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
Olga Lorenzo is a guest author at this year’s Willy Lit Fest with her latest novel, The Light on the Water and will be discussing it with Lucia Nardo, a... Read More
We’re on instagram now and we’d love you to get social with us here and on facebook if you’re not already. And if you sign up to receive our enewsletter too you’ve got all our social... Read More
2015 The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 2015 Winner The Journey Home Adam Deverell The Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize 2015 Winner Lodger Suzi Mezei The Young Adas Short Story... Read More
Do you live, work or study in Melbourne’s vibrant western suburbs? If you live in one of the 58 postcodes listed below you are eligible to enter one of the... Read More
“The Ada Cambridge prize holds a special place in my heart.” Anna Brasier In 2004, before the birth of my third child, I rekindled my love for writing. Every week... Read More
The Williamstown Literary Festival committee extend our congratulations to much loved local author and artist, Leigh Hobbs, on his appointment as the Australian Children’s Laureate. Leigh Hobbs, best-selling author of... Read More
Willy Lit Fest Committee Member, Prof Chris Ringrose reviews his best read of 2016 so far – Shifting by Helen and Serge Cerne, Vulgar Press, Melbourne 2015. ‘This beautifully-written dual autobiography had me hooked from... Read More
For my recent big birthday my husband, Brian, gave me a pair of beautiful bronze bookends in the shape of Art Deco ladies. Too lovely to bury in the... Read More
Entries are now being accepted for the 2016 Ada Cambridge and Young Ada writing competitions. The prizes are open to writers and poets who live, work or study in the... Read More
Hobsons Bay Libraries is hosting a poetry workshop with Dr Chris Ringrose, Adjunct Associate Professor of English at Monash University on Saturday 21 November 2015 from 10.00am – 12.45pm. The workshop is... Read More
Hobsons Bay Libraries invite you to Catch and Kill—The politics of power – on Tuesday 1 September, 6.45pm – 8.15pm at Williamstown Library, 104 Ferguson Street, Williamstown Catch and Kill is an... Read More
Much of my poetry resides in drawers or boxes. The Adas meant that two poems saw daylight again; they were clipped, groomed, vigorously edited and entered. To have them shortlisted... Read More
Two sides to every story Participating as an entrant then as a judge in the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize, demands different perspectives on each story As their names are... Read More
Knowing we were in for a treat, a large crowd assembled in the Supper Room to listen to John Marsden. John is a master story-teller. We knew that anyway,... Read More
After a long period in the literary desert, I decided to start writing again exactly a year ago – for the Adas in 2014. It was a poem that was... Read More
Photo – Jenny Bates I love Richard Piper and I was delighted to be able to announce it to the audience (and my husband) when I had the pleasure of... Read More
The relationship between you, the page and the pen I arrived unfashionably late to Steve Carroll’s session and entered to catch Carroll talking of once having been in an Eagles... Read More
William Saroyan – the Pulitzer Prize winning author – wrote these words. “I am interested in madness. I believe it is the biggest thing in the human race, and the... Read More
Amanda Anastasi, curator of one Melbourne’s best regular spoken word events, held at the La Mama Courthouse Theatre, Drummond Street, Carlton, brought a mini version of a La Mama evening... Read More
It was like we were watching the first steps of what could become a lifelong friendship. A particularly Australian friendship. The Alice and Tim Show came to the Williamstown Literary... Read More
Jeremy Scott and Randall Stephens proved that not only can they undertake marathon cycle journeys, and write about them – they can also talk up a storm. They brought... Read More
This unique competition gives local writers (younger and older, experienced and starting-out) four minutes each to win over the audience, which votes at the end for the winners of the... Read More
More than a 140 Willy Lit Fest fans thoroughly enjoyed Stereo Stories in concert in the grand Williamstown Town Hall on Saturday 13 June. The audience was moved to laughter,... Read More
My Dad, Jim, had three loves in his life. His family, his cat and his Kingswood. The Kingswood was a metallic green monster, the Incredible Hulk turned into a car.... Read More
Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes 2015. We are delighted to announce the winners: The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 2015 First... Read More
The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose, Poetry and Young Adas Prize 2015 eBook is now on sale. Click here to purchase your copy. Copies are also available from Hobsons Bay Libraries... Read More
Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. If you know the answer, email info@willylitfest.org.au with your answer and details. EVERY CORRECT RESPONSE... Read More
We are so grateful and appreciative of the support we have received from our community. We could not put on such a wonderful festival without the help from these organisations... Read More
Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. At 12.30pm each day, a new puzzle will appear on our website (perfect... Read More
Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. At 12.30pm each day, a new puzzle will appear on our website (perfect to... Read More
Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. At 12.30pm each day, a new puzzle will appear on our website (perfect to... Read More
All of us at Willy Lit Fest mourn the loss of our founding Patron, friend and supporter Joan Kirner. Joan was deeply involved in our festival from its very beginnings:... Read More
Barbara Hughes, one of our super energetic Committee Members has just finished reading Barrie Cassidy’s book ‘Private Bill In Love and War’ and provides a brief review: Barrie Cassidy’s book ‘Private... Read More
The 2015 Willy Lit Fest brings you talented writers producing gritty tales of crime, tender memoirs and family histories. We tackle tough issues with writing on mental health, justice, refugees... Read More
Prof. Chris Ringrose, a treasured Willy Lit Fest Committee Member, writes about Jeremy Scott’s first book: “I could say many things about Jeremy Scott’s magnificent book The Long Road... Read More
You an easily make a weekend of fun in Williamstown and Hobsons Bay when you come to the Willy Lit Fest. Book yourself into the Captain’s Retreat, our lovely provider... Read More
John Webb OAM, one of our fabulous Committee Members has written two reviews of books that feature at our crime panel – Fatal Attraction: Why We Love Crime What Came Before by Anna... Read More
Here’s why Angela Altair, a founding member and President of the Willy Lit Fest is going to see Stuart Kells. I’m an avid interwar Boys and Girls’ Annuals collector. So... Read More
John Webb OAM, one of our fabulous Committee Members has written two reviews of books that feature at our crime panel – Fatal Attraction: Why We Love Crime on Sunday 14 June at... Read More
A big congratulations to Nick Gadd on winning the Nature Conservancy Nature Writing Prize for 2015 . His winning piece, A Landscape of Stories, is a wonderful reflection on walking... Read More
‘For my money, Stereo Stories was one of the most innovative and moving sessions the Willy Lit Fest has ever hosted, ‘I can’t wait for the next gig’ – a quote from... Read More
We’ve put together a fabulous batch of informative and engrossing workshops to get you writing, telling stories, crafting poetry and just being all round creative! Willy Lit Fest workshops traditionally... Read More
Swimming In Ink kicks off the 2015 Williamstown Literary Festival with three fiction writers sharing their thoughts on writing and the sea. To swim in ink is to write about the... Read More
POP IN AND POP-UP Published and yet-to-be published writers and poets are invited to join us at the Willy Lit Fest for a series of Pop-Up readings. The stage in... Read More
Poetry has always been a fantastic feature of the Willy Lit Fest program and this year we are very pleased to welcome six poets to our midst. Joel McKerrow is one of... Read More
We are reliant and very grateful for the help we receive from volunteers. Right now we need a little bit more help and would love to hear from anyone who... Read More
If you would prefer to buy your tickets face-to-face our box office will be open on Thursday 14, 21 and 28 May and 4 and 11 June from 10.00am-1.00pm at... Read More
The People’s Choice is a much loved event at the Willy Lit Fest. We are looking for local writers from the western suburbs to read a piece of poetry or prose... Read More
Why not share your literary love with your Mum and buy her a ticket or two to the Willy Lit Fest as a Mother’s Day present? Chances are she was instrumental in... Read More