Jennifer Burbidge Short Story Award
We are excited to announce the addition of a new writing prize for Willy Lit Fest in 2021, the Jennifer Burbidge Short Story Award. Now in its 20th year, the prize honours... Read More
News
Keep up to date with all the WLF news and happenings. 
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2020
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Williamstown Literary Festival Association Incorporated Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of the Williamstown Literary Festival Association Incorporated will be held... Read More
The Adas 2020
Always a highlight of the festival, this year’s awards ceremony for the Ada Cambridge writing prizes was the culmination of the 2020 Vison online Willy Lit fest on Sunday, 21... Read More
Announcing the Young Adas shortlisted writers
We are excited to announce the shortlisted entrants for the Young Adas 2020! Congratulations to the shortlisted Young Ada writers. The young writers from Melbourne’s western suburbs will have their... Read More
Announcing the Ada Cambridge Prose and Poetry shortlisted entrants
We are excited to announce the shortlisted entrants for the Ada Cambridge Prose and Poetry Writing Prizes 2020! Thank you to our wonderful readers and judges who read over 104... Read More
The Willy Lit Fest inaugural Literary Trivia Night
Announcing our first Literary Trivia Night. Do you know your Brontes and your Dickens and your Shakespeare? Do you know your crime fiction versus political thriller? If you answered... Read More
2020 Artists’ Call Outs Now Closed
We have received SO many fantastic artist submissions for next year’s Willy Lit Fest! Thank you to everyone who submitted. We will be in touch soon.
Announcing the Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes open for submissions
The Adas are now accepting submissions Submissions for prose and poetry are open to all writers who live in Victoria. Submissions close midnight 9th March 2020. The Young Ada Writing... Read More
Save the date – Willy Lit Fest 2020
We are excited to announce the dates for Willy Lit Fest 2020. Saturday 20 June – Sunday 21 June Artists’ submissions are now open for the 2020 Willy Lit Fest... Read More
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2019
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Williamstown Literary Festival Association Incorporated Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of the Williamstown Literary Festival Association Incorporated will be held... Read More
When you want to write, and … by Sherryl Clark
When you want to write, and … By Sherryl Clark Victoria University Polytechnic Professional Writing and Editing courses. Every year, thousands of writers vow that from the 1st of January,... Read More
Melbourne’s West Covers Willy Lit 2019 – An Arts Inspired Weekend in Williamstown
Willy Lit Fest “Celebrating its 16th year in 2019, the Willy Lit Fest promises a weekend of imagination, creative learning and thought provoking discussion. This year’s program, which has been... Read More
Out of the Shadows:True Crime Comes of Age
Get a taste of the 2019 Williamstown Literary Festival – The ‘anti true-crime podcast’ with Claire Halliday. Claire Halliday, journalist and author, talks to Tara Mitchell, Sisters in Crime National... Read More
Caroline Overington at Willy Lit Fest 2019
JUNE 6, 2019 12:22 PM BY GOYA DMYTRYSHCHAK Star Weekly International best-selling author Caroline Overington will this month help launch the 16th Williamstown Literary Festival. She has gone from covering... Read More
Forté Covers Willy Lit Fest 2019
“A book festival is the perfect place to celebrate your love of literature with fellow fans, see your favourite authors in action, and of course, discover new writers and illustrators.... Read More
Willy Lit Fest 2019 – Workshops
Choosing your own adventure in life can sometimes mean stepping outside of what we know and trying something brand new. Willy Lit Fest has become a gateway to knowledge and... Read More
Listen Up! Willy Lit Fest on 3RRR
Willy Lit Fest is delighted to be partnering with the fabulous radio legends at 3RRR to bring you information on the 2019 Festival from May 23rd! So tune in and... Read More
The 2019 Ada Cambridge Writing Prize shortlisted entrants
For the first time in the writing prize’s history submissions in the prose and poetry categories were open to all Victorian writers. As a result, we received an incredible amount... Read More
Kerry O’Brien at Willy Lit Fest 2019
Kerry O’Brien’s life has spanned the post-war era through the maelstrom of the nuclear and digital age. He has witnessed life changing events, interviewed the great and good, and explained... Read More
Willy Lit Fest 2019 Venue Locations
The 2019 Willy Lit Fest is delighted to be branching out to other great venues in beautiful Williamstown. Be sure to check the location of sessions on the program and... Read More
Meet the Adas’ 2019 Judges
Meet the 2019 Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes’ Judges Prose: Lis Grove and Dmetri Kakmi Poetry: Chloe Wilson and Helen Cerne Young Adas: Dr Christopher Ringrose and Margaret Campbell LIs Grove loves... Read More
The Adas 2019
We are thrilled to announce the Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes 2019 open for submissions! The Ada Cambridge writing prizes have given emerging writers from Melbourne’s western suburbs a wonderful opportunity... Read More
Mini Reviews – Willy Lit Fest 2018!
Introduction to Kamishibai – Paper Theatre: Jackie Kerin Introduction to Kamishibai – Paper Theatre presented by Bernard Caleo was a session for adults with special appeal to artists, writers, performers... Read More
Give us your feedback!
We’d love to hear what you thought of the Willy Lit Fest 2018. You can complete a hard copy form at the Festival, or click here to submit your feedback... Read More
Ada Cambridge Prizes for 2018
We’re thrilled to announce the results of the Ada Cambridge Prizes for 2018. We’re particularly delighted that Catherine Ryan is among the short-listed authors for the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose... Read More
Keep writing and keep being brave – Author, Lucy Christopher tells us about her special relation with John Marsden.
