Big Name Writers Heading for Geelong

Australian literary powerhouse Helen Garner, distinguished advocate for Indigenous Australia Professor Marcia Langton, sixtime Walkley Award winner Kerry O’Brien, feminist icon Clementine Ford, renowned historian Peter Cochrane, and writer and actor Peter Phelps are just some of the big names set to grace the literary stage at the 2018 Word for Word Non Fiction Festival, Geelong.

“It’s an exceptionally rich and diverse offering of literary talent leading to early bird tickets selling faster this year than ever before,” Geelong Regional Library Corporation deputy chair Cr Margot Smith said. The announcement that Helen Garner will return to her hometown to open the festival has elicited an enormous response with her session completely sold out.

Word for Word is the only dedicated nonfiction writing festival, inviting audiences to “get real” and is setting the stage for robust and challenging discussion here in Geelong.

Thought-provoking discussions include the #METOO and #TIMESUP movements are proving extremely popular, with organisers urging people to book early.

“The festival has been building momentum since it began in 2014 and has established Geelong as a significant place in the literary world. Numbers are expected to increase from 8,000 last year.”

This year the annual Great Debate will revolve around whether novels are dead in the digital age. And new to the festival this year, the Bad Diaries Salon will wrap up the festival on Sunday afternoon.

For a full program and to book tickets, visit wordforwordfestival.com.au.