The NZ Young Writers Fest welcomes young writers, aged 15-35, of all kinds to celebrate a diverse range of wordsmithing. It’s Aotearoa’s only literary festival focussed solely on young writers - and it’s held right here in Ōtepoti Dunedin.This live-recorded podcast series from the 2025 New Zealand Young Writers Fest is brought to you by Otago Access Radio and supported by Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature.
For many unpublished writers, getting a foot in the door of the publishing world can feel like an impossible task, often shrouded in mystery and seemingly impervious borders. We’re here to tell you it’s not!
Three seasoned writers, editors and literary practitioners get together to kōrero about the world of publishing in Aotearoa today - what to do, what not to do and the myriad ways in which to make it happen. Join writer and Starling editor Louise Wallace, chapbook micropress publisher Josiah Morgan, and children’s writer and publisher Kitty Brown in conversation with Lynley Edmeades, writer and current Landfall editor, as they discuss the various avenues that allowed them to make their entry into the world of publishing in Aotearoa. Presented in association with University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.
This event was part of the New Zealand Young Writers Festival (Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September 2025)
17 Sept 2025
Feathers in Flight: Voices of the Next Generation
In this special mix-and-mingle reading event, our young writers take the stage to share original work - from poetry to storytelling: lyrical, personal, political, and everything in between. Each piece offers a glimpse into the future of Aotearoa literature and showcases a diversity of style, identity, and imagination. The event highlights the vibrancy of Aotearoa’s next generation of storytellers.
Hosted by acclaimed writer and performer Josiah Morgan, this is a rare opportunity to feel the creative pulse of our future literary leaders.
03:59 - Josiah Morgan (Host - Part 1)
07:50 - Stella Weston
12:35 - Helena Mayer
16:46 - Nadia Solomon
20:12 - Tunmise Adebowale
24:20 - Holly Rowsell
27:50 - Mariwakiterangi Paekau
29:55 - Jordan Irvine
35:07 - Te Awhirēinga Heperi
41:51 - Paige Walker
46:01 - Ruby Macomber
50:43 - Josiah Morgan (Host - Part 2)
52:10 - Krysana Hanley
55:07 - Ella Sage
58:22 - Lillian Kelleher
01:05:09 - Sahara Pohatu-Trow
01:08:50 - Tōrea Scott-Fyfe
01:15:30 - Aroha Witinitara
01:20:14 - Nick Tipa
01:26:10 - Waiata from writers
This event contains some strong language & themes that may not be suitable for all audiences.
This event was part of the New Zealand Young Writers Festival (Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September 2025)
30 Sept 2024
How to transition from emerging to ‘emerged’
Sam Brooks leads a panel discussion with Iona Winter and Devon Webb, exploring the transition from emerging writer to established author and the evolving opportunities and approaches that come with it in this interview.
30 Sept 2024
Starling Micro Residency Panel Discussion
Starling Editors Louise Wallace and Francis Cooke interview Ada Duffy, Margo Montes de Oca, and Maddie Ballard about the experience of being young writers in Aotearoa and their writers' residency.
30 Sept 2024
Everything Pressing, Everything Pertinent - Writing and Reading in Solidarity
Guest Curator Ruby Macomber interviews Helena Mayer, Frances Pavletich, and Grace Cowley about using writing and reading skills to build community and support activism movements.
30 Sept 2024
Journalism as an Act of Community Building
Journalist Jamiema Lorimer, editor Nina Brown, and writer Sherry Zhang discuss culture journalism's role in representing communities and transforming meaning across platforms in this interview.
30 Sept 2024
Te Ao Kāi Tahu - Writing the whenua and whakapapa of Te Waipounamu
Kāi Tahu writers Rauhina Scott-Fyfe and Iona Winter discuss with Tessa Patrick the intergenerational perspectives of the land, its history, and its future in this interview.
30 Sept 2024
Moana Speaks from the South
Guest Curator Ruby Macomber interviews Emele Ugavule, Zech Soakai, and Stacey Kokaua about writing narratives that embody their diasporic identities and reimagine the Moana, exploring creative techniques to connect bodies and stories.
28 Sept 2023
Storytelling Unplugged: finding common ground through podcast narratives
Poet Vira Paky interviews Thabiso Sibanda and Kii Small about crafting impactful audio content and leveraging podcasts to amplify voices and spark change, exploring podcasting as a storytelling method.
28 Sept 2023
I Identify As An Imposter
Emerging writers Naomii Seah, Ruby Macomber, Isla Huia, and Vira Paky explore their creative journeys and strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome in the literary world, discussing diversity and representation; this is a panel discussion.
28 Sept 2023
Calling Community From The Page: Art and Activism
Ruby Macomber, Carl Naus, and other writers examine how creative writing serves as a call to action and amplifies marginalized voices through equitable opportunities in social change, in this interview.
28 Sept 2023
Stick It To The Man: the power of street postering
Jennifer Cheuk interviews Jamiema Lorimer, Piupiu Maya Turei, and Jörg Bendt about the potent role of street posters in sparking social and political change and fostering community dialogue.
28 Sept 2023
Writing Across Disciplines
Josiah Morgan, Isla Huia, Janaye Henry, and Sam Brooks explore the diverse nature of writing and storytelling across various disciplines and genres in this panel discussion.
28 Sept 2023
Prescriptions and Prose: where medicine and creativity meet
Jennifer Cheuk interviews Libby Whittaker, Olivia Wright, and Will Pudney about the intersection of medicine and creative writing, revealing how language skills enhance medical practice in this interview.
28 Sept 2023
The One Work That Defines You
Playwright Sam Brooks, comedians Abby Howells and Janaye Henry, and poet Claudia Jardine discuss the impact of a single defining work on a writer's career and legacy in this interview.
Who has been a guest on New Zealand Young Writers Festival
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Iona Winter
Devon Webb
Ada Duffy
Margo Montes de Oca
Maddie Ballard
Contact New Zealand Young Writers Festival
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