It's been one week since the National Young Writers' Festival wrapped up for 2018, and I can honestly say that it's been one exhausting yet rewarding experience. My experience with the festival this year was as the Volunteer Coordinator. I worked alongside the festival staff to help keep the festival operating by overseeing, organising, and managing the NYWF volunteers.
In the past I have attended a few events each year. In fact, NYWF was one of the first writers' festival I ever attended, back in 2016 when I'd moved to the Hunter region. Being apart of the festival staff meant that this year I didn't have to worry about finding parking to make it to an event on time or organising someone to pick me up. This in turn allowed me to attend more events and pop into panels that I wouldn't have normally attended as a casual spectator.
Events I attended include:
- Sex on the Page- Publishing Masterclass
- Sole Trader 101- Conscious Darkness, Hopeful Light
- Late Night Readings
- NYWF Ball x Crack X Mega Art Party
- Zine Fair
There were so many highlights of the festival, it's hard to pick a favourite. I enjoyed discovering new artists I'd never heard of (such as Hella Ibrahim and Sheleila D'Paiva), loved listening to Elliot York engage with the audience with his readings, and loved gaining new industry experience and knowledge from the workshops and panels.
However, if I did have to choose my favourite moment of NYWF2018, it would be the friendships that were made over the weekend. Not only did I make new friends, but I saw artists developing new relationships, alongside my volunteers - strangers who'd only known each for a few days - hugging goodbye and making plans to stay connected. It was the most beautiful feeling to watch and I couldn't have hoped for a greater outcome from all the hard work that went into making the festival happen. I am so grateful to have had the most amazing volunteers for this years' festival and hope that their experience was equally as rewarding. I can't wait to see what 2019 brings!
Did you attend NYWF 2018? What was your favourite moment or event?
2018 Goal Counter:
WIP Word Count: 4,826
Books read: 17
Short stories written: 7
Other (reviews, etc): 3