For our monthly Writing On Our Calendar feature, we bring you a round-up of literary events happening in Sydney and around NSW. Check out some of the wonderful writing events taking place this November!
Final Events in October:
31 October: Trent Dalton in conversation with Malcolm Knox (Avalon Beach)
Trent Dalton, author of the international best-selling Boy Swallows Universe, will be in conversation with Malcolm Knox, author of Bluebird and The Wonder Lover, about his new book Lola in the Mirror.
31 October – 1 November: Girls in Boys’ Cars Writing Workshops (Parramatta)
Join Girls in Boys’ Cars author Felicity Castagna as she teams up with local writers George Haddad, Will Kostakis and Donna Abela for workshops in storytelling and scriptwriting, in tandem with Riverside Theatre’s stage adaptation of the book.
31 October: Bankstown Poetry Slam ft. Mohammad Awad
Banktown Poetry Slam features Mohammad Awad, Queer/Arab/Muslim and Writer/Director/Poet/Playwright and Musician. Your ticket gets you access to the slam, fresh watermelon, world class poetry and some bad dad jokes, courtesy of their MC Bilal. If you’d like to sign up to perform at the slam, book a ticket and arrive at 6:15 pm to sign up at the door.
1 – 5 November: BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival (Sydney)
The BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival is the place for every crime story, with fiction, true crime and social justice events to entertain, inform and provoke. The festival includes true crime walks, author panels, a Whodunnit, and more.
On the second day of the festival, watch the Inside Publishing panel with our CEO Sophie Groom for a panel discussion that explores the inner workings of the publishing world, and provides insights into the process of getting published from leading industry professionals.
2 November: Failed Writers’ Festival (Petersham)
Failed writers aren’t failures: they are the artists for whom the market has failed. The voices that are just as valid, just as intense, and have just as much to say – but are not so neatly packaged and edited. Experience unique, diverse and important takes from a selection of writers and poets from a range of diverse backgrounds and communities around Sydney.
3 November: First Friday with Jon Page (Online)
Join our online event with Jon Page, General Manager of Dymocks Sydney and former President of the Australian Booksellers Association. Jon joins Writing NSW CEO Sophie Groom to talk about his background working in the book industry for over 25 years, including managing one of Australia’s longest-running bookstores. Jon will also chat about current trends in the publishing and bookselling, and what customers today actually seem to want.
3 – 4 November: The Waltz Play (Bondi)
Writing NSW member and regional playwright David Cole has a play called The Waltz at the Bondi Pavillion Theatre: Two former 1960’s radicals meet on a park bench overlooking Bondi. One has given up on life. The other has found a new reason for living. Together they resolve to squeeze every moment out of what time they have left. Full of humour and great 60’s music.
7 November: Local Creative Collaborations: Networking for Creatives (Bondi)
Networking for Creatives is a fun, free two-hour session that combines the learning opportunity of a workshop with the real-world practical application of a networking event. Designed especially for creative people, facilitator Wendi Lanham will help you embrace the discomfort of networking, grow your skill set and practice in a safe and friendly environment.
8 & 18 November: NaNoWriMo Write Ins (Lilyfield)
Struggling to find the time and space to write? Join a supportive community of writers sharing space at our upcoming Write-In. Whether you’re close to a deadline, participating in NaNoWriMo, or just need to be held accountable, a Write-In is the perfect place to make progress on your writing. Writing NSW will provide the space, some light snacks and all the tea and coffee you need to make that word count climb. And it’s free to participate for all Writing NSW members!
9 November: Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award (Bondi)
Join Waverly Council as they applaud the 2023 Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize recipients and announce the winner of the Nib People’s Choice Prize and $40,000 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award. Hosted by author and comedian, James O’Loghlin, enjoy refreshments and sweeping views of Bondi Beach on the Nandiri balcony, before gathering in the Bondi Pavilion Theatre to celebrate this year’s winners.
10 November: Queerstories (Thirroul)
Join local LGBTQIA+ storytellers for a night of queer stories, unexpected tales, pride, prejudice, love, and humour. The line-up includes Chelsey Dagger, Virginia Keft, Lucy Watson and Alastair Lawrie with host and author, Hayley Scrivenor.
12 November: 34 to 37 Degrees South SCWC Digital Poetry Anthology Launch (Cobargo)
The South Coast Writers Centre invites you to the launch of 34-37 Degrees South – 2023 – The Country Edition. The anthology is a collection of thirty unique perspectives, ranging from the personal and the intimate to the grand; poems about trauma, change and hope, and some wry humour too. There will be a second launch on 26 November in Coledale.
14 November: Richard Osman on The Thursday Murder Club Series (Sydney)
Richard Osman, bestselling novelist of The Thursday Murder Club series and king of British television trivia, makes his first Australian appearance in this special event at Sydney Town Hall. Richard talks about the fourth book in the series, The Last Devil to Die, and the antics that await the unlikely crime-fighting friends of Coopers Chase retirement village.
18 November: True Story Festival (Coledale)
The True Story Festival is a showcase of some of the best creative non-fiction in Australia today. This year at True Story (Stranger Than Fiction) you’ll find memoirs ranging from the humorous to the spiritual, together with voices sharing ideas about community resilience, cultural identity, local media and regional food, Dharawal language and First Nations knowledge sharing, and the courage it takes to become one of our finest investigative journalists.
19 November: The Prankqueans Present Samhain (North Sydney)
Samhain 23 – a soirée with The Prankqueans and special guest artist, David Yardley – celebrates the Irish origins of Samhain through storytelling, music, poetry and song. The Prankqueans are an ensemble of Irish-Australian artists including Áine de Paor, Anne Casey, Cliona Molins, Jacqueline McPhee, Julie McFarland and Rosie McDonald. Tickets are $25 each and include a glass of wine on arrival.
23 – 25 November: Independent Publishing Conference (Livestreamed from Melbourne)
The conference will be held at Melbourne’s Wheeler Centre and livestreamed online. Thursday 23 November will be Research Day, with the theme ‘Renew and Revive’. Friday 24 November will be the Industry Day, with panel sessions covering the most pressing topics in publishing today.
24 November: National Youth Poetry Slam (Sydney)
The second annual National Youth Poetry Slam hosted by Bankstown Poetry Slam is open to young people all over Australia aged under 25. The slam will take place at the State Library of NSW, and submissions are currently open until 5 November.
29 November – 1 December: Australasian Association of Writing Programs Conference (Canberra)
The 28th annual conference of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs is hosted by the University of Canberra’s Centre for Creative and Cultural Research. The conference features writers from all over the world presenting their work focussed on the theme: We Need to Talk. We Need to Talk is about the issues that demand personal, social and institutional attention.
More from Writing NSW
Check out our full range of writing courses in Sydney, our online writing courses and our feedback programs to see how we can help you on your creative writing journey. Find out about our grants and prizes, as well as writing groups across NSW, and sign up to our weekly newsletter for writing events, opportunities and giveaways.