Opening an exciting new chapter at Writing WA with CEO Will Yeoman

Writing WA and Perth Festival will join forces this summer to deliver the 2024 Perth Festival Writers Weekend, running from Friday, February 23 to Sunday, February 25 at the State Library of Western Australia. BRAYDEN EDWARDS spoke to the newly-appointed CEO of Writing WA, Will Yeoman, to find out about the writing scene in Western Australia, what he’s looking forward to most from the program, and his big plans for the years ahead.

Firstly, congratulations on being appointed the new CEO of Writing WA this year! How have you found the first six months in the role?

Thank you! I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been a challenging six months. There’s so much work to be done, and we’ve effectively had to transform Writing WA into a very different organisation: one that is more outward-facing, consultative, and collaborative. Of course, it helps to be working with such a terrific team and a brilliant new board, both of which have decades of collective experience across the entire WA writing sector. As a small not-for-profit, core funding and capacity-building remain issues, but I’m sure we’ll get there!

And what’s the main thing you’ve learned about WA’s writing community and industry during that time?

WA’s writing community is just that: a community whose members help and support each other in so many ways, not least of all through excellent writers’ centres and other organisations. And the sheer range of creative output is dazzling, across all genres, from crime and romance to poetry and history. WA also has some of the best libraries, independent publishers, and booksellers in the country. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be able to work closely with such talented and, frankly, plain decent human beings.

It’s just one of several changes for Writers Weekend since last summer, with Writing WA also teaming up with Perth Festival for the first time this summer. What are the advantages of joining forces like that?

Perth Festival is the biggest show in town, and to be asked by them to deliver the 2024 Perth Festival Writers Weekend was a huge honour. It’s a bit like David and Goliath being on the same side! You get to take advantage of so many tried-and-tested marketing, production, and artistic resources while still maintaining agility and curatorial independence. It gives Writing WA a platform to say writing matters and is right up there with the performing and visual arts. It also allows us to showcase our amazing authors, poets, and illustrators in the biggest and best way imaginable.

On top of that, the festival will be held in The State Library for the first time. What new experiences can people enjoy as a result of this new setting?

Relocating to the iconic State Library of WA was a no-brainer. Not only is it centrally located within the Perth Cultural Centre and so more accessible via public transport in a way that perhaps previous venues weren’t, but it also has so many magical venues inside. And we’re taking advantage of all of them, from the cavernous Discovery Lounge through the intimate Theatre to the Story Place mezzanine for kids’ readings and activities. There will also be a pop-up bookshop and bar, extended café opening hours, and heaps more.

There is, of course, a great line-up of special guests this summer. Is there anyone, or anything, on the program you are looking forward to most?

Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier are kicking things off for us on Friday night, but I’m even more excited by their song-writing masterclass the following day. The amazing Singaporean poet and essayist Mok Zining is also joining us for the first time, ditto legendary journalist Niki Savva, 2023 Miles Franklin winner Shankari Chandran, and First Nations memoirist Brenda Matthews. And I can’t wait to welcome back familiar faces too, such as Christos Tsiolkas, Holden Sheppard, Natasha Lester, Rachael Johns, and a whole bunch more.

Looking forward, what do you see as the main areas of opportunity and growth for WA writers?

Stage and screen adaptations of books by WA authors such as Tim Winton, Craig Silvey, and Holden Sheppard point in that direction, for sure. I also see cross-over collaborations with musicians, dancers, and visual artists as a still-untapped resource. Working more closely with tourism bodies, too. Speaking purely of the art and the business of writing, I think professional development opportunities across every stage of a writer’s career are absolutely essential. This is especially important in the digital realm, with new platforms such as Substack providing great side hustles for writers to promote their work. Greater state and federal government financial support for writers and recognition of their work as being as vital and culturally significant as sport would be nice. There is no reason why Perth can’t be the next UNESCO City of Literature!

And how are you hoping Writing WA and the Writers Festival Weekend can be part of that journey?

Writing WA’s raison d’être as the state’s peak writing body is to support the writing sector through advocacy, collaboration, activation, and celebration. So we’re pretty hands-on, running workshops, hosting book launches, collaborating with writers’ centres, sponsoring awards such as the WA Premier’s Prize for Book of the Year, expanding and activating our Literary Map of WA program, continuing our weekly newsletter and Podstreet podcast, and ensuring Perth Festival Writers Weekend continues to promote WA writers in the best and biggest way possible.