Blake Events
In collaboration with our partners Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre we are presenting two very different events bringing the poets and poetry of the Blake Poetry Prize to you live and in person: Blake Up Late, Saturday May 7th and Innocence and Experience on 21st May.
WestWords/ Ultimo Prize
The WestWords/Ultimo Prize is a new prize for works of fiction or narrative non-fiction by published and unpublished emerging writers. We are looking for writers or manuscripts that have a connection to Western Sydney. The prize includes $5,000 and a contract to publish with Ultimo Press.
Living Stories 2022
Entries are now closed for The Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize 2022. Winners and highly commended will be announced June/July.
After School Creative Writing
Enrolments Now Open for Term 2! Still on Zoom, a chance for your kids to learn from the professionals! A Creative Kids Eligible program!
Creative Work by Students from After School Creative Writing
Check out the work of the After School Creative Writing Groups Grades 4-9
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Campbelltown Writing Program
Campbelltown Library’s Writers’ Groups are online in 2022. Come join this growing community of committed writers.
LGBTQIA+ Writers’ Group
WestWords’ LGBTQIA+ writers’ goes hybrid from 18 May at 6:30 PM
African Australian Literature Development Program
African Australian Writers’ Group continues at Max Webber Library on alternate Tuesdays. The group is from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. Talking writing, culture, clarity of expression and craft. Mawunyo Gbogbo joins us as a facilitator. This session is hybrid.
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Auburn Poets & Writers
Join Auburn Poets & Writers for their Sydney Writers’ Festival Event, 17 May at 7:30 pm at WestWords in Parramatta
The 67th Blake Poetry Prize winner’s announcement!
The winner of the 67th Blake Poetry Prize is…
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Dirt Lane Press Joins WestWords
Orange-based publisher Dirt Lane Press recently wound up its solo operation, to continue as an imprint of WestWords.
The Clubhouse
In March, kids’ writer, TV presenter and producer, illustrator and all-round great guy Mick Elliott is our guest blogger, so come on in, ask questions, stay a while!
WestLit Libraries
WestLit Libraries is a partnership between WestWords and Western Sydney Zone libraries. WHAT’S ON Dec 2020 – Feb 2021
WestWords Academy Applications Now Closed for 2022
Applications are closed for WestWords Academy 2022, offers will be made soon.
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Bright Circles: Bennett Road
Through 2021’s COVID lockdown to being able to be in-person again, Jodie McLeod was WestWords Writer in Residence at Bennett Rd Public School. Read the stories of 3/4L and enjoy!
Poets’ Corner – Brett Dionysius
Poets’ Corner for March features Brett Dionysius. Check it out on YouTube.
WestWords YouTube Channel
A new reading from Lynn Garlick from her book ‘Binding: More than a Motherhood Memoir’
2021 Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
Enjoy the winning and highly commended entries for the inaugural Fisher’s Ghost Writing Competition in the digital anthology.
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Fisher’s Ghost: Writing Prize 2021
Enjoy the winning and highly commended entries for the inaugural Fisher’s Ghost Writing Competition in the digital anthology.
We won in WSABE again!
WestWords has won the Commonwealth Bank Excellence in Arts & Culture award!
Stepping Stones
As life enters a ‘new normal’ students from The Ponds High School’s Creative Writers Guild have come together to face these new challenges. ‘Stepping Stones’ shares their vision that moments spent together arethe stepping stones for their transformation.
WestWords-Varuna Emerging Writers’ Residential Program
Applications for the WestWords-Varuna Residential Program have now closed. Thank you to all who applied.
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Postcard project: Refugee Week 2021
To celebrate Refugee Week 2021 we partnered with MECA (Mt Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency) to bring the stories of six people who came Australia as refugees and are establishing their lives here.
The WestWords Podcast
Keep up to date with WestWords fortnightly news, interviews and featurettes with The WestWords Podcast.
Pinerolo Illustrators in Residence 2021
Announcing the recipients for the 2021 Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence.
2021 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
Entries for the 2021 Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize are now closed – Thank you to all who entered.
Booktober
Thank you to all those who supported our 2021 Fundraising Art Auction
Western Sydney 2021 Emerging Writers Fellowship
Announcing the Winners of the 2021 CA WestWords Western Sydney Emerging Writers Fellowships
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Three Weeks in November
For three weeks in November 2021 Cherrybrook Technical High School’s entire Year 10 cohort of over 400 students had chance to work with twelve exceptional writers. This is what they wrote.
Living Stories: The Workshops 2021
Check out the online Living Stories Workshops, for all ages in Creative Writing and Poetry
Female Orphan School Writer-in-Residence
We are proud to announce Laura Greaves as the inaugural Writer-in-Residence at the Female Orphan School.
Eating Our Words @ Parralanes
For Parralanes 2020 WestWords was commissioned to present a series of stories and poems about food. Enjoy three courses of delectable words from Aishah Ali, James Roy, Christina Donoghue and projection artist and animator Junee Lee
We won in WSABE 2020!
WestWords has won the Commonwealth Bank Excellence in Arts & Culture award!
