It's been a hectic week to say in the least, with my weekend topping off with the Newcastle Writers' Festival. In it's sixth year, the festival was as exciting as ever - and instead of being merely a patron this year, I opted to join the amazing team behind-the-scenes as a 2018 volunteer.
As some of you may know, a lot of writers' festivals rely on the generosity of locals (and willing visitors) to donate their time and energy during the busy festival period, and of course there is the year-round dedication of the core festival team. These wonderful beings often appear invisible to the patrons hurrying between venues and scurrying to the festival bookshop, and that's a sure sign that they're doing their job right. Being a volunteer can be hard work, but it does have it's rewards. For myself, I loved my daily free coffee. No joke, they really helped me through my early morning rises (though I'm still a little salty that my cappuccinos had no chocolate on them. Then again, maybe I subconsciously ordered a latte every day. I wouldn't put it past me). In all seriousness, there is a sense of accomplishment after you've wrapped up your shift, and when you leave at the end of the day, it's without an ounce of regret.
It's not all work and no play for NWF volunteers. Volunteers are rewarded with free sessions to ticketed events, as well as snacks and coffee for their breaks. Aside from these perks, volunteers get to develop relationships with other volunteers, who are often enthusiastic about writing as they are.
Newcastle Writers' Festival returns 5th-9th April 2019.
Interested in volunteering? Registration opens January 2019.
2018 Goal Counter:
WIP Word Count: 3,911
Books read: 9
Short stories written: 6