Melissa Watts

It’s that time of year again and I am busy trying to promote the 2012 Ballarat Writers and Illustrators Festival.

With a swag of Australian children’s and young adult (CYA) writers, illustrators and publishers attending the weekend of Sept 1-2, it’s bound to be a success. This year the even runs over 2 days with a literary evening on the Saturday night.

We also have a new location –  Ballarat’s iconic Mechanics Institute, where Mark Twain once spoke.

Our panellists will be discussing issues vital to emerging and aspiring writers and illustrators, with a focus on how the industry is adapting to new technologies and where to find new audiences. Writers, illustrators, editors and publishers will participate in panels addressing new media challenges, new opportunities for fiction and non-fiction, creating characters and adapting illustration in the digital age. A major feature of the festival is the ‘first page’ competition. Attendees have the opportunity to have their work critiqued by a panel of publishers in the festival’s final session.

The program for the day can be found here.

The panellists for the day can be found here.

It’s really not that far from Melbourne so if you are free come up!