Our mission is to facilitate and magnify the cultural, social and educational impact of creating, sharing and reading the stories of Western Sydney. Through stories, we show our diversity of voices, sense of worth, increased confidence, resilience and exploration of identities and potentialities.
We recognise that shifting the financial wellbeing of individuals and communities starts at the grassroots level – creating change through the power of the written word allows young people to potentially change the narrative of their lives.
We increase the profile and networks for our community and increase the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of new and established Western Sydney writers as well as the increased diversity in form and content in Australian literature reflective of the diverse community of Greater Western Sydney.
“Working with WestWords changed my life.It’s helped me with my confidence, it’s helped me with my writing skills, with how I write, with the way I view writing. They basically made me a better person.”
Ali, aged 15, Granville Boys High School
Winner – 2023 ZEST Awards – Outstanding Project Community Arts and Culture:
Living Stories Western Sydney Writing Prize
Winner – 2020 and 2021 Excellence in Arts & Culture
Winner – 2021 Outstanding Business Leadership – Michael Campbell Executive Director WestWords
WSABE, Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence
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Events
Sydney Speculative Scribes Open Mic
Sydney Speculative Scribes Open Mic – in partnership with WestWords
Academy Live!
Academy Live! Once a month, come along to our open mic event! Members of our WestWords Academy, alumni and current, will be testing their new poetry and prose on the open mic. Members of the public are welcome to come along and hear Western Sydney's rising artists....
The West Side Poetry Slam
West Side Poetry Slam Each month the WestWords Centre for Writing hosts the hybrid West Side Poetry Slam! Sign up on the night and perform an original piece of writing to open minds, hearts, and arms. Random audience members score just for the fun of it and you could...
The Illuminated Ink: The Showcase
The Illuminated Ink Writing Showcase Come along to WestWords Centre for Writing to celebrate the writers and creatives of The Illuminated Ink. Writers will perform their poetry, short stories and creative pieces, the culmination of their work throughout...
Slippages
Slippages Firstdraft is partnering with WestWords to invite writers of all experience levels, generations, genders, abilities and approaches to expand their engagement with art through experimental writing practices. We are asking writers to respond to the...
Campbelltown Masterclass with Will Kostakis
Campbelltown Masterclass with Will Kostakis In this writing class on Crafting Memorable Characters, you will learn essential techniques to develop vivid and engaging characters that resonate with readers. Through discussions, examples and exercises, led by a published...
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Current Callouts & Competitions
Slippages
Slippages Firstdraft is partnering with WestWords to invite writers of all experience levels, generations, genders, abilities and approaches to expand their engagement with art through experimental writing practices. We are asking writers to respond to the...
The WestWords Prize
The WestWords Prize is a new publishing Prize that welcomes submissions from writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction who have a completed, previously unpublished manuscript, and who have a connection to Western Sydney. The winner of the Prize will receive a...
Blacktown 2024 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize – To the point
Blacktown Mayoral Writing Prize 2024 Welcome to the Mayoral Creative Writing Prize 2024.It is open to adults and children (aged 8 to 17 years) who live in Blacktown city. The poems and short stories must be works of fiction. All entries can be either poetry or short...
Fishers’ Ghost Writing Prize 2024: … connecting …
Fisher's Ghost Writing Prize 2024 The Fisher's Ghost Writing Prize is open to everyone who lives, works or attends school (including University or TAFE) in Campbelltown Local Government Area. Entries can include: Short Stories, narrative non-fiction, memoirs or...
Writing Groups
Campbelltown Writers Groups – In-person and Online
The Campbelltown Writers Groups In partnership with Campbelltown City Council, WestWords is proud to deliver our long-running writing groups in the area. There are two the choose from. The In-Person Writers Group With Linda Godfrey The Online Writers Group...
The New Writers Group
New Writers Group Inc.Writers Group The New Writers Group is a not-for-profit association run by volunteers. Our monthly events feature writing workshops and exercises, open mic and special guests. Publishing opportunities include our online Pop Up Zines, our digital...
WestWords Alumni Writers’ Group
WestWords Alumni Writers Group WestWords Alumni Writers Group is an all inclusive monthly writers' group for adult alumni of WestWords programs who are committed to further development of their craft open to poets and prose writers in all genres. Meetings include:...
Online
Writing Western Sydney: The Readings
In 2020 WestWords launched this series of YouTube videos...
Poets’ Corner
Poets' Corner is WestWords' monthly encounter with celebrated Australian poets, curated...
WestWords Podcast
Short and sweet interviews with some of WestWords' favourite presenters. These...
Latest Publications
Our Resident Organisations
Westwords Mini Masterclasses
Auburn Poets and Writers
Campbelltown Writing Program
The Clubhouse
Power of a football
Writing Western Sydney: The Readings
Living Stories – Regional Winners and Highly Commended
Where Happiness Hides
Poets’ Corner
Support Us
I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with WestWords many times during my career as a writer in Western Sydney, and I consider them to be the most engaged and impactful writing organization in the country. Their work with the writing culture in Western Sydney has transformed the local literary landscape into a thriving ecology of writers, illustrators, and editors.
Luke Carman: writer and lecturer Western Sydney University
“We remain really appreciative and in awe of the energy of WestWords and the passion you have for promoting literature in the community.”
Theresa Lock: Outreach and Marketing Coordinator, Blue Mountains Library
“This is a life a life changing experience for me.”
Zaheda Ghani: Western Sydney Emerging Writers Fellow Pomegranate and Fig, the manuscript she developed as a Fellow was published by Hachette in June, 2022
WestWords acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which we live, work and create, the Darug, Gundungurra and Tharawal nations and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.