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Book events and opportunities for writers calendar

Our calendar is full of book events and opportunities for writers organised by bookish groups throughout Aotearoa. Whether it’s a festival, book launch, award, grant, poetry reading or live storytelling event, never miss a book event or writers' opportunity in your community again!

Please list your event by clicking the button below. If you are listing a series of events, please note that the event title for each listing must differ in order for the listings to be displayed correctly.

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August

Hamilton Book Month 2021

A month long celebration with discussions, talks, workshops and storytimes

Tokoroa launches new book for Cook Islands Language Week

A new book is being launched in Tokoroa during Cook Island Language Week this August.

Book Launch: The Leaning Man

Anne Harré , Good Books and The Cuba Press warmly invite you to the launch of The Leaning Man

Books Alive Special Event - Egg & Spoon

LIANZA (Library and Information Association of New Zealand) and the New Zealand Book Awards Trust are bringing together another year of Books Alive online events and virtual storytimes.

Egg & Spoon, an illustrated cookbook, is a finalist in the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction. Support our Books Alive event through your participation!

Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Conference

"Love Finds A Way" - Romance Writers conference 2021

NZSA Whanganui Roadshow

JOIN US for an invigorating day of professional development offering keynote sessions, workshops, masterclasses, and discussions, with a catered morning tea/coffee and lunch.

Children's Writers and Illustrators Networking Lunch

A casual lunch and chat with other children's writers, illustrators and bibliophiles.

Book Launch I Alicia McKay's You Don't Need an MBA

Join us for the launch of Alicia McKay's latest book 'You don't need an MBA".
All welcome!

BOOK LAUNCH: Enough Horizon

Enough Horizon tells Blanche's story, her successes and her struggles: a troubled upbringing with a mentally ill mother in London, and her emigration to New Zealand in 1900, where she embraced the freedom it gave her to write and think and enjoy the wilderness she grew to love. It was here, particularly in her beloved Akaroa, that Blanche's writing and interests in the environment and her advocacy for the vulnerable in society flourished. She was a botanist, conservationist, humanitarian and prison reformer, who strove for the effective and humane treatment of prisoners. Blanche met and corresponded with leading writers, thinkers and scientists of her day, including John Ruskin, and poets Jessie Mackay and Ursula Bethell.

NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

Schools event, awards ceremony and announcement of winners of 2021 NZCYA Book Awards

For any enquiries about the 2021 NZCYA Book Awards, please contact childrensawards@nzbookawards.org.nz

Celebrate children's books in Wellington

Unity Books and Gecko Press welcome you to a New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults event.
Closed to Public

Writers in Schools visits by David Riley

Auckland based author David Riley is visiting schools in Whangarei this week.

Launch of 'Protest! Shaping Aotearoa'

You are warmly invited to the launch of Protest! Shaping Aotearoa, by Mandy Hager:
12 August
5.15 – 6.30pm
Vic Books Pipitea, 27 Lambton Quay, Wellington 6011

Book Launch | The Madison Gap by Patricia Donovan

Patricia Donovan, Mary Egan Publishing and Unity Books warmly invite you to the book launch of "The Madison Gap", to be launched by Norman Bilbrough. All welcome.

Poetry as Spell-Casting - A Writers Practice Workshop with Lynn Davidson

Explore, in writing, readings, and discussion, how poems cast spells through transformation, surprise, incantation, and evocation.

Register now at https://writerspractice.nz/events/poetry-spellcasting/

Going West Writers Festival - Gala Night

Always a sellout, Going West’s traditional centrepiece presents a celebration of ideas, oratory and performance. This year’s Gala Night promises to match the best of the past in an enhanced theatrical setting — the heritage listed Glen Eden Playhouse, a spectacular Edwardian building with great public transport access.
Closed to Public

Writers in Schools visits by Mary-anne Scott

Hawke's Bay-based author Mary-anne Scott is visiting schools in Wellington this week.

Storylines Southland Tour incl Invercargill and Gore

The Storylines National Story Tour sends four leading authors and illustrators to visit schools, early childhood education centres, community groups and libraries on each of its tours each year.

National Comic Fest

Hold the date for this fantastic – and totally free – national celebration of all things comics-related in New Zealand. Featuring a whole galaxy of Aotearoa’s finest graphic artists and authors in a full day of events for comic fans of all ages.

