Get Real! – Word for Word Non-Fiction Festival – Geelong, 16–18 Nov

Some big names are set to grace the literary stage at Geelong’s 2018 Word for Word Non-Fiction Festival. Guest speakers include Australian literary powerhouse Helen Garner, distinguished advocate for Indigenous Australia Professor Marcia Langton, six-time Walkley Award winner Kerry O’Brien, feminist icon Clementine Ford, renowned historian Peter Cochrane, and writer and actor William McInnes.

The Word for Word Festival, sponsored by Deakin University, is Australia’s only national literary event with a dedicated focus on non-fiction writing and ideas. The three-day festival, running from 16–18 November 2018 at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, is packed with in-conversations, panel discussions and keynote addresses.

For budding writers and word-lovers, there’s also a series of Masterclasses on Friday 16 November, and the hilarious and very popular Great Debate will return on Saturday 17 November, with a panel of seven debating the contentious topic “The Novel is Dead: Long Live the Novel!”

Opening Night, sponsored by Deakin University’s School of Communication and Creative Arts, features critically acclaimed author Helen Garner in conversation with Deakin University’s Associate Professor Maria Takolander. The festival also boasts a special Deakin University series of events, featuring Gillian Triggs, Marcia Langton, Kerry O’Brien, Bob Carr, Robert Manne, Robert Hillman, Chloe Hooper and Christopher Lawrence, in conversation with Deakin University’s Professor Liz Cameron, Professor Matthew Ricketson, Professor Damien Kingsbury, Professor David McCooey, Associate Professor Lisa Waller and Dr Meg Mundell. Dr Bart Ziino will also facilitate a conversation with Peter Cochrane.

This year Word for Word invites its audience to “Get Real” by inviting robust, hard-hitting and frank discussions on a wide range of topics including racism, asylum seekers, social justice, Indigenous issues, true crime, artificial intelligence, memoir and much more.

Festival sessions are individually ticketed, so you can attend as much or as little as you like. Discounted Early Bird tickets are on sale until 5pm, Friday 19 October 2018. Check out the full program and book now!