Creative Writing Sydney

Inner West Writers Group - Write Club

Sat 1 August is an in-person event at the Library, starting at 10am. This group started in January 2020 in a beautiful private room granted by Marrickville Library. We have continued to meet in person fortnightly at the Library, with alternate weeks via Zoom. To keep up to date - sign up and receive our messages! The group is flourishing! You will need to RSVP each week for the following Saturday so we can organise the right number of Zoom rooms and Library space to ensure good quality feedback. RSVP's will receive the link. The intention is to give a supportive environment to get traction on your writing project, gain useful feedback, and exchange writing and publishing information with each other. Please note that if you are attending for the first time - you are welcome to observe and listen to how we work. Your turn to read and be critiqued will be invited in the second session. So come along, bring up to 1500 words of your latest writing - fiction writers of all types, memoirists, biographers, graphic novelists, bloggists, poets - all writers welcome. You will have up to eight minutes to read out your work, an equal time of constructive critique and feedback from the rest of the group. If you want a tribe of fellow writers to be with you as you finish your writing project, build your author profile, want to get inspired by other writers, or want to just listen and give constructive feedback (we all need beta readers), you are very welcome. This is a free event, but membership is essential in wider to attend. Many thanks to Marrickville Library! For more information, contact Maria, mariaissaris@icloud.com, or Jamie Ramjan (jamie.ramjan@gmail.com) or Sunnie Mosphilis via DM.

Romance Writers of Australia - Sydney Meetup

This is our monthly meet-up!! This is a social group for local romance writers to discuss all things craft, publishing, and overall a chance to connect with other writers and refill the creative well. This is a group designated for ROMANCE writers (romantasy, paranormal romance, historical romance, etc.). Please review the group's description for further information. We do not read sections/give feedback during these meetings unlike many other writing groups. Please save some trees and do not print/bring copies of your work during the meet-up.

SelfPubAus lunch MeetUp - Strawberry Hills Hotel, Sydney

It's time for our August 2026 MeetUp at the Strawberry Hills Hotel next to Central Station, Sydney. **\*\*\*NOTE\*\*\*** we may be discontinuing this MeetUp account - not the gatherings, just the notifications via MeetUp. Most people seem to join/be notified via our **[Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/selfpubaus)** these days and we've also created a mailing list to notify people (sign up at **[SelfPub](https://selfpub.com.au))**. Come and meet some fellow writers and have a drink or lunch if you like. Everyone is welcome, whatever stage of the writing and publishing journey they're at. **[Strawberry Hills Hotel](https://www.thestrawbs.com.au)** \- downstairs in the Devonshire Room\. Look forward to seeing you there! Feel free to bring any books or marketing material from your writing and publishing journey - it's always great to see successful results.

Speculative Writing Night @ Chatswood Library

**If you're coming, [please RSVP through the library](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/wednesday-speculative-writing-night-tickets-813545274817) as well as here so they can set out enough places for us on the night.** Our aim is to provide a supportive community for speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy and horror etc) writers at all levels, offering a platform for networking, dedicated writing time, craft discussions, and publication tips. Whether you're just starting or an established wordsmith, join us on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Chatswood Library. **[RSVP through the library](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/wednesday-speculative-writing-night-tickets-813545274817)** *In addition to RSVPing here on Meetup, please register at the link above so we can keep track of numbers as we are promoting across different platforms.* **Schedule:** **5:30 - 6:00 pm:** Introductions and casual chat **6:00 - 7:30 pm:** 'Focus & Write' session **7:30 - 8:30 pm:** Continue writing, or socialise and share your progress **What to bring:** Your work-in-progress, whether on screen or paper. Connect with fellow writers, explore the speculative fiction realm, and let your imagination soar at our regular writing meetups. Do note a 'yes' RSVP on Meetup does not confirm your place, **[please RSVP through the library](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/wednesday-speculative-writing-night-tickets-813545274817)** so they can set out enough places for us on the night. \*\*\* **Our meeting room** We are in the **Creator Space**, straight down the main aisle from the front desk, though the sign may be obscured by books. If you are unable to locate the Creator Space, ask the staff at the front desk for its location; they are expecting us. **[How to get there](https://libraries.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Locations-and-Hours/Chatswood-Library)** **Public transport**: Chatswood Library is located in The Concourse, 350m from major Chatswood transportation hubs, including Chatswood train station and Chatswood bus interchange. **Parking**: Parking is available at The Concourse car park accessible on Ferguson Lane via Archer St ONLY. Parking rates can be found [here](https://www.theconcourse.com.au/visit/parking/). The library has lift access from The Concourse car park and from The Concourse, ground and upper levels. Parking is also available at Chatswood Chase adjacent to The Concourse on the corner of Archer St and Victoria Ave. The first 3 hours parking are free. **Cycle**: Bicycle parking is available at library entrance. **Accessibility** For participants requiring stair-free access, this is available through the Ferguson Lane entrance through the parking garage. Ride shares or taxis should be directed to drop off at that location. If further assistance is needed please let the Meetup coordinators know in advance and we will do our best to assist. Please be advised that access from Victoria Ave does consist of a significant flight of steps up into the Concourse area. Did I mention you should **[RSVP through the library](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/wednesday-speculative-writing-night-tickets-813545274817)** to make sure they know our numbers?

