Our mission is to facilitate and magnify the cultural, social and educational impact of creating, sharing and reading the stories of Western Sydney. Through stories, we show our diversity of voices, sense of worth, increased confidence, resilience and exploration of identities and potentialities.
We recognise that shifting the financial wellbeing of individuals and communities starts at the grassroots level – creating change through the power of the written word allows young people to potentially change the narrative of their lives.
We increase the profile and networks for our community and increase the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of new and established Western Sydney writers as well as the increased diversity in form and content in Australian literature reflective of the diverse community of Greater Western Sydney.
“Working with WestWords changed my life.It’s helped me with my confidence, it’s helped me with my writing skills, with how I write, with the way I view writing. They basically made me a better person.”
Ali, aged 15, Granville Boys High School
Winner – 2023 ZEST Awards – Outstanding Project Community Arts and Culture:
Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize
Winner – 2020 and 2021 Excellence in Arts & Culture
Winner – 2021 Outstanding Business Leadership – Michael Campbell Executive Director WestWords
WSABE, Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence
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Events
Author Panel: Family, Inheritance and the Stories that Shaped Us
Author Panel: Family, Inheritance and the Stories that Shapes Us Family secrets, sibling relationships, and the legacies we carry are at the heart of this conversation with debut novelists Samantha W. L. Lee (Bound), Cassie Stroud (Iluka) and Sophie...
Industry Panel: Echoes in Fiction
Echoes in Fiction Sat 26 Sep10:00 AM - 11:15 PMPHIVE, 5 Parramatta Square, 2150 Join authors Alexandria Burnham and Annie McCann in conversation with Eleanor Cooper as they discuss the ins and outs of drawing from history and culture when writing...
Writers At the Pub: With Alexandria Burnham
Writers at the Pub: Alexandria Burnham Spend an afternoon at the Sydney Authors Inked 'Writers at the Pub' event with these great authors: Alexandria Burnham, Kevin Klehr and Sylvia Petter.Wed 7 October, 2pm-3.30pmThe Oxford Hotel Drummoyne These three diverse...
Book Launch: How Our Garden Grows
Book Launch: How Our Garden Grows SydWest and WestWords are delighted to invite you to the launch of How Our Garden Grows, a beautiful new book by author Saurav Kiran Shrestha and illustrated by Estee Sarsfield.Thursday 8 October5.30pm-7.30pm Location:...
The West Side Poetry Slam
West Side Poetry Slam 6:40pm Poet Sign-Up, 7pm Slam Starts Parramatta Leagues Club (Level 3), 1 Eels Place, Parramatta NSW Bring photo ID to sign in as it's a club! If you are under 18 and not coming with an adult please DM us so we can sign you in. Pay at Door: $12...
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Current Callouts & Competitions
Fishers’ Ghost Writing Prize 2026: Years in the Making
Fisher's Ghost Writing Prize 2026 Welcome to the Fisher's Ghost Writing Prize. This creative writing competition is open to everyone who lives, works or attends school (including University or TAFE) in Campbelltown Local Government Area. Entries can include: Short...
Blacktown 2026 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize – All Out
Blacktown City Council presents 2026Mayoral Creative Writing Prize Welcome to the Mayoral Creative Writing Prize 2026. This prize is open to adults and children (aged 8 to 17 years) who live in Blacktown City. The poems and short stories must be works of fiction. All...
Living Stories
The 2026 Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize: Is it true ... ? WestWords and WestLit Libraries are proud to present The 2026 Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize. This year, we are asking writers and poets to respond to the theme ... Is...
WestWords: A Western Sydney Anthology
WestWords: A Western Sydney AnthologyWestWords: A Western Sydney Anthology After 10 years of working with writers and poets of Western Sydney, we are proud to continue to facilitate, elevate and promote the vibrant and diverse voices of our region in mainstream...
Writing Groups
Campbelltown Writers Groups – In-person and Online
The Campbelltown Writers Groups In partnership with Campbelltown City Council, WestWords is proud to deliver our long-running writing groups in the area. There are two the choose from. The In-Person Writers Group With C. R. Masters The Online Writers Group...
The New Writers Group
New Writers Group Inc.Writers Group The New Writers Group is a not-for-profit association run by volunteers. Our monthly events feature writing workshops and exercises, open mic and special guests. Publishing opportunities include our online Pop Up Zines, our digital...
WestWords Alumni Writers’ Group
WestWords Alumni Writers Group WestWords Alumni Writers Group is an all inclusive monthly writers' group for adult alumni of WestWords programs who are committed to further development of their craft open to poets and prose writers in all genres. Meetings include:...
Online
Writing Western Sydney: The Readings
In 2020 WestWords launched this series of YouTube videos...
Poets’ Corner
Poets' Corner is WestWords' monthly encounter with celebrated Australian poets, curated...
WestWords Podcast
Short and sweet interviews with some of WestWords' favourite presenters. These...
Latest Publications
Our Resident Organisations
Westwords Mini Masterclasses
Auburn Poets and Writers
Campbelltown Writing Program
The Clubhouse
Writing Western Sydney: The Readings
Living Stories – Regional Winners and Highly Commended
Where Happiness Hides
Poets’ Corner
Support Us
I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with WestWords many times during my career as a writer in Western Sydney, and I consider them to be the most engaged and impactful writing organization in the country. Their work with the writing culture in Western Sydney has transformed the local literary landscape into a thriving ecology of writers, illustrators, and editors.
Luke Carman: writer and lecturer Western Sydney University
“We remain really appreciative and in awe of the energy of WestWords and the passion you have for promoting literature in the community.”
Theresa Lock: Outreach and Marketing Coordinator, Blue Mountains Library
“This is a life a life changing experience for me.”
Zaheda Ghani: Western Sydney Emerging Writers Fellow Pomegranate and Fig, the manuscript she developed as a Fellow was published by Hachette in June, 2022
WestWords acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which we live, work and create, the Darug, Gundungurra and Tharawal nations and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.