Find answers to your questions about the Manly Writer's Festival 2025. Get information on tickets, event schedules, venue details, and more. Plan your visit today! OUR FAQ Do I need to buy an entry ticket before the event? There are many moving parts that go into hosting the Manly Writers' Festival that require advance preparation, so purchasing your ticket beforehand helps us optimise the festival experience. You can buy them online until the session is on or purchase a ticket at the festival by heading to the Concierge Desk on Level 1 of the Darley Smith Building. Can I get a refund if I change my mind? Full refunds, less transaction costs charged by the payment provider, will be given until midnight AEDT on 23rd February 2024. After that day, we are unable to provide a refund other than extenuating personal circumstances. If such circumstances arise, you can seek a refund by emailing us at hello@manlywritersfestival.com.au.(mailto:hello@manlywritersfestival.com.au) If, for any reason, we cancel a session you will receive a refund in full. Is there an opportunity to ask questions of speakers? Yes. Questions are encouraged, and we believe it is an important feature of a writers' festival. Is there a dress code? Be comfortable. What is included in the price? For general sessions, it includes admission to the session. For special events, inclusions are detailed as part of the information about the special event. Where is the festival being held? The main venue for the Schools Program and the adult program is the Darley Smith Building, St Matthew’s Church, corner of Darley Road and The Corso, Manly. Other venues we’re using include: • Hotel Steyne, Manly • Manly Pacific MGallery Hotel, Manly • Manly Spirits Distillery, Brookvale • For detailed information and maps, check out our page on Venues.(https://www.manlywritersfestival.com.au/venues) Are there author signing? Yes, there will be author signings after each session within Gleebooks which is located in the Ebbs Room off the ground floor courtyard. Books that are featured at the festival (and more) will be available for purchase. Where can I get coffee? Coffee is, of course, synonymous with books and reading! So we have an onsite Book Beans Cafe that is open from approximately 9am-4pm on Friday and Saturday, serving coffee, tea, and fresh juices. There are also many cafes, delis, pubs, and restaurants in the local area. What is your covid safe plan? We comply with the Covid Safe guidelines in place for events of this kind as required by the New South Wales Government. These are available on the NSW Health website. What is the Manly Writer's Festival? The Manly Writer's Festival is an annual event celebrating storytelling, creativity, and community based in and around Manly, Sydney. It features author panels, workshops, and various community events. How can I become a sponsor or partner of the festival? We offer various sponsorship and partnership opportunities. Please contact us at hello@manlywritersfestival.org.au for more information on how you can support the festival. When and where is the 2025 Manly Writer's Festival taking place? The 2025 Manly Writer's Festival will be held in and around Manly on 28, 29, 30 March. Check the PROGRAM link for details of the program, as well as individual sessions. Are there volunteer opportunities available? Yes, we welcome volunteers to help us bring the festival to life. You can apply to volunteer through our website and enjoy an unforgettable experience while contributing to a cultural celebration. How can I purchase tickets for the Manly Writer's Festival? Tickets for the Manly Writer's Festival can be purchased through the TICKETS links on this website, or directly via Humanitix (search for 2025 Manly Writers' Festival). FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

< Back So, You Want to be a Writer? Practical sessions and workshops for aspiring and emerging writers, focused on craft, process, publishing and the realities of turning writing into a finished work. Sessions in this Pathway Ask Us Anything: From Manuscript to Bookstore—What Really Gets You Published Ben Aitchison, John Coomer, Jeanne Ryckmans View Session Workshop: Edit Like an Expert Zena Shapter View Session Workshop: From Page to Stage: Writing for the Theatre Kathleen Walker View Session Workshop: Building a Professional Name. Reputation and Resilience at Work Tony Frost View Session Workshop: Beyond the Postcard: Writing Place with Authority Helen Hayes View Session Previous Next

68df339f-5e68-4c90-b9bc-dbf9299cbc6a Alexandra Smith ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Alexandra Smith Alexandra Smith is the State Political Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. She is taking part in the Schools Program. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

76b514e7-9ecb-4022-a76a-686dcead6893 Heather Morris ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Heather Morris Heather Morris is an internationally bestselling author with a passion for stories of survival, resilience, and hope. Born in New Zealand, she has lived between Australia and New Zealand since 1971. After completing a Bachelor of Arts at Monash University, she worked for over two decades in the Social Work department at a major Melbourne hospital while nurturing her passion for storytelling through scriptwriting studies in Australia and the US. In 2003, Heather met Lale Sokolov, whose story formed the basis for The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2018) and the follow-up novel, Cilka’s Journey (2019). Three Sisters (2021), the story of three Holocaust survivors who knew Lale from their time in Auschwitz-Birkenau, concluded the Tattooist trilogy. The Tattooist of Auschwitz became a global phenomenon, with the book adapted into a Stan’s Original Series in 2024. Sisters Under the Rising Sun is based on the true-life experiences of women held in Japanese POW camps during World War II. Together, Heather’s books have sold over 19 million copies worldwide. The Wish is Heather’s first contemporary novel. It was inspired by her years spent working in a busy public hospital, alongside families facing the toughest of times with love and courage. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

