Please book for the Workshop and/or Literary Event
by Monday 6 October.
Creative Writing Workshop
(in person only)
Please note new starting time of 10:00 am!
Time: 10:00 am to 11:45 pm
Place: Michael Crouch Room, State Library of NSW
Cost: Members $40, non-members $55
Susanne Gervay OAM: Sustaining the Creative Life
There are many ways to sustain the Creative Life and you need to use as many as you can. Step one is belonging to like-minded groups. We are in it together. The Society of Women Writers is a start. Ways to sustain the creative life are essential. They range from your commitment to writing to approaches to publishers and independent publishing. Becoming eagled-eyed when seeing opportunities. Celebrating your successes, no matter how big or small. There are ways to enrich your life, but take near-misses and the dreaded rejections as a learning tool. There is so much to learn, enjoy, create. This workshop provides tools and ways to sustain the Creative Life.
You’ll find Susanne Gervay planting 3000 mangroves in Kiribati on an education mission; at the ITEF Istanbul Festival speaking to 1000s of young people about NO bullying; working with indigenous communities in Australia; addressing a juvenile detention centre; focussing on disability at the World Burn Congress in New York; conference keynotes and speaking at literary festivals from the USA to Perth. Her work is included in the acclaimed Australian-Indian anthologies and sits beside the works of Sir Salman Rushdie, David Malouf, Kate Grenville addressing challenges of fake news, refugees, terrorism. Editors are the eminent Dr Sharon Rundle and Professor Meenakshi Bharat. Susanne has been awarded an Order of Australia for literature and Lifetime Social Justice Literature Award for her body of work. An international and national speaker, educational specialist, award-winning author across all ages, she creates discussion on inclusion, multiculturalism, bullying, conflict resolution, peace. https://sgervay.com
Literary Event
(in person and via Zoom)
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Place: Michael Crouch Room, State Library of NSW
Cost: Members $25, non-members $40
Abbie Clancy Award 2026
Announcement of the Abbie Clancy Award for 2026 by our judge, Dr Teresa Petersen, PhD, writer, lecturer, researcher. Author of The Enigmatic Christina Stead and Daphne Du Maurier: Looking Inward.
Teresa taught English Literature and was an Honorary Associate at Macquarie University. Her previous research was primarily on Australian Literature, then shifted to Modernist Literature and in particular the British novelist Daphne du Maurier that resulted in the publication of her book Daphne du Maurier: Looking Inward.
This Award is named after Abigail Mary Clancy (1898-1984), one of the founders of the Society of Women Writers and a prominent early 20th century journalist. The Abbie Clancy Foundation Trust funds the Award and the Society sponsors its administration. This Award is open to female honours and post-graduate students attending universities in New South Wales. Entrants for the Award of $1,000 must submit an abstract (300-500 words) of an unpublished research paper on the published or unpublished work(s) of fiction or non-fiction of an Australian woman writer, journalist, playwright or poet.
Guest Speaker
Rosemary Huisman: Why Poetry?
If we start with a question like ‘What is poetry?’ we won’t get very far because poetry differs at different times, in different social contexts.
But if we start with ‘Why poetry?’ we can ask questions about the reasons for its coming into existence and its evolution. Why does it originate? Why does it differ at different times?
This talk offers a brief introduction to considering such questions.
Book and pay:
Members, you can book for yourself and a friend at member pricing if purchased at the same time.
NEW for members – you can attend the Literary Event (not the Workshop) in your birthday month at no cost. Simply book via TryBooking and select the Birthday Month option. January birthdays (when there is no meeting) may attend free of charge in February.
Workshop (in person only): Members $40, non-members $55
If you have a Workshop Voucher, please email Pippa, Workshop Coordinator, to advise your intention to attend.
Literary Event (in person): Members $25, non-members $40
Discount for full program (Workshop and Literary Event) when booked together: Members $60, non-members $85
By Credit card: https://www.trybooking.com/DPNAV
or by Direct debit:
The Society of Women Writers NSW Inc
BSB: 062 018
Account: 00950433
Code: VM
Email Amanda and include
your name, receipt number and date of event
Literary Event via Zoom: Members $10, non-members $15 – please click here to book: https://www.trybooking.com/DPNBE