The Emerging Writers’ Festival work, learn and play largely on the land of the Kulin nation, and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

EWF celebrates the history and creativity of the world’s oldest living culture.

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National Writers' Conference, Online & Professional Development

National Writers’ Conference

The National Writers’ Conference is the place for emerging writers to develop their skills, hear from leaders in the field, and forge connections within the industry.
As the centrepiece event of the Emerging Writers’ Festival, the National Writers’ Conference is all about informing and inspiring writers of all genres and styles. Hear the best industry advice from our distinguished Ambassadors and dive into conversations about how to edit your own work, the role of literary criticism, researching your writing and more.

The National Writers’ Conference will return online over one day: ticketholders can watch and participate in real time and review the sessions on-demand once the conference is over.


Accessibility

Closed Captions, keyboard navigable, zoom text, break time

Featuring...

Adolfo Aranjuez

Adolfo Aranjuez is an editor, writer, speaker and dancer.

Isobel Beech

Isobel Beech is a writer and editor living on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung land.

Kanika Chopra

Kanika is an avid reader, occasional writer, and all around curious person.

Debra Dank

Debra Dank is a Gudanji/Wakaja woman, married to Rick, with three adult children and two grandchildren.

Alaina Gougoulis

Alaina Gougoulis is a senior editor and has worked with Text Publishing since 2009.

Sophie Hamley

Sophie Hamley has worked as a bookseller, editor, writer, content producer and web producer.

Victoria Hannan

Victoria Hannan is a writer and photographer living in Melbourne.

Jess Ho

Jess Ho is a freelance writer, journalist and critic.

Dan Hogan

Dan Hogan (they/them) is a writer and teacher from San Remo, NSW (Awabakal and Worimi Country).

Julie Janson

Julie is a Burruberongal woman of Darug Aboriginal nation. She is a novelist, playwright, and poet.

Yumna Kassab

Yumna Kassab is a writer from Sydney. She is the author of The House of Youssef, Australiana and The Lovers.

Fiona Kelly McGregor

Fiona Kelly McGregor’s most recent novel Iris, is shortlisted for the NSW Premiers Awards and was longlisted for the Stella Prize.

Bella Li

Bella Li is the author of Argosy, Lost Lake, and Theory of Colours.

Laura McPhee-Browne

Laura McPhee-Browne is a writer, social worker and counsellor living on Wurundjeri land.

Ellen O’Brien

Ellen is a Guringai (Garigal/Walkeloa) writer and editor living on Bidjigal land.

Jinghua Qian

Jinghua Qian (ey/eir/em) is a writer who works across prose, verse, audio and television.

Melanie Saward

Melanie Saward is a proud descendant of the Bigambul and Wakka Wakka peoples. She is a writer, editor, and university lecturer based in Tulmur (Ipswich), Queensland.

Ronnie Scott

Ronnie Scott’s first novel The Adversary was shortlisted for a Queensland Literary Award and the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal, and his second novel is called Shirley.

Prithvi Varatharajan

Prithvi Varatharajan is a poet, essayist/critic, and sometimes literary audio producer who lives in Melbourne.

Dženana Vucic

Dženana Vucic is a Bosnian-Australian writer, poet and critic

Sarah Walker

Sarah Walker is a writer, artist and photographed based in Naarm/Melbourne.

Vyshnavee Wijekumar

Vyshnavee Wijekumar is a freelance critic, arts worker and writer of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage.

Jessica Yu

Jessica Zhan Mei Yu is a writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.