About the Emerging Writers' Festival 2011
2011 Highlights
Please welcome our very first international guest, Scottish writer Alan Bissett, one of Scotland’s most dazzling young writers, who will be coming to Melbourne as the festival’s Writer in Residence. Alan will be in attendance throughout the festival, to inspire, entertain and delight Australia’s emerging writers. In a parallel universe, the Festival will also be running EWFdigital – an eleven-day festival of panels, discussions and interviews happening in live time on Twitter and on our online portal.
New in 2011 is our writers’ toolkit stream of workshops, giving you the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and gain the skills you need to be a successful writer. From the craft of writing, industry insider information and a Business of Being a Writer Masterclass, to tutorials on new writing forms, there’s sure to be a workshop in our toolkit to help build your writing career.
We have many new events, including our Dirty Words raunchy cabaret, Get into Genre panels, and Tram Tracks public transport performance event.
And of course much-loved festival favourites are returning, including the Town Hall Writers’ Conference, First Word, Page Parlour, 15 Minutes of Fame and 48 Hour Play Generator.
Waiting for an event to start, want to rub shoulders with the literati or just fancy a quiet spot to update Twitter about that awesome panel you just saw? Pop into the Festival Hub at Rue Bebelons! Rue Bebelons has a bohemian speakeasy vibe and is a hub for discerning night owls and culture buffs of all kinds. With $3 coffees, spicy sangria, friendly staff and free wifi, ‘Rue Bebs’ is the place to be during the festival.
From the Director
The Emerging Writers’ Festival celebrates writing in all its forms. Journallers, bloggers, song writers, journos, poets, novelists, comedians, publishers, playwrights and essayists: we are for you. In 2011 we continue in our mission to offer professional development, networking and new audience engagement opportunities to writers at all stages of their career.
The Emerging Writers’ Festival celebrates writing in all its forms. Journallers, bloggers, song writers, journos, poets, novelists, comedians, publishers, playwrights and essayists: we are for you. In 2011 we continue in our mission to offer professional development, networking and new audience engagement opportunities to writers at all stages of their career.As well as festival favourites such as the Town Hall Writers’ Conference and Page Parlour indie press fair, our 2011 program is packed with exciting new events. Check out our Get Into Genre panels on writing fiction, a Dirty Words raunchy cabaret, and a Slide Night of travel stories from around the globe. In response to your requests, we have also introduced a workshops stream, including a Business of being a writer masterclass, aimed at giving you the tools you need to start working as a writer.
The festival has a big, diverse and entertaining program taking place in some very cool locations across Melbourne. We are also bringing back your favourite venue from last year… our online portal. Yep, EWFdigital is back with a bang, featuring thirty-odd events on our website and Twitter.
Writers talking to writers about writing – that’s what we do. So come down, log on, and join the discussion – we can’t wait to hear from you!
See you at the festival,
Lisa Dempster Festival Director
From the Arts Minister
From podcasting to poetry, memoirs to magazines, this year’s Emerging Writers’ Festival will present a stimulating program of literary events, designed to develop, inspire and uncover our best new writers.
From podcasting to poetry, memoirs to magazines, this year’s Emerging Writers’ Festival will present a stimulating program of literary events, designed to develop, inspire and uncover our best new writers.The festival has been a wonderful Victorian success story, sparked by a great idea from local writers, and fuelled by the energy and diversity of our independent literary scene.
The Emerging Writers’ Festival is forging international links and extending its reach across the country. Last year the festival hit Sydney and was Australia’s first writers’ festival to introduce an online program, which continues to grow. This year the festival will continue to expand, taking the roadshow to Brisbane in partnership with the Queensland Writers’ Centre.
Writing can be a solitary pursuit but this is a festival that is not just about writers, it’s for them. This year’s program provides extensive professional development opportunities and networking events for writers across all genres.
The Victorian Government is proud to support the 2011 Emerging Writers’ Festival. There are many ways to get involved, and I hope you enjoy it.
Ted Baillieu MLA Premier and Minister for the Arts
