The Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) has unveiled its full program for 2025, marking the first festival under new director Veronica Sullivan. Running from 8-11 May across venues in the Melbourne CBD and surrounds, this year’s theme, Magical Thinking, explores storytelling as a transformative force—a way to understand and change the world, one story at a time.
The festival brings together an extraordinary lineup of local and international literary stars, including previously announced guests Asako Yuzuki, Colum McCann, Kaliane Bradley, and Yael van der Wouden, alongside new additions like Samantha Harvey, Colm Tóibín, Marian Keyes, and Mariana Enríquez.
Speculative fiction fans will delight in appearances by Megan Spooner, Lev Grossman, and Neil Shusterman, while Australian authors such as Hannah Kent, Kate Grenville, and Jimmy Barnes will also take the stage.
First Nations curators Nardi Simpson and Daniel Browning have thoughtfully curated a series of events, including Blak Magic Women, an evening celebrating the artistic practices of First Nations women. Browning will also host a panel reflecting on the Voice referendum and the path forward for reconciliation, featuring voices like Thomas Mayo and Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts.
The program is packed with unique experiences, from Sita Sargeant’s ‘badass women of Melbourne’ walking tours to live podcast recordings like The Psychology of Your 20s with Jemma Sbeg and Lucinda Price. Emilie Zoey Baker’s Better off Said: Eulogies for the Living and the Dead invites speakers to reflect on the words they wish they’d said, while Maeve Marsden brings Queerstories to Melbourne.
“I’m thrilled to share our 2025 program,” said Sullivan. “Across four packed days, some of the world’s most brilliant writers and thinkers will gather in our City of Literature to celebrate the alchemy of storytelling and the power of imagination to open doors we never thought possible.”
Young readers aren’t left out, with sessions for primary and secondary school students running from 5-8 May. Primary school guests include Nat Amoore and Reece Carter, while secondary school students can hear from Gary Lonesborough, Neal Shusterman, and poet Solli Raphael.
Don’t miss this celebration of storytelling, imagination, and the written word. For the full program and tickets, visit the MWF website.
