Writing NSW – what we do for writers I’ve been a member of Writing NSW since before I was published. It’s a place and community I really value. When you’ve had an awful writing day, received an overwhelming editorial report or a scathing review, knowing others have been through the same thing and lived to write another day really helps. Whatever point you’re at in your writing career, you can be sure there are others there with you: those further along who will help you and those further back who will value your help. Writing NSW is important too because it is harder and harder to make a living as a writer in Australia. Book advances are down, the market is crowded and most publications haven't increased freelance rates in years. That Writing NSW employs writers at rates that show a respect for our time and expertise is a great relief. The regular income I receive as a tutor allows me to spend more time writing and less chasing work to pay the bills. - Emily Maguire, writer I have been a member of Writing NSW since 2009 and it has been instrumental in supporting me to develop my career as a writer. Writing NSW is a particularly welcoming institution for writers who are starting out. I participated in a culturally diverse Who’s Writing Who? event at Writing NSW. The event – chaired by Sheila Pham and including panellists Michelle Cahill, Ramon Loyola, Sara Saleh and myself – discussed the ethical conundrums and personal frustrations of writing about, and for, multicultural Australia. The opportunity provided panellists with a rare platform and safe space to discuss our experiences as diverse writers. It presented the Filipino-Australian poet, Ramon Loyola, with his first opportunity to give a public reading of his poetry. The opportunity led to the filming of an ABC Bookish episode ‘Who Should Write What?’ at Writing NSW on the same evening, an article about the panel in Writers’ Bloc, and a mention in the Sydney Morning Herald. The event provided panellists with a rare platform and safe space to discuss our experiences as diverse writers. - Julie Koh, writer I have been involved with Writing NSW for over 25 years and have worked on many events and programs during that time. The organisation has always been committed to Indigenous writing. Over the years, it has supported First Nations writers through mentorships, master classes, specific workshops and festivals and inclusion in overall programs and events. As the NSW Writers’ Centre, it also delivered a mentorship program for emerging Indigenous writers in 2015-17 with me as lead mentor. The emerging writers were mentored by established Aboriginal writers including Larissa Behrendt, Gayle Kennedy, Melissa Lucashenko, Ellen van Neerven, Bruce Pascoe and Nicole Watson. This program unearthed some very exciting writers. I acknowledge Writing NSW as leaders in creating platforms for Indigenous writers. - Cathy Craigie, writer & former director of FNAWN It's not an overstatement to say that Writing NSW is one of the most important organisations of its kind in the country, providing access to education for emerging writers on how to write, but also the business aspects of writing that so few organisations offer. I have been consistently impressed by the innovative programs Writing NSW puts on for members and the general public, the most obvious example being the genre-based writers’ festivals. Support for Writing NSW is also direct support for a host of emerging Australian writers and the people who teach them. - Benjamin Law, writer Since 2006, the goal of Sweatshop has been to empower culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Western Sydney through literacy and critical thinking programs, with a focus on creative writing. One of the reasons for Sweatshop’s growing success and positive outcomes has been the ongoing collaborations with, and support from, Writing NSW. Over the last five years, Writing NSW has made a commitment to providing our writers from Indigenous, migrant and refugee backgrounds with a platform to present work, publicly discuss important literary issues, and reach new audiences. Sweatshop writers have been regularly invited to participate on Writing NSW panels and presentations. In 2017, the collaboration between Sweatshop and Writing NSW was the most significant to date, as we came together to produce the first-ever literary festival for writers from non-English speaking and Indigenous backgrounds; the Boundless Festival. Our collaboration with Writing NSW has enabled many writers from minority backgrounds to step outside their own communities and produce and present work in a professional capacity. - Michael Mohammed Ahmad, writer and director of Sweatshop Writing NSW is a wonderful resource for me as an author. I have been a member since I first began writing fiction and have now published three novels. Writing is a solitary occupation and many of us who write novels for a living struggle to find a community to commiserate with and share our success with. Writing NSW manages to provide more opportunities for writers to make extra income while also providing a community of other writers. It is inclusive of a diverse range of writers and the programming just seems to get better every year. - Eleanor Limprecht, writer I may never have achieved my lifelong dream of being a published writer without Writing NSW. As a young unpublished author, I attended courses, publishing seminars, and literary festivals in its beautiful grounds, and was encouraged, inspired and taught my craft. I have now published more than 20 books in 14 countries, but I will never forget what an important influence Writing NSW had upon my career. The services it offers are vital for creating and fostering a lively literary community, not just for aspiring authors but also for published authors who must find some way to earn an income if they are to survive in an increasingly difficult economic environment. Writing NSW works tirelessly to bring readers and writers together, to celebrate the importance of books in all their many diverse forms, and to support writers at all stages of their careers. - Kate Forsyth, writer Writing NSW is an important advocate for writing and writers as well as being a significant provider of professional development to emerging and established writers. One of the many ways Writing NSW has been important to my development as a professional writer is through helping me to establish myself as a writing teacher. Providing writers with the ability to make a professional income is integral to maintaining them in their creative practice. As a western suburbs writer and someone who is deeply engaged with the arts in this area, I would like to commend Writing NSW for their efforts in engaging with this community. I have always been impressed by their Talking Writing series, which has featured so many emerging writers from my community around topics such as Writing Lebanon, Who’s Writing Who? and Refugee Stories. In the 10 years I have been involved with the organisation I have seen it include many new initiatives to meet a wide range of growing needs such as online courses, festivals which allow for much needed deeper exploration of specific writing fields, and programs which provide support to diverse and emerging writers. - Felicity Castagna, writer I have benefited immensely from the literary ecology built over many years by Writing NSW. As a first generation female immigrant from India with little access to literary networks, it has been particularly challenging to access support, participate in literary activities, and indeed, feel like one is welcome in the hallowed spaces of Australian literature. However, whenever I’ve attended events offered by Writing NSW, I have always been made to feel welcome. When I was a young and unpublished writer, I took heart from the range of programs offered at Writing NSW, where I slowly built confidence that one day I would realise my dream of being a published author. Now, as a working writer, I feel immensely privileged to have been invited to participate in the activities offered by Writing NSW, such as at a wonderfully supportive panel focused on Indian-Australian writers, and the incredibly empowering Boundless Festival for diverse writers. - Roanna Gonsalves, writer Writing NSW is an invaluable resource for writers of all literary forms and at all stages of their careers. I have had the pleasure of working closely with its staff over the past couple of years, running weekend playwriting courses, and also as director of the 2016 Playwriting Festival. This involvement points to one of the organisation’s strengths, the employment of working writers as teachers and facilitators. It is rigorous in maintaining a high standard of teaching, and the benefits for everyone are clear: artists are able to supplement their income by sharing their craft and industry knowledge with students, who in turn are learning from the best. I am grateful to Writing NSW for the important role it plays in supporting writers. - Hilary Bell, playwright Over the past few years I have done paid work for Writing NSW – mentorships, poetry workshops and manuscript assessments. As a practising writer, these opportunities have been most beneficial, buying me time to give to my own writing. Writing NSW, through its various programs, has been, for me, an essential form of support, not only financially, but in the provision of forums where like-minded people can interact and find mutual support, encouragement and friendship. - Judith Beveridge, poet Our stories are everywhere. They are in the branches of trees and in the flow of the rivers. They lie deep underground and float high on the winds. They course through us as a heartbeat, giving us breath, giving us life.