Author, Lucy Christopher tells us about her special relation with John Marsden. John Marsden was a huge influence on my writing. I would go so far as to say that... Read More
Five Questions with Jackie Kerin at Willy Lit Fest 2018
Tell us why you are at The Willy Lit Festival? I’m at the Festival for several reasons. I belong to a network of kamishibai storytellers (Japanese paper storytelling). Kamishibai a... Read More
Civilex Joins The Willy Lit Fest Family
The Williamstown Literary Festival Committee is delighted to welcome Civilex as our newest sponsor! Their generous support will help us deliver a vibrant and rich program of sessions to the... Read More
WRITER WRANGLING 101 or How to Collaborate On A Group Book Without Killing Each Other
THE SATURDAY LADIES BRIDGE CLUB by Alison Stuart Firstly, you are probably wondering who and what the Saturday Ladies Bridge Club is… I don’t think any of us play cards…... Read More
Willy Lit Fest For Kids And The Young At Heart
It’s never too early to encourage imagination and a life-long love of books, ideas and creativity! Join us at Willy Lit Fest with your little ones, your youngsters, and your... Read More
Five Questions With Danielle Ross Walls At Willy Lit Fest
Danielle Ross Walls is mum to two energetic boys, aged 8 and 5 years. In 2015, she created and directed the first Careers Expo for working mothers in Melbourne. Danielle’s... Read More
Five Questions With Jenny Ackland at Willy Lit Fest
Jenny Ackland is a Melbourne writer and teacher. Her first novel The Secret Son – a Gallipoli/Ned Kelly mash-up about identity, truth and history – was published in 2015. Little... Read More
The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree – Shokoofeh Azar at Willy Lit Fest 2018
Shortlisted for the Stella Prize, The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree is an extraordinarily powerful and evocative literary novel set in Iran in the period immediately after the Islamic Revolution... Read More
An enchanting exploration of Australian literature with Bruno Lettieri
Bruno speaks with Il Globo newspaper — “I invited writers to come and speak to my students because I was trying to engage them in telling their own stories and... Read More
FESTIVAL UPDATE – Sold Out Sessions
The sessions below have sold out. There’s plenty more on offer – please check the program! And if you want to see a particular author don’t forget you can see... Read More
Stan Yarramunua at Williamstown Literary Festival
Saturday 16 June – 12.00pm to 1.00pm. The Chamber – Williamstown Town Hall A Man Called Yarra is an inspiring memoir of overcoming hardship and striving for a better life.... Read More
Working Mums at Willy Lit Fest
Compiled by two Australian mums, Danielle Ross Walls and Louise Correcha, to help support other parents, Working Mums: Stories by real women on how they manage children, work and life... Read More
Willy Lit Fest 2018 Tickets on Sale!
Gather up some pals, make a date for June and start booking your tickets! Last year eleven sessions sold out prior to the festival weekend, so please don’t delay!We can’t... Read More
Writers Victoria at Willy Lit Fest 2018
Williamstown Literary Festival is delighted to be welcoming the good folk of Writers Victoria back to the festival, this year presenting Start Writing: How to Get Started on Any Writing... Read More
Willy Lit Fest 2018 Program – The Reading List 1
Books in the mail, session blurbs done, rooms allocated, panels convened, fabulous authors and interviewers locked in – check!! Art and text with designer, printer at the ready…The Willy Lit... Read More
Andy Griffiths Named Hobsons Bay Citizen of the Year
From the Star Weekly – Goya Dmytryshchak Children’s author Andy Griffiths has been named Hobsons Bay Citizen of the Year. Griffiths, who wrote Australia’s bestselling book of 2015, The 65-Storey... Read More
Small Beginnings – Willy Lit Fest Turning 15!
Festival President Angela Altair reflects on 15 years of the Willy Lit Fest. It opened with the famous Radio National quiz, has attracted some of Australia’s biggest names to Williamstown,... Read More
Beyond the Bestseller – Markus Zusak and Andy Griffiths – Review
In a full house, Markus Zusak and Andy Griffiths treated us to an intimate conversation between two mates! In Beyond the Bestseller we heard how Andy was keeping score with... Read More
Give us your feedback!
We’d love to hear what you thought of the Willy Lit Fest 2017. You can complete a hard copy form at the Festival, or click here to submit your feedback... Read More
The Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes – Winners Announced!
We would like to extend our congratulations to the shortlisted entrants and winners of the Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes! The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize Shortlisted Writers Helen Bradwell: My... Read More
Festival Updates – SOLD OUT
The sessions below have sold out. There’s plenty more on offer – check the program! And if you want to see a particular author don’t forget you can see all... Read More
Kitchen Tales – The Mortar and Pestle
The Willy Lit Fest committee has had fun these last months organising the 2017 festival. At meetings between agenda items the talk around the table has often turned to... Read More
The Dry is Scorching Hot – Jane Harper at WLF 2017
The Dry is scorching hot. One question I’m dying to ask Jane Harper is how a city girl – and a Pom at that – nailed the bush? Harper’s stunning... Read More
A Menu by Chris Ringrose
A Menu Aperitif: Pastis One of those drinks that you either love or loathe. Or love despite the one-dimensional aniseed taste, because it reminds you of Parisian bars and the prospect... Read More