Three Festivals and a Prize
- petemitchellauthor
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
There’s a special magic in the air at literary festivals. It’s in the hushed discussions in an auditorium packed with like-minded souls waiting for the keynote to begin, and in the scribbled notes of aspiring writers. It is the atmosphere where strangers become friends over a shared love of books and words.
Over the last few months, I have been fortunate to attend three extraordinary literary festivals:
The Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival
The York Festival
The Sydney Writers’ Festival (virtually, courtesy of the State Library of Western Australia)
The 2025 Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, held from May 2 to 4, once again affirmed its status as one of Western Australia's premier literary events. Hosted at the Margaret River HEART – Nala Bardip Mia, community complex, the festival embraced the theme “The Universe is Made of Stories,” celebrating the transformative power of storytelling across various media.
The festival commenced with an official launch hosted by Jane Caro and a Welcome to Country by local Elders. Esteemed authors Professor A.C. Grayling, Samantha Harvey, and Chris Flynn delivered thought-provoking addresses that set an inspiring tone for the weekend.
The program showcased a diverse lineup of literary figures, including Marian Keyes, Charlotte Wood, Stan Grant, Peter Godwin, and Markus Zusak. Claire Nichols, host of ABC Radio National’s "The Book Show," conducted live interviews with the authors, bringing the festival's conversations to a national audience.
While I couldn’t attend the entire festival due to a scheduling clash, we committed to a full day and drove the 600km round trip from Perth. The drive was made worthwhile by sessions led by Gillian O’Shaughnessy and Charlotte Wood. O’Shaughnessy’s sold-out workshop on the craft of short story writing was a standout.
The York Writers Festival, established in 2014, took place from May 23 to 25 in the historic regional town of York, Western Australia. A two-weekend multi-arts festival on Ballardong Noongar country, it celebrated storytelling across various forms through author talks, workshops, exhibitions, and performances.
Sessions were held in heritage buildings—converted churches, old town halls, and under rustic verandas strung with fairy lights. There was a warmth and intimacy in the venues that encouraged frank conversations.
The York weekend began with a Welcome to Country by Dr Marion Kickett, a Ballardong writer and academic, who also launched the Elders’ Collection at The Rookery, setting a tone of cultural reverence and community engagement. Notable authors including David Whish-Wilson, Sarah Foster, Rachael Johns, Bernice Barry, and Emily Bridget Taylor who engaged audiences with insightful discussions and interactive workshops. Poets John Kinsella and Shey Marque shared their work, enriching the literary experience. The festival also featured The Black Dog Project, an art and storytelling exhibition by Janine Browne at Gallery 152, exploring mental health themes through creative expression.
Of course, no visit to York is complete without a pie from the legendary Nguyen’s Bakery Café on Avon Terrace.
Sydney Writers’ Festival, the largest literary event in Australia, sprawls across the Sydney CBD and over 120 venues across NSW. With 58,000 tickets sold and over 90,000 attendances, its scale in Australia is unmatched.
Last year, I attended in person. This year, I joined virtually, courtesy of the State Library of WA’s livestream at the auditorium on Francis Street in Perth. Sessions featured literary heavyweights: Colm Tóibín, Ian Rankin, Helen Garner, Shankari Chandran, Michael Robotham, and all three Moriarty sisters—Liane, Jaclyn, and Nicola. What a star-studded lineup!
These live streamed sessions are a remarkable opportunity to see top-tier literary talent without the expense or inconvenience of travelling the 4,000km to Sydney. I encourage everyone to support your State Library and attend next year’s offerings—continued access will depend on strong local engagement.
Each festival offered something unique. Together they formed my annual writer’s pilgrimage. From the intimacy of York, to the jam-packed Margaret River to the almost daunting national scale of Sydney each festival owned something special. This year, that journey culminated in a moment I’ll never forget: winning FIRST PRIZE in the MRRWF 2025 Road Safety Commission of WA Flash Fiction Competition. The title of the prize is almost a short story in itself! To say I was surprised is an understatement—I was floored and overjoyed.
Even more serendipitous was learning of my win during a break in the Sydney Writers’ Festival. My story, ‘No Second Chances,’ is available to read here [link], along with the other placed entries.
Judges Gillian O’Shaughnessy and Chris Flynn offered generous praise for ‘No Second Chances’:
“An innovative piece, this was an enjoyable and gripping read with a neat twist at the end. Excellent expression of the flash fiction form.”
“Effectively capturing the confusing aftermath of an accident, this story provides valuable insight into the unexpected perils of driving.”
My story aligned with the sponsor’s safety awareness campaign, illustrating how careless acts on the road can have far-reaching consequences. I’d love to know your thoughts—please feel free to email me [here].
Some common threads between the festivals stood out:
Festivals thrive on dialogue. While formal sessions shine, the informal in-between moments often prove most enriching.
Fiction (and nonfiction) can tackle big issues: climate grief, political disillusionment, Indigenous storytelling, AI in literature—these themes sparked rich conversations.
A short story need not explain the world—just illuminate a single truth. A valuable reminder as I prepare to release my next work: a short story collection. Watch this space.
Attending three literary festivals in a year may sound indulgent, but it was transformative. What did I learn?
York taught me to listen deeply: to find truth in place and pay attention to the untold stories.
Margaret River taught me to trust the process: persistence and revision lead to resonance.
Sydney taught me to think expansively: to grapple with politics, identity, and power.
If you're considering attending a literary festival—just do it. Not just to learn or network, but to feel, to be moved, and to be reminded why you write. My pilgrimage ended with a prize, but the gift of what I learned and felt along the way was also incredibly valuable.
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