Do you have a budding young writer at home?

Mark your calendar for 14 October 2023 when Queensland Writers Centre presents Brisbane Children’s Writers Festival (#BCWF2023). It’s a one-day festival of writing, illustrating, zines, poetry, interactive storytelling, screenwriting, competitions and more for writers aged 10-16. Our 2023 theme is Adventure.

Young creatives will come together for a day of hands-on activities, peer support and feedback from industry professionals.

Program

8:30am - Check-in

9:00am - Festival welcome

Including Acknowledgement of Country.

9:30am-3:15pm - Workshops

Join in exciting workshops with other writers your age! Everyone will get the chance to immerse in each of our featured workshops, rotating across the day of the Festival.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED WITH LIAN TANNER

Take a group of writers, a pile of props and lot of interesting clothes and watch the writing that results. First someone must accept the challenge to dress up and pose in any position for ten minutes. Only then will the writing commence.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE WITH DAVE LOWE

In this fun, interactive workshop, Dave will show you how to plan and write a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' style book. You’ll have the opportunity to plan and write your own book, with one of the funniest writers in town.

ZINE SPOT WITH ROWAN CAMPBELL

Discover how to create, write and illustrate your own zine. One of the best things about zines is that you can create while focussing on recycling, reusing and reducing waste. Rowan will show you how to find beauty in items you might normally throw away.

SCRIPTWRITING WITH STORY MOREHOUSE

Take a look at scriptwriting and find out how to write for the screen and for print as well - like in the use of graphic novels. Story will take you through the industry uses for scripts in film and tv and go through writing for visuals, and how to format a script.

CHILL SPOT

Hang out and make stickers or take the writing challenge with a game of Frankenstories. This is the place to make, create and write your own thing.

All About Illustrating with Sona Babajanyan

Ever wonder what an illustrator does Learn about the role of an illustrator and the essential steps of book illustration. Then get ready for a live drawing session where you’ll learn some basic illustration techniques to help you illustrate your own stories.

3:15pm - 3:45pm - Awards

Celebrate your writing work: includes presentation of Festival awards for our on-the-day competitions and more.

3:45pm - 4:00pm - Pickup

#BCWF2023 is free for Queensland Writers Centre youth members. Get your membership today to secure your place at this year’s festival.

For more information about our Youth Writing programs and initiatives, visit queenslandwriters.org.au/youthwriting.