Word Christchurch Festival 2021

WORD Christchurch is a world-class festival of writing and ideas

The core of the festival is renowned authors discussing their work, showcases of poetry and song, expert panels debating local and global issues, youth and school programmes designed to inspire a love of reading and writing, and a wide range of fun, festive special events.

Men's Book Group Meet Up

Did you know that just 16 of BDS's 1293 book groups around New Zealand are comprised of men only? That's less than 2%.
We'd like to invite you to help us change that.

Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day

First established in 1997, National Poetry Day is a one-day national poetry event extravaganza held on a Friday in late August each year.

Poetry Day Writers in Schools visits by Daisy Lavea-Timo

Christchurch-based slam poet Daisy Lavea-Timo is visiting two schools in North Shore today as part of their celebrations for Poetry Day.
Closed to Public

South Island Writers in Schools visits by Mary-anne Scott

Hawke's Bay-based author Mary-anne Scott will be visiting schools in South Canterbury and Central Otago this week.

September

Going West Festival - Documented Reality

In concurrent sessions across two venues, our second Going West Live event will deliver powerful readings from established and emerging writers, punchy conversations about critical contemporary issues and provocative performance poetry. This event covers non-fiction, documentary, journalism, creative non-fiction, fact-based poetry and narratives of resistance.

Storylines Masterton Tour incl Caterton and South Wairarapa

The Storylines National Story Tour sends four leading authors and illustrators to visit schools, early childhood education centres, community groups and libraries on each of its tours each year.
Closed to Public

Timaru Writers in Schools visits by David Riley

Auckland-based author David Riley is visiting schools around Timaru this week.

NZSA Roadshow - Tamaki Makaurau

The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) Regional Roadshow brings professional development to the regions

Get You the Moon Book Launch

Cherry Publishing is releasing Get You the Moon, a young adult romance between rivals. To celebrate, Time Out Bookstore in their upstairs space will be hosting an event. It'll start at 5:30pm and finish at 8:30pm.

There'll be finger food, copies to buy and you can bring your own copy to be signed. There'll be giveaways and readings from the book.

Release date for the book is yet to be announced!

Ignition Kids Book Festival

IGNITION CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL 2021
Fire up your imagination at the only festival in South Island New Zealand dedicated exclusively to children’s books!
Visit www.ignitionkids.nz for more details
30th September - 5th October 2021
Venues throughout Dunedin, South Otago and Waitaki

October

Going West Festival - Fabricated Reality

The third Going West Live event again features concurrent sessions across two venues. This time, we explore fictional realities: the novel, drama, film, short stories and more. Writers, musicians and other artists will bring texts alive through performance and improvisation, oratory and kōrero. Expect conversations and readings with powerhouse writers and multimedia sessions with award-winning non-fiction writers.

The Great Write Inn

The Great Write Inn is a weekend for writers of all genres.

Ignite your passion as a story teller and celebrate the Edwardian Era. 36 Writers will get exclusive access to explore Olveston Historic Home. Then choose a Room, a Character and an Object. Be inspired to create a unique story.

Created by writers for writers, featuring Catherine Chidgey, Diane Brown, Emily Writes, Fiona Farrell, Amy Scott, Fiona Cole, Emma Neale, Beverly Martens and other special guests.

Info and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/the-great-write-inn

Yarns in Barns: Wairarapa Festival of Reading

Yarns in Barns is the Wairarapa's biennial literary festival for the community with a distinctly rural twist. Bringing together some of New Zealand’s best writers, poets and storytellers for two weeks of events held in an eclectic range of venues across the region. From bookshops to libraries, wineries to wildlife centres and of course, it goes without saying – barns!

Next event: 15-24th October 2022

November

Verb Wellington

Hold the date!

The 8th annual Verb Festival. Watch this space for details!

2021 Read NZ Pānui

Read NZ Te Pou Muramura will hold its annual Pānui (Lecture) on November 10, 2021.

More details to be announced in the coming months.

Going West Festival - Shifting Ground

The fourth and final night of Going West Live looks at how realities change in ways that aren't always apparent. In multiple sessions across both venues, this event welcomes a wide array of writers who can traverse worlds to reveal deeper understanding of who – and where – we are. With an emphasis on te ao Māori, our invited historians, poets, creative non-fictionalists, novelists and photographers will unpack their work through oratory, kōrero and performance.

Storylines Northland Tour incl Kaipara, Whangarei and Far North

The Storylines National Story Tour sends four leading authors and illustrators to visit schools, early childhood education centres, community groups and libraries on each of its tours each year.