Glasshouse Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast Co-operative Library Service present:
Colm Tóibín, Charlotte Wood: Making a Writer
Where Ireland succeeds and Australia struggles
What enables writers to grow and flourish?
Writing is mostly a solitary pursuit that draws on individual reserves of talent and skill. But writers are also part of a national community that can help, or hinder, celebrate or ignore them. Ireland provides bountiful support to its writers and literary ecosystem, but Australia fails to adequately nurture its own.
Listen to prominent writers Laureate for Irish Fiction Colm Tóibín (Brooklyn, Long Island) and Booker Prize–shortlisted author Charlotte Wood (Stone Yard Devotional, The Natural Way of Things) discuss how they became writers and the state of their nations’ literature. What can be done to wake Australia up to the need to support its writers? With host Michael Williams.
Colm Tóibín appears thanks to the support of Rosie Williams and John Grill AO.
Supported by the Consulate General of Ireland and Culture Ireland.
Relax, Refuel, Connect
Relax in our SWF Lounge between sessions and take the opportunity to chat and meet like-mined people. Tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages and light refreshments will be available for purchase.
Exclusive Offer
Present your Sydney Writers’ Festival ticket or VIP Festival Pass at Book Face in Port Central or Collins Booksellers Port Macquarie to receive a 10% discount* on books by featured authors in the Live & Local Program. This exclusive offer is valid from 10am Thursday 22 May to 4pm Sunday 25 May, 2025.
*Final discount and qualifying books at the discretion of Book Face and Collins Booksellers management.
Full Program Here(PDF, 2MB) Book Day & Festival Passes Here

Part of Glasshouse SELECT 2025 Theatre Program
Part of Education @ Glasshouse 2025 Theatre Program