It Takes a Village – How You Can Help Willy Lit Fest 2017
We’ve all heard the saying it takes a village to raise a child, we feel the same way about the Willy Lit Fest. Our festival has grown so much from... Read More
News
Keep up to date with all the WLF news and happenings. 
Willy Lit Fest 2017 Welcomes You!
Willy Lit Fest 2017 from Archivist Media on Vimeo. We can’t wait to share this fabulous weekend with you! Bring a pal, make a day out of it or sneak... Read More
TOUGH LOVE: TRIAL BY TROTTER – By Michelle Fincke
I was making terrible medical history. Tears cascaded, followed by snot. Snot and trotters. TOUGH LOVE: TRIAL BY TROTTER By Michelle Fincke My German grandmother Lissi loved me, which is... Read More
Williamstown Literary Festival: Before There Were Books, There Were Storytellers
Storytelling Australia Victoria is an incorporated, non-profit group dedicated to the promotion of the ancient art of oral storytelling. Fabulous storytellers will be sharing stories at Willy Lit Fest 2017... Read More
Five Questions with Dmetri Kakmi – WLF 2017
Program Director, Loraine Callow asks Dmetri Kakmi five questions about his forthcoming session at Willy Lit 2017. Dmetri will interview author of My Year Without Meat – Richard Cornish... Read More
We Love Learning – Willy Lit Fest 2017
Workshops, information sessions and discussions on the craft of writing and storytelling have always been a feature of the Willy Lit Fest program. This year we have a great menu of workshops and sessions and... Read More
Five Questions with Lucia Nardo – WLF 2017
Program Director, Loraine Callow asks Lucia Nardo five questions about her forthcoming session at Willy Lit 2017. Lucia will interview authors of Finding Sanity – John Cade, lithium and the... Read More
Homegrown Hobsons Bay
Hobsons Bay is a community with a deep and proud literary history and vibrant and diverse culture of writing. Homegrown Hobsons Bay is an innovative program to celebrate and to... Read More
Siren’s Call – Yvette Wroby at Willy Lit Fest 2017
We’re delighted to have Yvette Wroby joining us for the first time at Williamstown Literary Festival and congratulate her on the publication of her first book! You can hear Yvette... Read More
Pasta and Prose by Lucia Nardo
She valued learning as much as she valued feeding her family the best food. As Mother’s Day draws closer and memories stir, I miss my late mother, Anna, more acutely... Read More
Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes 2017 Short List Announced
Announcing the short listed entries for this year’s Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes. Congratulations to all! ADA CAMBRIDGE BIOGRAPHICAL PROSE PRIZE: Helen Bradwell, Adam Deverell, Christa Fatouros, Linelle Gibson, Marija Ivankovic,... Read More
Willy Lit Fest 2017 Launches in Fine Style
As our program director Loraine Callow admitted, this year’s theme ‘Food for Thought’ is ripe for endless puns and groaners. And flow they did, like molasses from the honeyed tongues... Read More
A Glimpse of Willy Lit Fest!
As we’re gearing up to Willy Lit Fest 2017 we’ve enjoyed taking a glimpse back in time with this little video put together by our friends at Archivist Media. Each... Read More
Barb’s Mum’s Shortbread
“Its yellowing pages contain cookery tips and recipes for such delights as Stewed Calf’s Head and Wintry Night Soup.” A few weeks ago I posted a photo of my Mum,... Read More
Throwback Thursday – The Light on the Water
“Intimate, intense and intriguing.” The Light on the Water – Session Mini Review It’s a tough session. The one competing with the crowded People’s Choice and the ever popular Footpath... Read More
The Adas: 2017 Judges
“It takes courage to write poems and stories and to expose them to the critical judgement of others.” Elisabeth Grove, Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose judge We are pleased to announce... Read More
Throwback Thursday – Helen Cerne (Curiouser and Curiouser)
Helen Cerne (Curiouser and Curiouser) – Mini Review The audience was fascinated when Enza Gandolfo, who was chairing, encouraged Helen to show us her notebooks from over the years —... Read More
Throwback Thursday – The Fighter: A True Story – Arnold Zable
The Fighter: A True Story. Arnold Zable in conversation with Donna Ward – Session Mini Review What a pleasure to hear Arnold Zable introducing his most recent book, a biography... Read More
Rose Damon: on winning The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 2016
Rose Damon, winner of The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 2016, for her short story, ‘The Line’, shares her experience on winning with us. “I just want to offer my heartfelt... Read More
On Happiness: New Ideas for the Twenty-First Century – Mini Review
On Happiness: New Ideas for the Twenty-First Century: Deborah Pike, Tony Moore, Alice Pung & Ranjana Srivastava It was indeed a coup to secure four of the distinguished authors of... Read More
A Passion for Footy – Mini Review
A Passion for Footy – Angela Pippos, Michael Hyde and Nicole Hayes. Footy’s close to my heart. So before hand-balling to the panel, I took to the stage sporting my... Read More
Meet Morris Gleitzman – Review
A fantastic opportunity to meet one of the funniest, most versatile and daring of writers for children and young people. I’m a fan from way back, having been transfixed... Read More
Penguin and the Lane Brothers – Mini Review
Penguin and the Lane Brothers – Downstairs Studio Sunday 2pm It’s not every session you find yourself sitting on the floor because there’s not an empty seat in the room.... Read More
Older and Bolder: Renata Singer & Melanie Joosten – Mini Review
Older and Bolder: Renata Singer & Melanie Joosten in conversation with Enza Gandolfo A lively, thought-provoking session. Ably hosted by Enza Gandolfo from Victoria University, discussion was generous, wide-ranging and... Read More
Nick Gadd (Walking and Writing the Suburbs) – Mini Review
Nick Gadd (Walking and Writing the Suburbs) Nick spoke without notes about his award-winning blog Melbourne Circle, while his daughter operated the power point showing fascinating photos taken on Nick’s... Read More
Sally Rippin (Billy B Mysteries) – Mini Review
Sally Rippin (Billy B Mysteries) The hour flew by as Sally delved back into family photos for the sources of her Billy B stories and showed how the book illustrations... Read More
Fathers From The Edge – Mini Review
Fathers From The Edge – The Chamber Saturday 2pm A panel discussion that quickly turned into a cosy chat amongst friends, panel and audience alike. A chat about life and... Read More
Andy Griffiths: Grown Up Talk! – Mini Review
Andy Griffiths: Grown Up Talk! Rotunda in the West – The Supper Room Saturday 3.30pm A handful of kids were smuggled into this session. They were the luckiest kids in... Read More
The Adas – Winners Announced!
