Meet the Agent Melanie Ostell | Byron Writers Festival 2025

Meet the Agent - Melanie Ostell

Once you’ve finished polishing your manuscript, the next step is to submit it to agents and publishers. But it’s hard for any writer to know if their work is really ready for that step – an opinion from an expert is invaluable. In this consultation, you’ll be given feedback on your work and whether or not it’s ready to submit. You’ll also have the chance to discuss where your work fits into the current marketplace and be able to talk about what your next steps should be.

WHERE:  Uniting Church, 17 Station Street Bangalow

WHEN:   Friday 8 August 

COST:     $160 General | $140 Byron Writers Festival Festival Member + booking fees

• Please check-in with our Festival Volunteer at least 10 minutes before your session

Participants will be required to send an excerpt of their work (up to 10 pages, Times New Roman 12-point font, double spaced), along with a 1-page synopsis, for review.

Please save your manuscript excerpt and synopsis as a single PDF or Word document,  and email to programming@byronwritersfestival.com before COB 18 July. Please save your file in the following format: Author Name_Project title.

Friday 8 August

15-minute sessions

Session 1 | 12.00pm - 12.15pm

Session 2 | 12.25pm - 12.40pm

Session 3 | 12.50pm - 1.05pm

Session 4 | 1.15pm - 1.30pm

Session 5 | 2.30pm - 2.45pm

Session 6 | 2.55pm - 3.10pm

Session 7 | 3.20pm - 3.35pm

Session 8 | 3.45pm - 4.00pm

About Melanie Ostell

Melanie Ostell has more than 25 years’ experience in Australian book publishing as an editor, publisher, educator and now literary agent. Melanie's list of celebrated Australian writers include Tara June Winch, Jock Serong, Tim Rogers, Royce Kurmelovs, Jessie Tu, Stuart Wilson, and many more.