For more than 60 years, Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF) has celebrated all of the twists and turns of literature, seeing the industry’s leading minds flock to Brisbane for fascinating discussions. This year, BWF has curated another prolific program featuring a diverse range of voices from all genres, with leading novelists, local favourites and emerging talent. “We’re serving up a veritable buffet of writers and subject interests in 2024 and have set the conversational table with fine panel and chairing combinations for audiences to feast on,” says BWF artistic director Jackie Ryan. “It’s an intellectual all-you-can-eat.”

From the international literary scene, the festival welcomes names like Booker Prize-shortlisted author Paul Murray, contrarian novelist and screenwriter Lexi Freiman and current Women’s Prize longlister Sarah Ogilvie for an array of engaging and insightful live events.

Crimelit enthusiasts are in luck with bestselling crime writer Michael Connelly joining the International Crime panel alongside fellow crime-fiction authors Louise Doughty and Dann McDorman. For fantasy fans, BWF has plenty of enchanting events in store with Naomi Novik making her first appearance in more than ten years, as well as bestselling author Amie Kaufman and the superstar fantasy author Samantha Shannon. History buffs will love the session from historical fiction writers Heather Morris, Mirandi Riwoe, Melissa Ashley and Christine Wells, discussing the power of fiction that takes audiences to bygone eras.

Lovers of local stories can hear from iconic Queensland author Trent Dalton, along with the likes of Anna McGahan, Samuel Wagan-Watson, Matthew Condon and many more. This year, Australia’s traditional storytellers share culture and spark connections with panels and conversations featuring First Nations authors including Daniel Browning, Jackie Huggins, Melissa Lucashenko and Anita Heiss.

Writers Suzie Miller, Amy Remeikis and Balli Kaur Jaswa will unite for a poignant panel on feminist progress, joined by podcaster and art historian Katy Hessel, while Fiona Crawford will host a session examining the effect of Sam Kerr and the Matildas to delight sports fans. One of Australia’s most celebrated writers Charlotte Wood joins the festival to talk about her new novel Stone Yard Devotional with Kristina Olsson for a profound meditation on grief, faith and goodness. 

You can also find sessions from storytellers of other industries as well, like chats with illustrator extraordinaire Megan Hess, as well as musical legends Kate Ceberano, Ed Le Brocq and Stuart Coupe – and even a line-up of talks on politics and power from local and visiting intellectuals. Beyond these mind-bending sessions, the festival is also home to a wide variety of performances, workshops and events ready to inspire book-lovers of all ages.

Tickets are on sale now. Find more information and purchase tickets here.

The Weekend Edition is proud to be a media partner of the Brisbane Writers Festival.