Welcome to the ferment of writing, discussion and ideas that is, and always has been, WordStorm. With its dry-season atmosphere and outdoor ambience, WordStorm is unique amongst Australian writing festivals and much loved because of it.
This year WordStorm takes on a national flavour as we welcome poets from around the country as part of the National Poetry Festival. They will dazzle us with contemporary poetry in all its forms – from performance poetry and slams to the poem on the printed page. Poetry in Australia is now going from strength to strength under the stewardship of Australian Poetry, our partner organisation in bringing you the National Poetry Festival.
As usual, there is a strong focus on Indigenous writing at WordStorm. An important component of this year’s Festival is the Indigenous Editing Forum, which addresses key issues in publishing Indigenous writers and finding knowledgeable and aware editors who can help bring manuscripts from draft through to publication.
WordStorm brings together first class industry professionals from around the planet to support and stimulate the Territory writing scene through our workshop program. And this extends in to the school system so that children from transition to year twelve can also benefit from the influx of literary talent that is WordStorm.
And then there is the usual great line up of literary dinners, special events, passionate discussion panels, readings and, of course, our infamous comedy debate. This year, in homage to the great poetic tradition, the topic is ‘that sonnets are better than sex’. WordStorm has everything, from the literary to the light-hearted, from the learned to learning. Take your pick, and enjoy the fare!
Hamish McDonald
Executive Officer
NT Writers’ Centre