Creative Picnic Lounge - explore new hobbies with new friends

Looking for a third space to hang around for free? 📍 Sydney Park This is an outdoor lounge for curious people to just simiply be. Connect through creative activities and board games. Come solo or with friends. Join us if you feel like making your Sunday a little more interesting. Creative station provides: * customised post card * origami paper * colouring book * sketching/colouring pens * stationary * Yarn, crochet, knitting * Tbc Join empty handed or bring a project you're working on. Optional: bring something to keep u warm, throw blanket etc. (No pressure if you're not feeling creative. They're only here to keep your hands busy)

Ashfield Writing Group #14

Bring along 750-1500, share your work and prepare to get some feedback! Sessions are fairly free flowing but will follow a basic format of 6-8 minutes of reading and 6-8 minutes of feedback for each participant. If you are having trouble finding the entrance to Ashfield library, use this document. [https://docs.google.com/document/d/16_Ptzwxce6ORvO4oa-xJNfZTtJMRbwfmTvR85ZDShkc/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/document/d/16_Ptzwxce6ORvO4oa-xJNfZTtJMRbwfmTvR85ZDShkc/edit?usp=sharing) This link is to the google drive folder. If you'd like to put your writing here, send a request for permissions. The folder is for any longer pieces you'd like to share, whether that's for feedback or just because you want someone to read it. [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s9opV-9ML9jzwTIUaKJHg8Z6ksB8yfXA?usp=drive_link](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s9opV-9ML9jzwTIUaKJHg8Z6ksB8yfXA?usp=drive_link)

Words on Tap

Are you working on a manuscript, short story, memoir, or idea that’s been simmering in your notebook or laptop? This group is for emerging writers and storytellers who want a supportive place to share their work and connect with like-minded creatives. Each MeetUp we offer the opportunity (optional, never pressured) for you to read a short excerpt of your work of up to 800 words in a safe, encouraging environment. This is not a critique group and not a workshop—it's about being heard, building confidence, and finding motivation through community. We will be meeting in the upstairs bar at The Flat Rock Brew Café, 290 Willoughby Rd, Naremburn NSW 2065, the first Wednesday of each month—a relaxed, welcoming space to talk writing, listen to stories, and nurture the creative process. (Many thanks to the Flat Rock Brew Café management - who have generously provided this space). Come along to: * Share your writing in a supportive space * Listen to others, sip a cool ale and get inspired * Connect with fellow writers and storytellers * Nuture your creativity and develop your author’s profile You’re welcome whether you want to read, listen, or simply be around people who “get it.” All writing styles and experience levels are welcome. And this is a free event.

Advanced Writers' Group

Our in-person sessions, following the IWWG session.