2004418d-65c6-421c-82c2-658c71e0ecf8 Geraldine Doogue ABOUT < VIEW ALL HOSTS Geraldine Doogue Geraldine Doogue AO is one of Australia’s best known, most accomplished and versatile journalists, excelling in print, radio and television. At the ABC and Channel Ten, she presented and reported for national news and current affairs television programs. On ABC radio, as host of Life Matters and then Compass for 30 years, her soothing voice and sharp mind brought relevance and meaning to the challenging subjects of faith, spirituality, religion and ethics while never adopting a preaching approach. She is now the co-host of Global Roaming on ABC Radio National with Hamish Macdonald. < PREVIOUS HOST NEXT HOST > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

355b287b-4e06-402e-81b6-7f379c578cd6 Vasiliki Nihas OAM ABOUT < VIEW ALL HOSTS Vasiliki Nihas OAM Vasiliki Nihas Bogiatzis is a passionate advocate of Australian Multiculturalism and of the Arts. She is a former State and Federal senior public servant who worked across Multiculturalism, Education and the Arts. She headed Community Relations and Access and Equity in the Office of Multicultural Affairs established by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and has addressed the European Union Council on the development of Australia’s multicultural policy. She is also a published author of short stories and sees the arts as providing a lens to explore and illuminate the complex individuals that we are, and our relationships in culturally diverse and challenging worlds. She values creatives and believes artists can open pathways that others don’t see at best with imagination, sensitivity, awareness, nuance and humour. < PREVIOUS HOST NEXT HOST > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Program Beyond the Hot Flush: Rewriting Midlife with Michelle Bridges BUY TICKETS DATE: Sunday 22 March, 2026 TIME: 8.30am-9.45am COST: $55.00 Hotel Steyne PATHWAY: Living Today HOST : Caroline Baum < VIEW ALL SESSIONS Michelle Bridges Forget the clichés — this is not your mother’s menopause talk. Join bestselling author and fitness icon Michelle Bridges for a candid, empowering conversation about peri- and menopause, ageing well, and embracing the next chapter with strength, humour and self-compassion. Over a relaxed breakfast, Michelle will share her insights on navigating physical and emotional changes, reframing midlife, and finding renewed purpose in life’s “second act."

e6b7e1c5-7e15-4a42-9857-59feffd85bbe Jeanne Ryckmans ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Jeanne Ryckmans Jeanne Ryckmans has worked for more than two decades in Australian publishing. The principal of literary agency Key People Literary Management, she is a former senior publisher at Random House, HarperCollins and Black Inc, and Artistic Director of the Canberra Writers’ Festival (2019-2022). Prior to joining the publishing world, she worked for seven years in arts television with France 2 and SBS Television as an on-air presenter and documentary producer and was features editor at ELLE Magazine and books editor for Vogue Australia. She has worked with authors such as Christopher Koch, Bradley Trevor Greive, Gloria Steinem, Margaret Whitlam, and Vicki Laveau-Harvie. Her third book Trust: A Fractured Fable was published in 2023. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

d571f5be-bd07-423d-97e2-236a1858f115 Summer Land ABOUT < VIEW ALL HOSTS Summer Land Summer Land is an author, ghostwriter, copywriter, podcaster, keynote speaker and moderator. Summer has ghostwritten over ten books including The Last Victim (2024) with Tracy Hall which will be featured at the Manly Writers’ Festival. Originally from the United States, Summer lives mostly in Mudgee and occasionally on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. < PREVIOUS HOST NEXT HOST > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

8a321e96-8306-47f3-9826-94f3df9df895 Manly Wharf Events VENUE DETAILS L1, Manly Wharf, East Esplanade, Manly Rooms Used: xxx < VIEW ALL VENUES NEXT VENUE > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

3342d1a6-98f6-408e-bbc2-86124777a541 Peter Hartcher ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Peter Hartcher Peter Hartcher is the political and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. His books include Bubble Man, The Sweet Spot, To the Bitter End and Red Zone, and he is the author of two Quarterly Essays. He has won several awards for his books and journalism, and he is a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute. < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

33acf9c6-79be-409c-9c2a-f5adacd594d1 Ee Ling Quah ABOUT < VIEW ALL AUTHORS Ee Ling Quah Associate Professor Ee Ling Quah is a fire-dragon feminist and a Singaporean of Chinese-Hokkien and Indonesian-Peranakan heritage. Ee Ling earned a PhD in Sociology from the University of Sydney, an MSocSci and a BA from the National University of Singapore. She is currently an associate professor with the School of Arts at Western Sydney University, researching and teaching anti-coloniality, race, migration, gender and sexuality. Ee Ling is the author of three sole-authored books: Fire Dragon Feminism: Asian Migrant Women's tales of migration, coloniality and racial capitalism (2025); Transnational Divorce; Understanding Intimacies and Inequalities from Singapore (2020); Perspectives on Marital Dissolution: Divorce Biographies in Singapore (2015). < PREVIOUS AUTHOR NEXT AUTHOR > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.