Congratulations to the winners of The Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes 2016! The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 2016 First Prize Rose Damon, ‘The Line’ Runner-Up Fikret Pajalic, ‘Soul to Sell’... Read More
Willy Lit Fest on Film
We’re thrilled to share two films with you profiling Willy Lit Fest highlights from the 2015 festival. We hope these whet your appetite to come and join us at #willylitfest16.... Read More
Historical Romance in the 21st Century – Meet the Panel
Go on – admit it! You are a little bit curious about the wonderful world of historical romance. You must have asked yourself at some point… Does a bodice really... Read More
Penguin and The Lane Brothers – Reflections from Angela Altair
Who hasn’t got at least ONE dog-eared, plain covered Penguin in a corner of their bookshelves? I found mine on the topmost shelf, reserved for old paperbacks like Portnoy’s Complaint... Read More
Thank you to our sponsors
We are blessed to have so many wonderful sponsors and supporters. Without this support the Willy Lit Fest would not exist, so here’s a big thank you to them all:... Read More
We Love Workshops
Workshops on the craft of writing and storytelling have always been a feature of the Willy Lit Fest program and sell out early as spaces are limited to provide for interaction and instruction.... Read More
How do we go on living when our lives fall? – Olga Lorenzo
A little girl disappears in the wilderness. Two years later her mother is arrested for her murder. A provocative and unflinching literary novel of love, guilt and grief set against... Read More
Willy Lit Fest 2016 Tickets Selling Fast!
Tickets for this Willy Lit Fest 2016 are selling fast! There are four ways you can purchase your tickets: Online – tickets will be sent by post or available for... Read More
Backstage at Stereo Stories
Vin Maskell, MC and curator of Stereo Stories Live, gives us a glimpse into how the show comes together. The band is setting up in my loungeroom: Peter Maskell and... Read More
Congratulations – Ada Cambridge shortlist 2016
We’re so thrilled to announce the following writers who have made it onto the Ada Cambridge shortlist for 2016. A huge congratulations to them all and our thanks to everyone... Read More
Andy Griffiths at Williamstown Literary Festival – Look Out!
UPDATE – Huge congratulations to Andy and Jill Griffiths and Terry Denton for the Australian Book Industry Award for Book of the Year for Younger Children and the People’s Choice... Read More
For Children and Young Adults – Willy Lit Fest 16
We are excited to be offering so many events for children and young adults. Encouraging young readers to come to the Willy Lit Fest and get up close with their... Read More
Willy Lit Fest gifts for your Mum
Here’s a varied selection of sessions that will make a perfect Mother’s Day gift for your special Mum. If she likes football check out A Passion for Footy with Nicole Hayes,... Read More
Nick Gadd in the Griffith Review
“ABOUT EIGHTEEN MONTHS ago, I started to spend time walking around the inner western suburbs of Melbourne where I have lived for twenty years. It wasn’t for fitness reasons –... Read More
Chris Ringrose – the Willy Lit Fest Poet Laureate
We have our very own poet laureate, Committee member, Professor Chris Ringrose. Chris shared this wonderful poem on the impact that words and stories have made in his life, written especially for the Willy... Read More
The #willyitfest16 program is launched
There is something timeless about books, especially the good ones. Stories stay with us, long after we turn the cover on the final page. They take us away from today... Read More
Countdown to Willy Lit Fest 2016 with Shakespeare
Happy 450th Birthday to Shakespeare! Do you know the fifty everyday words and phrases we use that were penned by Shakespeare? Although language is constantly changing, many phrases have endured.... Read More
Jonathon Griffiths – 2014 People’s Choice Winner
“The People’s Choice is fun, whether you win or not. My entry for 2014 “The Winner” was a satirical tale of a People’s Choice entrant who takes the competition way... Read More
Meet our volunteers
We’re so grateful for our volunteers and the work they do over the festival weekend. We could not run the festival without their support and involvement. Here’s what some of... Read More
Belinda Roxy Guarnaccia – 2014 People’s Choice Awards Poetry Winner
Belinda Roxy Guarnaccia was the winner of the People’s Choice Poetry award in 2014. “I have always loved poetry and writing poetry. The poem I wrote and entered into the Williamstown... Read More
Bloodhound: An Evening with Ramona Koval
In the 1990s, Ramona Koval began her quest to discover family secrets and her own identity. Her parents were Holocaust survivors who settled in Melbourne and as a child Koval learned little... Read More