Varuna will soon be accepting applications for our 2017 Residential Focus Weeks.

A Varuna Focus Week offers a residential masterclass to writers with a shared interest in a particular area. Each week is limited to only five participants and includes a creative and stimulating mix of individual work time, facilitated sessions, one on one mentorship, as well as social time for unstructured conversation.

Varuna Residential Fellowships for Writers & Illustrators 2018

Applications open on 16 June 2017 and close 30 July 2017

Varuna, the National Writers House invites writers and illustrators from across Australia to apply for a Varuna Residential Fellowship.

NSW LitLink Residential Fellowships 2017

Congratulations to the recipients of the NSW LitLink Residential Fellowship. Read on for news of fellowship recipients and feedback from our consultants.

The Affirm Press Mentorship Award

Applications open online 10 April 2017 and close 19 May 2017

News from the Hut

I’m introducing a new feature for our newsletter: a few editorial words from the Creative Director to let you know what’s going on in that small wooden hut that functions as an office for the Varuna staff.

2017 Publisher Introduction Program Fellowships

Thank you to the publishers from Black Inc, Pan Macmillan, Random House, Scribe Publishers, Text, UQP and UWA Publishers for making the selection, and congratulations to the writers who will receive a fellowship.

Article about Varuna Quilt Programme by Carolynne Gordon

There are 12 patchwork quilts in Varuna, which were created in 1999 and 2000.

Resident Carolynne Gordon wrote this article about them.

CREATIVE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS FOR REGIONAL NSW WRITERS

Varuna, the National Writers House invites writers living in regional New South Wales and the greater Sydney area to apply for a two-week residency at this historic home in the Blue Mountains. Writers who have been awarded a LitLink Fellowship have said:

'Beautiful setting, inspiring house – home of Eleanor Dark, the library is vast, the food magnificent, room and writing areas fantastic – where else could all this happen';

PUBLISHER INTRODUCTION PROGRAM 2017
Feedback from our Judges

194 manuscripts were submitted to Varuna for consideration for the 2017 program. Each of these manuscripts were assessed by at least two of our four consultants: Carol Major, Helen Barnes-Bulley, Stephen Measday and Vanessa Kirkpatrick.

PUBLISHER INTRODUCTION PROGRAM 2017 – The Shortlist

Varuna is thrilled to announce the shortlist for the Publisher Introduction Program (PIP 2017).

New roles for Varuna: Creative Director and Business Manager

The Eleanor Dark Foundation and the Varuna Board are delighted to announce the appointment of two newly-created roles.

THE NT VARUNA RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIPS 2017

Congratulations to the writers who have been awarded aN NT Varuna Residency Fellowship for 2017.

VARUNA RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIPS 2017

Congratulations to the writers who have been awarded a Varuna Residency Fellowship for 2017.

Congratulations to the writers participating in the Affirm Mentorship Program 2016

Thank you to the editorial team at Affirm Press for selecting the writers that will participate in the Affirm Mentorship Program 2016. These writers and their manuscripts are:

Angela J Williams for her Creative non-fiction/memoir - Snakes and Ladders: A memoir of the prison game

Stephen Gray for his literary fiction novel: The Family Plot

Sonia Orchard for her adult literary fiction: About the Fire

VARUNA’S PUBLISHER INTRODUCTION PROGRAM 2017

Applications close 30 October 2016

A pathway to publication

Varuna’s unique Publisher Introduction Program (PIP) is one of Australia’s most dynamic literary partnerships, opening important doors for exceptional new writers in a creative, collaborative process that aims to deliver finely honed manuscripts to leading publishers.

What writers say

It’s a 40 year old dream starting with smurf-inspired short stories to full length novels, but I'm finally able to announce that Pan Macmillan have signed me up on a two book deal having won the Publishing Introduction Program through Varuna House in 2016. I'll be working with the same editor and publisher who edits for Markus Zusak (The Book Thief), Cloudwish (Fiona Wood) and Andy Griffiths (13 Storey Treehouse series). I am very humbled to be in this position and when I went to meet the publisher for lunch I nearly sat down on the floor under the Pan Macmillan sign and cried--with pure happiness. A new chapter begins. I must thank Varuna House and the Publishing Introduction Program; it's amazing mentors and supporters have helped me get to this point in my writing career. WRITING DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!
Taryn Bashford, PIP 2016

THE MICK DARK TALK FOR THE FUTURE 2016

The Future is Wild - the Mick Dark Talk for the Future 2016 on Sunday 25 September

Rose Scott Women Writers Festival

16-17 September 2016

Bookings for The Rose Scott Women Writers Festival, now open on the Festival website, are filling up fast. Don’t miss out.

NEW Varuna Residential Fellowship for NT Writers

Spread the word to your NT colleagues about Varuna’s latest Fellowship supported by the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT.

NSW LitLink Residential Fellowships 2016

Congratulations to the recipients of the NSW LitLink Residential Fellowship. Read on for news of fellowship recipients and feedback from our consultants.

Varuna Focus Weeks 2016

Varuna is now accepting applications for our 2016 Residential Focus Weeks

Varuna has a relaxed, friendly and informal atmosphere – Varuna is your home for a week. You’ll be writing, living and eating together with a group of 4 other writers.

