Rephonic
Artwork for Sydney Writers' Festival

Sydney Writers' Festival

Sydney Writers' Festival
Australia
Sydney Writers' Festival
Artificial Intelligence
Feminism
United States
Literature
Democracy
Storytelling
Misogyny
Colonialism
Fatphobia
Journalism
Gaza
Social Media
Authoritarianism
Memoir Writing
Cultural Identity
Ukraine
Gender Equality
Social Justice

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more. Subscribe to our channel for new releases.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArtsBooks

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Sydney Writers' Festival

Latest Episodes

After her New York Times bestseller, Writers & Lovers, Lily King returns to themes of love, desire, forgiveness and loss in Heart the Lover.

Our narrator is a successful writer who is familiar with the classic tropes of love stories. She lives h... more

After being crowned the number one book of the 21st century by ABC Radio National, Australian literary sensation Trent Dalton’s newest book mixes gruesome true crime with a personal exploration of love and marriage.

Noah Cork had the scoop of his j... more

There used to be a time when political leaders didn’t limit themselves to an election cycle.

In his latest book, Grand Ambition, international affairs expert and historian James Curran draws on never-before-seen archival documents and extensive inte... more

Two motherless girls begin their lives in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, but they take paths that are worlds apart.

Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage, winner of the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction, has written another unforgettable story. Her ne... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Book Show
The Book ShowABC Australia
The Bookshelf
The BookshelfABC Australia
Chat 10 Looks 3
Chat 10 Looks 3Chat 10 Looks 3
A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard
A Podcast of One's Own with Julia GillardA Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard
Conversations
ConversationsABC Australia

Recent Guests

Trent Dalton
Australian author and journalist
Author of Gravity Let Me Go; novelist and screenwriter
Episode: Trent Dalton: Gravity Let Me Go
Paul Keating
Honorable Paul Keating, AC, former Prime Minister of Australia
Former Prime Minister of Australia
Episode: Grand Ambition: Paul Keating and James Curran in Conversation
James Curran
Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
Episode: Grand Ambition: Paul Keating and James Curran in Conversation
Tayari Jones
Award-winning American author and professor known for intimate portraits of African American family life shaped by social injustice
Author
Episode: Tayari Jones: Kin
Susan Choi
Author of Flashlight, discussed as the guest and subject of the interview
Episode: Susan Choi: Flashlight
Maria Reva
Author of Endlings
Author
Episode: Maria Reva: Endling
Yann Martel
Canadian author of Life of Pi, author of Son of Nobody
Episode: Yann Martel: Son of Nobody
Florence Knapp
British author, The Names
Author, The Names
Episode: Florence Knapp: The Names
David Szalay
Novelist and author of Flesh
Author
Episode: David Szalay: Flesh

Hosts

Anne Mossop
Host of multiple Sydney Writers' Festival programming and events with artistic director responsibilities.
Jimmy Wales
Founder of Wikipedia; discussions on trust in information and information ecosystems.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 418 ratings
  • Great podcast

    We can’t get to all the Sydney Writer Events at the same time! It’s so good to enjoy the solace & stimulus of writers with this podcast 📚🌻🦋

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rylie Teal
    Australia2 years ago
  • Feminist firebrand.

    Fantastic

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @janetBackstage
    Australia2 years ago
  • Brilliant

    Fantastic podcast and so happy to catch up on the festival for those who missed it. I just listened to Julia Gillard: it was an outstanding conversation. I can’t recommend it enough. Enjoy it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lamamandemilly
    Australia3 years ago
  • Podcast Julia Gillard

    Thanks for making this and other podcasts available for those of us who for one reason or another could not attend in person.

    What a fascinating discussion between two interesting women. Reminded me how eloquent Julia is.

    Thanks so much!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    On hanger
    Australia3 years ago
  • Outstanding podcast

    Thankyou for this wonderful podcast. Excellent presentation by Eleanor & the caliber of wonderful Bernard & Julien . Such decent professional men who have the courage of their convictions.

