Creative Non-Fiction Festival 2013

Overview

What even is creative non-fiction? A legitimate question, and in fact one that writers themselves often ask. Creative non-fiction is kind of like the awkward cousin who's around your age but who you only ever see at Christmas and Easter and you have never had anything to say to. Yeh. That one. What are we supposed to talk about?

And yet the truth is that people read creative non-fiction on a regular basis. Heck, you've probably even written some yourself. Magazine profiles, long-form narrative journalism, essays and memoirs are all examples of it — the writing form that not only reports the facts but also tells stories. Interesting, investigative, insightful stories.

Feel like finally getting familiar with said cousin, in the hope of family Christmas celebrations being moderately less awkward? On Saturday November 2, The NSW Writer's Centre will host the 2013 Creative Non-Fiction Festival — a day of workshops dedicated to the craft of writing non-fiction, curated by writer and all-round shit-stirrer Benjamin Law (Gaysia, Good Weekend).

And the line-up of guest speakers is eclectic and brilliant. Including the likes of authors and radio hosts Monica Attard (Russia: Which Way Paradise?) and Dominic Knight (Disco Boy), new kids like Nadia Saccardo (Smith Journal), veterans such as John van Tiggelen (The Monthly) and Delia Falconer (The Service of the Clouds) and then just genuinely hilarious people like Clementine Ford (Daily Life). If you were ever after a crack team of engaging, entertaining and respected Australian writers then these are your guys. This hand-picked group are among the best journalists, memoirists, columnists and editors in the country.

Sustenance on the day comes from Cantina Mobil food truck. Tickets are on sale now and the full list of speakers and program for the day is available here. Get in quick!