With 50+ speakers across 50 sessions over seven days, this festival has something for writers of all genders and cultures. Wherever in the world you are, there are workshops via Zoom on how to get published, panel discussions on diverse topics such as writing about adventure, food, memoir and more. The festival has fantastic headline speakers every day, and I’ve been lucky enough to snag a spot to speak, it’s exciting and my first writers festival as a presenter. At fifty years of age, a whole new world opens up to me as I pursue my work as an author, I’m thrilled to be in the company of some amazing women.

And if you’re considering writing that book you’ve had on a back-burner for years, then there’s plenty to learn from the workshops, panel discussions and presentations. Tickets are reasonably priced and available to purchase here.

Kicking us off on Sunday 14th February with the Opening Keynote session is Rosalie Ham, author of the recently released The Dressmaker’s Secret, sequel to The Dressmaker. Rosalie will give a precis of her adventure from writing class to publication, what writing means to her now and how it has impacted her life and career.

For the Love of Journaling 4.00pm – 5.00pm. After a tough year in 2020, many realised that we need resilience to get through tough times. Writing in a journal can go a long way to guiding you through adversity. Blaise van Hecke will launch her book Ink it! Find Purpose, Peace and Pleasure Through Writing and give you tips for your own journal writing.

Every evening there’s a Bedtime Story session at 6.45pm–7.00pm. Share the link to a pre-recorded bedtime story with the youngest family members and lull them to sleep with stories read by Jack Beaumont, Caz Goodwin, Fiona Mearon, Susan Ramage, Kilisitina Sisifa, Meryl Brown Tobin, Mary Jones and Jodi Wintz-Rose.

Day one of the festival closes with some fun, the Literary Pub Quiz starts at 7.00pm. BYO preferred beverage and put your brains to the test. Prepared by the Society of Women Writers Victoria (Razmi Wahab, Judith A Green, Elizabeth Mclellan and Nanice Leggas).

That’s just a taste of what’s to come. Check out For the Love of Having a Go – Never too late, never too unlikely … (to start writing). Have you ever thought about trying writing or writing for publication? Di Websdale-Morrisey discusses her ‘ridiculous path to writing’, ignoring her negative self and following her dreams. The death of her husband when she was 40 prompted her to pick up her pen. Since then, she’s been a ghost writer, written for The Age, taught creative writing at RMIT and has had three books published.

Dickens’ Women, a joint Event with Miriam Margolyes and Lucinda Hawksley discussing Dickens’s Women. Miriam will talk about writing her one-woman show on Dickens’s Women and Miriam and Lucinda will discuss the fictional v real women in Dickens’s life. Lucinda will draw on her extensive knowledge of Charles Dickens, her great great great grandfather.

Grab your tickets here and come join in the fun, for the love of writing. You’ll find my session, For the Love of Women’s Hormonal Health on Friday 19th February 9.30am-10.15am. I’ll be discussing the relationship of hormones to wellbeing, including why testosterone is such a controversial treatment. Why I felt compelled to share my eye-opening research with other women (and those who love them). Plus what I learned about gender bias and the darker side of medicine, the importance of connection with other women through the writing, research and publishing process. Plus the challenges of writing a women’s health book as a layperson. My session ends on why we should become advocates for a change in society’s attitude to menopause and a Q&A session.