Announcing the 2020 Western Sydney Emerging Writers Fellowships
We are excited to announce the 2020 WestWords Copyright Agency Western Sydney Emerging Writer Fellows are…
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Tasty As!
For five sessions over three weeks award-winning writer James Roy worked with the Year 6 students at Bidwill Public School in the Mt Druitt area to assist them telling their stories – because kids love stories. We all do!
smile ‘cross the oceans
Celebrating the culmination of the first year of our African Australian Literature Development Program comes an anthology of their stories, insights and experiences.
Vice Regal Patronage for WestWords
WestWords is thrilled to announce the joint Vice Regal Patronage by The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of New South Wales and Mr Dennis Wilson.
Finding the Edge Pieces
From the crackling edge of Sydney’s north-west edge this publication proudly represents the dedication and creativity of The Ponds High School Creative Writers Guild.
lights on
The inaugural publication from WestWords LGBTQIA+ writers’ group.
2020 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
2020 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize The Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize 2020 was open to adults and children who live in Blacktown city. Entrants wrote a short story or poem responding to the theme of The Whole World at Home. The total prize pool was $1,600. In 2020 we received a total of 363 entries across all the […]
Reflecting on the 2020 WestWords-Varuna Fellowships
Reflections from WestWords-Varuna Fellows 2020
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BOOKTOBER
Booktober an overwhelming success in raising funds to help disadvantaged kids, thanks to you.
Where Happiness Hides
WestWords is proud to have been apart of Dirt Lane Press’ COVID-19 response to publish Where Happiness Hides online in approx. 35 languages.
Inspired In_Syd Stories
At the beginning of this year, Inner Sydney High School opened its doors to a group of excited year seven students ready to begin their adventure into high school. The founding of the IN_SYD Writers Club was an important of the development of the school. Read their work here!
Writing and Illustrating workshops for kids
Join Martin Chatterton, Jodie McLeod and Eloise Short (Leonard the Lyrebird) and Erin Gough (The Flywheel, Amelia Westlake Was Never Here) for pre-recorded (and completely free) 1hr workshops, available on the WestWords YouTube channel.
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Mini-Masterclass podcasts
Bite-sized conversations with professional writers, poets and editors, focusing on different aspects of story and writing.
One Week in December
For one week in December Cherrybrook Technical High School’s entire Year 10 cohort of some 470 students had chance to work with twelve exceptional writers. This is what they wrote.
Creative Kids Program
WestWords is now a registered provider for the Creative Kids program! Claim your $100 Creative Kids voucher and enrol your kids in a new activity today!
A Priceless Opportunity for Illustrators
And the winner of the WestWords Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence is…
2020 Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
Entries have now closed. Winners will be announced at the presentation ceremony on Thursday 3 December 2020 at 6 pm to 7 pm.
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WW-WSU Writer in Residence Program
Congratulations to Rawah and Kavita!
A Thousand Words Exhibition
Ten emerging Western Sydney writers and artists respond to some of most compelling photographic images from the rich collections of Sydney Living Museums and the State Archives in this new exhibition.
WestWords Writing Consultations
From what you submit to us we will select the best person for you from our bank of experienced authors, illustrators and editors to give you the guidance you need. A Creative Kids Eligible program!
What Matters?
What Matters? writing competition is now closed. Watch this space for winners and runner ups.
Birds of a Feather
On exhibition digitally at Campbelltown Library in December and ‘live’ in Hawkesbury library in February
An Ordinary Day
During Term 4, Stage 2 students and their teachers from St Nicholas of Myra, Penrith worked with writer Jodie McLeod and illustrator Eloise Short.
33 South, 150 East
Over the course of three Fridays, in some of the most intense heat Katoomba has ever seen, the students of Katoomba High School worked with the fabulous Catherine Jinks, to create stories of place – places of the heart; of sadness, love, hope and joy.
Northreads Vol. 2
Northreads Vol 2 is another anthology of short writings from Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School.
Think It Up – Write It Down
During Term 3, WestWords undertook a residency with Year 4 students and their teachers from St Francis of Assisi Primary School in Glendenning. Undertaking the weekly workshops was the wonderful Amelia McInerney.
2019 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
Congratulations to all winners and runners up of the 2019 competition. Click here to read all the successful submissions.
Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth is the culmination of a series of writing workshops where participants from refugee backgrounds developed their stories.
2019 WestWords-Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence
Congratulations to Christina Huynh, 2019 WestWords-Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence!
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Beast. Belly. Beast.
Peter Maple’s BEAST.BELLY.BEAST delves inside the minds of two ex-servicemen suffering the repercussions of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Postcard stories
In 2018 WestWords was approached by CAPAH: Citizens Action Penrith Affordable Housing to work with them so that they can write their stories…
Alive 90.5 FM
WestWords will be on Alive FM 6pm-8pm, Wednesdays fortnightly with Aparna Vats.
Western Sydney Writers’ Rooms
WestWords offers writing spaces at accessible prices at our Parramatta WestWords Centre for Writing.
