Festival, 4-7 May 2023, Bendigo, VIC
- Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival, check website for this year’s events
- Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival, Brimbank, VIC, 16-25 March, 2023
- Castlemaine State Festival Author Conversations/Dialogues – 24 Mar – 9 Apr, 2023
- Clunes Book Town Festival, 25-26 March 2023, Clunes, VIC
- Emerging Writers Festival (Vic) 14-24 June 2023
- Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair, North Melbourne, 11-12 Feb, 2023
- Fish Creek Festival of Children’s Stories, 18-19 November 2023
- KidLitVic Meet the Publishers, Melbourne Town Hall, 30 April, 2023
- Mansfield Readers & Writers Festival, Mansfield, VIC, March 4-5 2023
- Melbourne Writers Festival, 4-7 May, 2023, Melbourne VIC
- Mildura Writers Festival, 13-17 July 2023, Mildura, VIC
- Mountain Writers Festival, Wurundjeri Country, Macedon
- Port Fairy Literary Weekend, Port Fairy, VIC, 8-10 September, 2023
- Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare on the River Festival (Vic) 23 April – 13 May
- Sorrento Writers Festival, Mornington Peninsula, VIC, April 27-30 2023
- Q-Lit Queer Victorian Festival of Words, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Melbourne
- Queenscliffe Literary Festival, 3 weekends 12-28 May 2023, Queenscliffe and Point Lonsdale, VIC
- Williamstown Literary Festival – Willy Lit Fest, 16-18 June, 2023, Hobson’s Bay, VIC
- Woodend Winter Arts Festival (Vic) 9-12 June, 2023
- Words in Winter, Daylesford, Vic
- Write around the Murray (NSW and VIC) 13-17 September 2023
Writers’ Festivals in QLD, 2023
- Brisbane Writers Festival, Brisbane, QLD
- Cairns Tropical Writers Festival, Cairns, QLD
- CapriCon Pop Culture Convention, Rockhampton, QLD, Sept 2 2023
- Capricorn Coast Writers Festival, Yeppoon, QLD
- CYA Conference, Writers and Illustrators Conference, July 2023, Brisbane
- GenreCon, Brisbane QLD
- Logan Writers Festival, Logan, QLD
- Outback Writers Festival, Winton, QLD
- Queensland Poetry Festival, Brisbane, QLD, April 20-22, 2023
- Somerset Story Fest, Gold Coast, QLD
- Words Out West Readers and Writers Fest, Western Downs, QLD, 1-29 March, 2023
- Voices on the Coast Writers Festival, Maroochydore, QLD, Feb 23-25, 2023
Writers’ Festivals in SA, 2023
- Adelaide Writers Week, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide SA, 4-9 March 2023
- Australian Short Story Festival, Adelaide SA, 9-12 November 2023
- Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival, SA
Writers’ Festivals in NT, 2023
- Northern Territory Writers Festival, 1-4 June 2023, Mparntwe/Alice Springs, NT
Writers’ Festivals in WA, 2023
- Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, MRRWF, WA
- Oz Comic-Con (WA) 1-2 April, 2023
- Perth Festival Writers Weekend, Fremantle Arts Centre, 24-26 Feb 2023
- SwanCon Perth, Science Fiction & Fantasy. Perth, WA, 15-16 April, 2023
- York Festival, York, WA
Writers’ Festivals in TAS, 2023
- Hobart Writers Festival, Hobart, TAS
Writers’ Festivals in ACT, 2023
Writing and Publishing Industry Conferences, Australia 2023
- IPED (Institute of Professional Editors) Conference 2-10 May, 2023
- Small Press Network Conference (SPN)