Good Weekend (May 7-8 issue) had an interesting article on writers festivals -- the highs and lows, the difficulties and rewards, of putting one together. Much of it resonates for us on the Berry Writers Festival committee. The article calls writers festivals 'a speed date with books and big ideas,’ and that captures the excitement of the event. One of the authors on our program, Anita Heiss, is quoted as saying that a festival rewards the isolation that’s often part and parcel of the writing process: “I love how readers come to sessions and signings and just want to say hello, get a selfie, and tell you how your words have moved them,” she says. “It’s not so much about selling books: it’s the panels I’ve been placed on, the other writers I want to be on stage with, talking about issues and themes that matter to me as a First Nations Australian writer living in a global village.”
We feel privileged to be having our own writers festival in Berry.