    🙏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🙏

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rolypolyeastereggs
    Australia5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the breadth and depth of conversations, with many noting high-caliber guests and insightful questions.
Audience values thoughtful, well-researched discussions, and respectful host interview styles.
Some episodes receive criticism for uneven interviewer preparation or perceived gaps in background for certain guests.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Mamamia Out Loud
Mamamia Out LoudMamamia Podcasts
Conversations
ConversationsABC Australia
Shameless
ShamelessShameless Media
(OVER)SHARE
(OVER)SHAREiHeart Australia, Hannah Ferrier & Phoebe Burgess
No Filter
No FilterMamamia Podcasts
Unleashed
UnleashedMamamia Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Grand Ambition: Paul Keating and James Curran in Conversation
Q: What are the implications for Australia of pursuing a republic and reassessing its head of state, given the royal connection keeps resurfacing in political discourse?
Keating discusses sovereignty and the need for Australia to control its own affairs, referencing the republic discussion and arguing for a more autonomous national identity without reliance on a constitutional monarchy, while noting public sentiment and political realities.
Grand Ambition: Paul Keating and James Curran in Conversation
Q: What does it look like for Australia's future in navigating the US-China dynamic, and how should Australia position itself between those powers?
Keating explains that Australia should act as a balancing power in the region, avoid being the guarantor of security, and advocate for a lattice of regional relationships that can operate independently of Washington, while maintaining the alliance. Curran frames the discussion with historical context and implications for policy choices.
Tayari Jones: Kin
Q: What do you hope readers take away from Kin?
I hope readers leave with a renewed appreciation for their friends and loved ones, and a understanding not to measure real people against imagined ones, while recognizing the strength and agency of women within challenging historical contexts.
Susan Choi: Flashlight
Q: How much of the plot did you already have when you wrote the short story that preceded the novel?
Very little of the plotted arc was set; I had the characters, the setting, and the vague situation, plus the 'big horrible thing,' and the rest evolved as I worked, sometimes jumping ahead or leaping decades in the narrative.
Susan Choi: Flashlight
Q: What's the most interesting piece of advice you give to aspiring writers?
Stop thinking about publishing. Focus on what you feel compelled to write and trust that the work will find its audience in its own time.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Sydney Writers' Festival

What is Sydney Writers' Festival about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show consistently centers literary conversations at a major festival, featuring celebrated novelists, journalists, historians, and public intellectuals. Episodes explore writing craft, historical context, and the social impact of fiction and non-fiction, often tied to current events or regional policy. Notable strengths include high-caliber guests, deep-dive discussions, and a festival atmosphere that blends scholarly analysis with accessible storytelling. It's a strong fit for listeners who love literature, long-form interviews, and thoughtful perspectives on culture, politics, and global affairs. A recurring edge is the ability to pair literary analysis with real-world insights from prominent authors and public figures, sometimes incl... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Sydney Writers' Festival?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Sydney Writers' Festival. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Sydney Writers' Festival and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Sydney Writers' Festival get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Sydney Writers' Festival, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Sydney Writers' Festival?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Sydney Writers' Festival, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Sydney Writers' Festival have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Sydney Writers' Festival has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Sydney Writers' Festival?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sydney Writers' Festival:

1. The Book Show
2. The Bookshelf
3. Chat 10 Looks 3
4. A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard
5. Conversations

How many episodes of Sydney Writers' Festival are there?

Sydney Writers' Festival launched 11 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Sydney Writers' Festival?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Sydney Writers' Festival?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sydney Writers' Festival from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Sydney Writers' Festival?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Sydney Writers' Festival. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Sydney Writers' Festival?

Recent guests on Sydney Writers' Festival include:

1. Trent Dalton
2. Paul Keating
3. James Curran
4. Tayari Jones
5. Susan Choi
6. Maria Reva
7. Yann Martel
8. Florence Knapp

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days