Explore the 2026 Program
Explore
Student Sessions Livestream
Our Student Sessions Livestream event broadcasts the magic of the Sydney Writers’ Festival to schools in New South Wales.
With sessions led by world-renowned writers, Student Sessions is designed to bring the NSW Stage 6 English curriculum to life. Students can build on their classroom learning, extend their capacity for critical thinking and engage in thoughtful discussion and meaningful debate – all without leaving the classroom.
Recommended for Years 11 to 12. Each session runs for 45 minutes.
Tickets
For a single booking of $35 per school, tune in to three sessions as they take place in real time on Wednesday 20 May. Livestreams for individual sessions are not available for purchase.
10–10.45am | The Craft of Short Fiction with Tony Birch & Ellen van Neerven
Short fiction may be limited in terms of word count but not when it comes to imagination, narrative complexity, creativity, lasting impact and form.
Explore why certain ideas are more suitable for shorter formats and discover firsthand the writing processes favoured by our featured panellists. Tony Birch’s latest release is Pictures of You, a collection of his best short fiction from the past two decades. Ellen van Neerven’s award-winning work includes the collection of short stories Heat and Light.
11.30am–12.15pm | The Craft of Creative Non-Fiction with Lech Blaine and Sarah Krasnostein
Creative non-fiction is currently experiencing a resurgence.
How are narrative fiction techniques being used to engage readers in real-world stories? What responsibility does the author have in maintaining a clear line between fact and fabrication? We explore the research and writing processes involved with creative non-fiction, from memoirs and biographies to crime reporting.
Sarah Krasnostein is the multi-award-winning author of many non-fiction books, including most recently The Mushroom Tapes, co-written with Helen Garner and Chloe Hooper. Journalist Lech Blaine’s celebrated non-fiction work includes a personal memoir and a dive into his family history, Australian Gospel.
1–1.45pm | The Craft of Poetry with Maxine Beneba Clarke and David Stavanger
Poetry is a powerful medium that inspires active reading.
It’s a chance to feel, reflect and make connections. In what ways are poetic structures and restricted word counts limiting and in what ways do they allow for greater creativity and expression?
As Sylvia Plath once said, “You’ve got to go so far so fast in such a small space; you’ve got to burn away all the peripherals.”
Two esteemed poets discuss the power of verse and share insights into their writing processes. Maxine Beneba Clarke is an award-winning Australian author and slam poet who writes poetry for all ages. Her latest collection is beautiful changelings. David Stavanger is a poet, producer and former psychologist. His latest collection is The Drop Off.
Presented in partnership with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
