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.
- All upcoming Past
- September2020
- October2020
- November2020
- December2020
- January2021
- February2021
- March2021
- April2021
- May2021
- June2021
September
The Final Choice Book Tour – Tauranga
Hear and meet best-selling author and journalist Caralise Trayes.
The Final Choice Book Tour - Hamilton
Hear and meet best-selling author and journalist Caralise Trayes.
NZ Young Writers Festival
The New Zealand Young Writers Festival (NZYWF) is an annual four-day programme of workshops, panel discussions and performances by and for young writers.
Nz Young Writers Festival Opening: Now We Are Six
It's the official opening of the sixth annual NZ Young Writers' Festival and we want to celebrate with you!
Nz Young Writers Festival // Fern Fronds on Fire: Climate Poetry
Climate change is crucial to how we imagine our futures and make choices.
NZ Young Writers Festival // No Country For Young Playwrights
Being a playwright in Aotearoa means existing in a niche within an already tiny niche.
NZ Young Writers Festival // The Personal is Publishable
Personal essays and op-eds are dynamite right now, but there’s much more to a good one than just a fiery anecdote.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Don't Read The Comments: Navigating The Modern Media Landscape
Playwright and culture editor for The Spinoff, Sam Brooks talks about working in the media in a modern age, using his experience of working across a range of publications, both online and print.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Juvenalia: Visions From Our Youth
How well do you remember your childhood? How well could you remember someone else’s?
NZ Young Writers Festival // Big Bad Book Quiz!
Come test your literary knowledge at this fun and friendly pub quiz! Hosted by Radio One whizz Henessey Griffiths.
Wayne Youle: Elevation
Open Tues-Sun, 10am-4:30pm
An exhibition of new work made during the artist's McCahon House residency.
NZ Young Writers Festival // How to Speak Words and Influence People: Performance Poetry
National Slam Champion, poet and toast enthusiast Jordan Hamel is here to teach you how to talk. Not really, but he IS here with a fun and friendly workshop to help you explore different ways of performing your words, prep for the Slam Competition tonight, and answer the question: what is performance poetry anyway?
NZ Young Writers Festival // Zinefest: Wake n' Make
Come make a zine of your very own while you peruse the stalls at the Dunedin Zinefest! An open space to come hang, have some fun and make whatever you want. We’ll bring the supplies you bring the inspiration! Zinesters will be on hand to help you craft a zine of your very own.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Dunedin Zinefest!
Come browse, buy and blow your own mind at the annual Dunedin Zinefest! Sample the DIY wares of local poets, illustrators, artists, designers and zinesters.
NZ Young Writers Festival // How To Write A Bad Play
Fall into failure and free yourself from the fear of it with award-winning playwright Nathan Joe.
Tu Meke Tūī! Live On Stage (New Plymouth)
Adapted from the popular children's book by Malcolm Clarke. A Tu Meke Tūī! and Auckland Live production. Presented by Tour-Makers.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Put It Through The Machine: Idea Generation For Comedy
Join award-winning comedy writers Abby Howells and Rosie Howells as they take you on a journey through your own mind to generate ideas for your next project - whether it be for a stand-up set, a feature film or a play.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Flesh and Bone
Readings from writers who whakapapa Pasifika and Māori curated by Faith Wilson and Essa Ranapiri.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Otago Poetry Slam
Open to slam poets of any age, with the winner representing the Otago Region in the national competition.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Write Like A Witch
Free yourself from self-criticism and learn how to slip into flow-state at this psychologically minded writing workshop.
NZ Young Writers Festival // Exquisite Corpses and Collaborative Choices
A very special Ōtepoti Writers Lab session to celebrate the magic of collaboration!
The Final Choice Book Tour – Warkworth
Hear and meet best-selling author and journalist Caralise Trayes.
School Holiday Programme - Future Past Present
Te Uru's next school holiday programmes.
Tu Meke Tūī! Live On Stage (Tauranga)
Adapted from the popular children's book by Malcolm Clarke. A Tu Meke Tūī! and Auckland Live production. Presented by Tour-Makers.
School Holiday Programme - Curious Tamariki Titirangi
Curious Tamariki at Te Uru
October
Nelson Arts Festival with Pukapuka Talks
Plans for a 2020 arts festival in Nelson have restarted!
The Final Choice Book Tour - Nelson Event 1
Here’s your chance to get informed about the End of Life Choice Act with journalist and author of best-selling book The Final Choice, Caralise Trayes.