COCKLE BAY CIRCLES

Updated ! SSP TUE - CITY LIGHT & SHADOWS IN MONOCHROME : Kings Cross

Explore the light, shadows, architecture and street life of Kings Cross, Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay on a monochrome photography walk following the City of Sydney’s “Passion: Sydney’s Wild Side” cultural route.(see Photos for details) Coffee before the walk and an optional group pub lunch afterwards. **First meeting point:** For those who like coffee, from 10:00 am ### Tropicana Caffe 227 Victoria St, Darlinghurst NSW **Second meeting point** (Walk starting point): The Coca-Cola Sign, at 10:30 am **Group lunch** Lunch time: Approximately 12:00–12:15 pm Location: **Potts Point Hotel,** 33-35 Darlinghurst Rd, Potts Point NSW 2011 **Photography theme: City Light and Shadows** During this walk, look for: **Pools of light:** Wait for a person to walk through a brightly lit section of pavement while the surrounding area remains in shadow. ↳ **Silhouettes:** Photograph people against bright walls, windows, the sky or reflective surfaces. Exposure compensation may help preserve the highlights and turn the person into a strong graphic shape. **Layers and framing:** Use doorways, railings, stairways, tree branches and architectural openings to divide the frame or surround your subject. **Human gestures:** Street photography can include people as important subjects. Look for an expressive stride, a conversation, an unusual interaction, a moment of solitude or a figure whose position completes the composition. ↳ **Tonal contrast:** Search for scenes containing very bright and very dark areas. In monochrome photography, separation between tones can be more important than the original colours. **Textures and traces of history:** Weathered walls, stone steps, iron fences, old façades, signs and pavement details can communicate the character of the neighbourhood. **Suggested shooting areas** **The Cross and Darlinghurst Road** The walk begins amid the visual intensity of Kings Cross. Look for shopfront reflections, signs, traffic, pedestrians emerging from the station and contrasts between older façades and contemporary street life. This is a good place to practise **layered compositions**. Rather than photographing one person against an empty background, try combining foreground reflections, a middle-distance subject and architectural detail farther away.↳ A slower shutter speed can introduce movement into passing pedestrians or vehicles, while a faster shutter speed can isolate gestures and brief interactions. **Victoria Street and 202 Victoria Street** As we move away from the commercial centre, the visual rhythm changes. Terraces, apartment entrances, balconies, fences and trees create repeated lines and alternating patches of light and shade. Look for people entering and leaving buildings, figures partially hidden by trees, and subjects framed by gates or doorways. In monochrome, small differences in texture—paint, brick, stone, foliage and clothing—can become important. **Butler Stairs and McElhone Stairs** The stairways are among the strongest locations for our theme. Steps, handrails and retaining walls naturally produce leading lines, repeating geometry and deep shadows. Try photographing: \*a single person ascending or descending the stairs * shadows cast across the steps \*a figure positioned between railings↳ * a high-angle or low-angle composition \*the contrast between a sunlit landing and a darker staircase Be considerate here, as the stairs are public access routes. Keep camera bags close and leave space for residents and pedestrians. **Embarkation Park** The park provides a visual transition from the dense streetscape to a more open environment. Trees can create broken or dappled shadows across paths, walls and people. Look for small figures within larger compositions and relationships between people, foliage, surrounding buildings and open sky. This can be an opportunity to make quieter photographs rather than concentrating only on dramatic contrast. **St Vincent’s College, Challis Avenue and surrounding streets** The institutional architecture, mature trees and residential streets offer strong vertical lines, formal façades and framed views. Challis Avenue may provide opportunities to photograph café activity, local residents, deliveries and everyday interactions. Watch for people passing between sun and shade or appearing briefly between parked cars, trees and building entrances. **Yellow House** Around Yellow House, consider the relationship between the neighbourhood’s artistic history and its present-day appearance. Instead of making only a straightforward record of the building, look for fragments, details, reflections and human activity nearby.↳ A person walking past an unusual façade can give the image scale and turn an architectural photograph into a street photograph. **Elizabeth Bay House and nearby streets** This section introduces more formal heritage architecture and landscaped surroundings. Columns, gates, windows, paths and symmetrical elements can be used as compositional frameworks. Try waiting for a person to enter a carefully arranged architectural composition. The human subject does not need to dominate the frame; a small figure can provide scale, contrast and narrative. **Kingsclere, Tusculum and Wayside Chapel** These locations bring together different layers of the area’s architectural and social character. Look for contrasts between grand buildings and ordinary street activity. At Wayside Chapel and the surrounding streets, approach photography with particular sensitivity and respect. Do not photograph people who may be vulnerable or experiencing distress merely for visual effect.↳ Strong street photography is not only visually interesting—it should also recognise the dignity of the people being photographed. **Orwell Street and Llankelly Place** This area offers narrow streets, pedestrian movement, café activity and changing light between buildings. It may be one of the best locations for using shop windows and reflections. Experiment with: * photographing through glass \*combining reflections with people inside or outside * waiting for several figures to occupy different parts of the frame \*underexposing slightly to preserve bright highlights * using narrow passages to create depth **Fitzroy Gardens and Darlinghurst Road** Near the end of the walk, Fitzroy Gardens provides opportunities for candid moments involving people sitting, walking, talking or moving between the trees and surrounding streets.↳ As we return to Darlinghurst Road, the busier environment gives us another chance to work with pedestrians, signs, traffic and strong graphic contrasts. Consider how your photographs from the end of the route differ from those taken at the beginning.

July Meetup for the Sydney Nature Journal Club

Come along to our **July meetup for the Sydney Nature Journal Club**. National Tree Day is 26 July. We will explore this theme in the Botanical Gardens. This is a chance to connect, spend some time in nature and journal together. I will offer some guidance to start. After we can share journal pages and ideas. **What to bring:** Bring along sketchbooks/paper and your favourite drawing materials (pens, pencils, watercolour, acrylic, anything you have). I will have extra materials on the day if you want to explore other mediums. \*\*Where:\*\* We will meet at the Palm House, at the Botanical Gardens. **Cost:** Suggested donation is $10 annual fee, $5 casual fee. (This helps cover Meetup fees). DISCLAIMER.
Please note that Katy as volunteer organiser of activities for Sydney Nature Journal Club is NOT responsible for the health or safety of members (or their guests) and therefore will not accept any liability for accidents or injuries or losses that may occur during Meetup events at any location. By attending a Sydney Nature Journal Club event members acknowledge that you accept ALL of the above. I look forward to seeing you there.

BONDI PAVILION X WAVERLEY ART PRIZE