After spending years working on my Australian historical novel, When The Glitter Fades, it was refreshing to take off my history research hat and delve into a smorgasbord of books and author talks at the Sydney Writers’ Festival—19 to 27 May 2025. There were around 200+ ticketed and free events, 40+ international guests and 100+ Australian authors in multiple venues such as the State Library, the Sydney Town Hall, Carriageworks (a historic railway workshop), and other venues around Sydney. The program was massive.
Gleebooks had an extensive display of stock that was a delight to the eyes. I gorged myself on words that enticed me into new worlds. I was particularly intrigued by Ben Macintyre’s collection of spy novels. You guessed it, I’ve added Ben to my literary diet.
It was evident by the crowds in attendance that there are hungry minds out there waiting to devour the plethora of ideologies, cultural and political viewpoints, storytelling styles and literary possibilities for carving out a niche as a writer. The festival was a powerful connection of souls coming together through storytelling.
While most tend to gravitate towards their tribe—similar literary interests—the invitation to explore beyond, was an intellectual asset to those who were open to these opportunities. The catchword heard around the festival was—‘bibliotherapy’—a creative arts therapy that involves storytelling or the reading of specific texts.
Vanishing Histories
Considering my headspace has been fixated in Australian history for the past 14 years, I attended the Vanishing Histories session featuring Australian author Kerrie Davies and Australian historian Yves Rees. The panel explored the lives of women whose stories had been lost to time.
In Kerrie’s book, Miles Franklin Undercover: The Little-Known Years When She Created Her Own Brilliant Career, she shared interesting facts on Miles Franklin’s lost years, after the success of her novel, My Brilliant Career, which she wrote when she was just twenty-three. Kerrie revealed Miles unpublished material and her unusual choice to work undercover as a maid.
Yves gave us an insight into the forgotten lives of ten Australian women who enriched Australian culture, and inspired many women, after they moved to America to broaden their horizons. Their stories highlight the vital role of preserving and reclaiming overlooked histories.
As you may already know, I’m passionate about preserving history through memoir writing or creating fictional stories using a foundation of true events. I’ve been running my How to Write and Sell Your Memoir Even if You’re Not Famous workshop for years to help people write their stories as a valuable legacy to leave behind. What may seem unimportant now, may be gold nuggets to researchers in the future.
Story Adaptations for Film or Television
When I wrote When The Glitter Fades, I was visualising the possibility of having it produced as a film. I have a ‘think big’ mindset. The truth is that while there are a lot of books optioned for adaptation, not many get produced.
The panel featuring Australian author Liane Moriarty and British author David Nicholls was an informative view on what goes on behind the scenes of adaptations with the clear message to ‘not count your chickens until they’re hatched.’ Hearing them discuss the journey of their books from page to screen was entertaining—Liane, in particular, is very witty.
David shared insights into the adaptation of One Day, while Moriarty reflected on the success of Big Little Lies, starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, who were also executive producers. Their conversation was both humorous and insightful, offering a rare glimpse into the world of literary adaptations.
Click here to listen to Liane and David’s Sydney Writers’ Festival session.
The Cultural Revolution in China
Linda Jaivin’s talk on the turbulent years of China’s Cultural Revolution—a period of intense political upheaval that began in 1966 was mesmerising. Drawing from her latest book, Bombard the Headquarters!: The Cultural Revolution in China, Linda explored the ideological battles, personal vendettas, and widespread violence that defined this era.
She highlighted how Mao Zedong’s call to ‘Bombard the Headquarters!’ unleashed chaos, leading to the persecution of intellectuals, destruction of cultural heritage, and deep societal divisions. Because the Cultural Revolution remains heavily censored in China, Linda emphasised the importance of revisiting these events to understand their lasting impact on Chinese politics and society today.
The Moriarty Sisters
Another highlight was the Moriarty Sisters’ panel. I was intrigued to know how three sisters, Liane, Jaclyn, and Nicola Moriarty, could become successful published authors and how each one approached the writing process.
While Liane was the firstborn of six siblings, it was Jaclyn, second in line, who in 2000 had her debut novel, Feeling Sorry for Celia published. This sparked Liane to focus her energy on joining the publishing bandwagon. In 2003, Liane had her novel Three Wishes published. Nicola, the youngest of the siblings, became a published author in 2012 with her debut novel, Free Falling.
Liane, Jaclyn and Nicola spoke about their shared love of writing, their different creative processes, and the friendly sibling rivalry that has shaped their careers. It was encouraging to hear how they support each other while carving out their own distinct voices in the literary world.
Sydney Vivid Light Festival
While not part of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, it was a spectacular treat to have the Sydney Vivid Light Festival tag on to the end of the Writers’ Festival. On Friday, 23 May, at precisely 6pm, the night sky erupted in a dazzling burst of fireworks, signalling the grand commencement of Vivid. In unison, the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and surrounding areas began their brilliant artistic light displays. It was very special.
The streets were alive with people enjoying the sights and feasting on the variety of food stalls and restaurants. It’s an amazing experience and another great reason to book in to the Sydney Writers’ Festival next year as these two events usually overlap.
I hope this article has encouraged you in some way. A career in writing is becoming increasingly difficult, yet people are still hungry for stories. I believe that by immersing myself in quality writing, listening to professional authors and representatives, I will continue to hone my craft so that my work will eventually shine enough (like Vivid) to be noticed and appreciated.
Break a finger (on your keyboard).
Your writer friend,
Jacqx