Living Stories Writing Workshop for 16+

Join our free creative writing workshop hosted by WestWords and WestLit Libraries.

Do you love writing? This workshop is for you!  

Join our free creative writing workshops hosted by WestWords and WestLit Libraries. Learn the skills you need to craft a short story and poem in these workshops hosted by professional writers.  

The 16 years and over workshop will be facilitated by Will Kostakis. The session is free, but bookings are essential.

About the 2025 Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize  

These workshops are held as a part of the 2025 Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize. In its fifth year, Living Stories is open to residents of Western Sydney and Wingecarribee Shire, offering an opportunity at publication and cash prizes from a pool of over $12,000.  

This year’s theme 

This year, participants are asked to respond to the theme: Only I can say. Write your entry at our workshops and submit for your chance at a cash prize and publication!  (Submitting it to the competition is not mandatory!) 

Entry information 

Entries can be 

• a short story/narrative non-fiction (up to 500 words) 

• a poem (up to 25 lines) 

They are open to residents from the 14 LGAs across four age groups: 

• 10-12 years 

• 13-15 years 

• 16-18 years 

• adults (18+). 

You can enter via the Living Stories website.

About Living Stories 

Living Stories is presented by WestWords, WestLit Libraries, Create NSW, the James N. Kirby Foundation, Arab Bank Australia, and Australian Catholic University.  

About Will Kostakis 

Will writes for young adults. First published at nineteen, he is best known for writing whip-smart comedies that break (then mend) hearts. We Could Be Something is his latest novel. It’s a humorous yet heart-rending look at family, fame and falling in love. It won the 2024 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Literature and was shortlisted for the Victorian and New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards and the Queensland Literary Award.