The Final Choice Book Tour - Nelson Daytime Event
Here’s your chance to get informed about the End of Life Choice Act with journalist and author of best-selling book The Final Choice, Caralise Trayes.
The Final Choice Book Tour - Nelson Event 2
Here’s your chance to get informed about the End of Life Choice Act with journalist and author of best-selling book The Final Choice, Caralise Trayes.
James Charlton: THROWN
The latest from James Charlton
'A Baa-rilliant Adventure' Book Launch Oxford
Celebrating the launch of 'A Baa-rilliant Adventure' - what happens to the sheep when their shepherds run off to Bethlehem ...
Tu Meke Tūī! Live On Stage (Hastings)
Adapted from the popular children's book by Malcolm Clarke. A Tu Meke Tūī! and Auckland Live production. Presented by Tour-Makers
Tu Meke Tūī! Live On Stage (Gisborne)
Adapted from the popular children's book by Malcolm Clarke. A Tu Meke Tūī! and Auckland Live production. Presented by Tour-Makers. Part of the Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival 2020.
Tu Meke Tūī! Live On Stage (Hamilton)
Adapted from the popular children's book by Malcolm Clarke. A Tu Meke Tūī! and Auckland Live production. Presented by Tour-Makers.
Yarns in Barns
Save the date! Wairarapa's biennial literary festival happening.
Escape!
The Little Festival with Big Ideas
WBAJ charity book signing
We have so many talented authors here in New Zealand and abroad, and WBAJ is the place to meet them!
Escape!
A ‘pop-up’ version of the popular Escape! festival will take place in Tauranga on October 17 and 18 with tickets on sale from September 16.
Closed to Public
Writers in Schools visits by Gareth Ward
Hawke's Bay based author Gareth Ward is visiting schools in Northland this week.
Closed to Public
Writers in Schools visits by Daisy Lavea-Timo
Christchurch based slam poet Daisy Lavea-Timo is visiting schools in Hawke's Bay this week.
Storylines National Story Tour - Central Plateau Region
Applications for Story Tour visits in 2020 are OPEN!
Inspire Series - Joyce Campbell
The next in Te Uru's Inspire Series
Closed to Public
Writers in Schools visits by James Russell
Auckland based author of the Dragons Brothers and Dragon Defenders books (with augmented reality app!) will be visiting schools around Christchurch this week.
Squiggla - Bringing Arts Back into the Classroom
From the co-developers of Squiggla and Te Uru
WORD Christchurch Festival
New Dates! Mark your diaries... the 2020 WORD Christchurch Festival will now be taking place from 30 October - 1 November, with a new grassroots programme.
November
Launch of 'The Forger and the Thief'
The official launch of the latest thriller by New Zealand author Kirsten McKenzie - The Forger and the Thief.
Set in Florence, Italy, The Forger and the Thief is set amongst the devastating floods of November 1966, where the River Arno ravaged Florence's artworks, architecture and citizens. The launch of The Forger and the Thief coincides with the 54th anniversary of the floods.
Kirsten's previous thrillers - Painted and Doctor Perry, were both bestsellers in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, enjoying a long run in the horror charts. Kirsten is a full time author based in Auckland.
cancelled: Ignition Children's Book Festival
regretfully cancelled: Our annual children's book festival.
Verb Festival
Wellington’s favourite indie writers and ideas festival returns this November with a programme packed with Aoetearoa’s top writers, poets, storytellers and journalists.
Closed to Public
Writers in Schools visits by David Riley
Auckland-based Reading Warrior author David Riley will be in Wellington for the local SLANZA meeting.
Storylines National Story Tour - Marlborough Region
Applications for Story Tour visits in 2020 are OPEN!
February
Victoria University/Creative New Zealand Writer in Residence
We invite applications for the Victoria University of Wellington / Creative New Zealand Writer in Residence 2021. Writers in all areas of literary activity, including drama, fiction and poetry, New Zealand art, biography, history, music, society and culture, are eligible to apply.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds - 10 crime writers in 100 thrilling minutes. Covering a criminally large range of small town crime to international espionage and finishing with a sliver of paranormal tension, these ten authors represent some of New Zealand’s best crime writers, together under one roof. Join them as they stalk serial killers through the Coromandel bush, follow undercover cops on their fictional beats. Walk alongside them as they track international terrorists through Malaysia and investigate deadly financiers and dark family secrets. Listen to ten exceptional Kiwi authors at this one off event halfway down Auckland’s iconic Dominion Road.