Come along to the Emerging Writers' Festival
After a fun and just a little bit heartwarming (hugs! games! community!) launch for the program last night, the Emerging Writer’s Festival now has tickets for sale. With an electrifying new line-up of writers, programs and venues trailed across the Melbourne CBD, this year’s festival looks like I’m going to be very, very busy come 27 May, through to 6 June.
There’s also some amazingly strange-looking performative events in the mix this year. Some of my top picks in this area include (but are in no way limited to):
In Translation Nation you can watch a single text in English being translated into multiple languages: Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, Indonesian and Spanish.
No Lights, No Literature is presented entirely in the dark with the identities of the panelists obscured so they can talk openly about the writing world without fear of repercussion.
Inspired by Eliza Sarlos’s picture book, Amazing Babes features writers telling stories about the women who have inspired them.
Sydney-based SWEATSHOP returns to the festival, with Three Jerks by Peter Polites, Luke Carman and Michael Mohammed Ahmad, and it even has a trailer.
In Desert Island Flicks: Writers at the Movies five writers will share their favourite films and the work these films have inspired.
Last night at the launch, Festival Director Sam Twyford-Moore also promised there would be parties - so many parties - and this looks set to come true with some big, late night festivities such as Rev It Up! The Footscray Literary Late Night and Graphic Contents: A Night of Comics, Zines and Visual Oddities. (It’s worth noting that Twyford-Moore also promised there’d be plenty of sexy dorks hanging out at these events.)
In addition, EWF is also well-known for catering to writers and, accordingly, much of their program looks at learning and sharing new skills about the actualities of this line of work. The National Writers’ Conference returns, this time featuring five new ambassadors: Maxine Beneba Clarke, Hannah Kent, Krissy Kneen, Benjamin Law and Felix Nobis. Having sold out for the last three years, this is definitely one to book in for early. Readings is also running two special industry events - The Art of the Short Story and Keeping your book in the Bookshop - along with an excellent array of panels workshops. In one of my favourites, Lachlann Carter (of 100 Story Building) will lead a writing workshop exactly like he does for an audience of kids of primary school age (read more).
Phew. Very, very busy is starting to feel like an understatement.