Varuna Residential Fellowships for Writers & Illustrators 2017

Applications open on 16 June 2017 and close 30 July 2017
Varuna, the National Writers House invites writers and illustrators from across Australia to apply for a Varuna Residential Fellowship.

The Affirm Press Mentorship Award

Affirm Press and Varuna the National Writers House are thrilled to announce that applications are now open online for The Affirm Press Mentorship Award. Applications close 15 June 2016.

Varuna is proud to announce the recipients of the 2016 Publisher Introduction Program Fellowships

Thank you to the publishers from Pan Macmillan, Random House, Scribe Publishers, Text, UQP and UWA Publishers for making the selection and congratulations to the writers who will receive a fellowship.

The writers who will receive a PIP Fellowship 2016 and the Publishers who will read their work are:

Creative Writing Fellowships for Writers in Regional NSW and Sydney Surrounds

Varuna the National Writers House will be accepting applications from writers living in regional NSW and Sydney Surrounds for the 2016 LitLink Residential Fellowship from 15 March.

LitLink Fellowships offers writers working in all creative forms, including fiction, drama, poetry and narrative non-fiction, a two-week residency at Varuna in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

Applications close 30 April 2016

For full details and to apply visit: www.varuna.com.au or phone: (02) 4782 5674

Varuna thanks Arts NSW for supporting this wonderful initiative.

PUBLISHER INTRODUCTION PROGRAM 2016 – Feedback From the Readers

190 manuscripts were submitted to Varuna for consideration for the 2016 program. Each of these manuscripts were assessed by at least two of our four consultants; Carol Major, Helen Barnes-Bulley, Stephen Measday and Deb Westbury.

In making their selection for the shortlist the Consultants continued to look for fresh voices, strong ideas, good writing, a clear sense of who the reader for the work was and an original approach to what might be familiar material. Consultants continued to assess the work blind with each of the shortlisted works reviewed by the four consultants.

We asked them for their general impressions of the work submitted and how they approached this marathon assessment process.

Carol writes about the selection process and also the importance of a well written synopsis and logline, Stephen talks about being wary of overly long prologues that sometimes delay the book from starting and the need when writing historical fiction to consider why these stories continue to be relevant today, Helen lets you know what she is looking for when reading manuscripts and Deb talks about the importance of generosity and writing with all of your senses.

I hope you find their comments and views useful.

From all at Varuna we wish you all the best for your writing.

Jansis O’Hanlon, Varuna CEO

PUBLISHER INTRODUCTION PROGRAM 2016 – The Shortlist

Varuna is thrilled to announce the shortlist for the Publisher Introduction Program (PIP 2016).

This year we selected thirty unpublished manuscripts written by new Australian writers to send to our six publishing partners. From these shortlisted manuscripts we have asked our publishing partners to select two manuscripts each to award the writer a PIP Fellowship. We thank each of our Publishing partners for taking the time to consider the work of these writers. We also thank Varuna Consultants Helen Barnes-Bulley, Carol Major, Stephen Measday and Deb Westbury who assessed the 190 manuscripts that writers submitted to Varuna for PIP 2016.

And the writers and their mansucripts are ...

VARUNA RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIPS 2016

Congratulations to the writers who have been awarded a Varuna Residency Fellowship for 2016.

DRUSILLA MODJESKA IN CONVERSATION WITH STEPHANIE BISHOP

You're invited to an intimate conversation with one of Australia’s most acclaimed writers Drusilla Modjeska as she talks about her stunning new memoir - Second Half First with Stephanie Bishop at the The Carrington Hotel Ballroom, Katoomba, Thursday 19 November, 2015 5.30pm for 6.00 start.

VARUNA’S PUBLISHER INTRODUCTION PROGRAM 2016

Applications close 30 October 2015

A pathway to publication

Varuna’s unique Publisher Introduction Program (PIP) is one of Australia’s most dynamic literary partnerships, opening important doors for exceptional new writers in a creative, collaborative process that aims to deliver finely honed manuscripts to leading publishers.

Congratulations to the writers participating in the Affirm Mentorship Program 2016

Thank you to the editorial team at Affirm Press for selecting the writers that will participate in the Affirm Mentorship Program 2016. These writers and their manuscripts are:

Angela J Williams for her Creative non-fiction/memoir - Snakes and Ladders: A memoir of the prison game

Stephen Gray for his literary fiction novel: The Family Plot

Sonia Orchard for her adult literary fiction: About the Fire

Tim Flannery to deliver the Inaugural Mick Dark Talk for the Future

Varuna is thrilled to announce Tim Flannery as the speaker for the Inaugural Mick Dark Talk for the Future on Saturday 19 September.

Supported places available for CAL Writing Creative Audio - Applications Close 13 August

Monday 26 October - Sunday 1 November 2015
Immerse yourself in listening to, discussing and writing creative audio works in this six-day Focus Week residency led by Jane Ulman, at Varuna, the National Writers’ House in the Blue Mountains, NSW.  Varuna Focus Weeks offer a themed residential week to developing and experienced writers with a shared interest in a particular area of writing.

Welcome to David White as Chair of the Eleanor Dark Foundation

The board of the Eleanor Dark Foundation welcomes David White as chair of the Foundation.

Strictly Poetry Focus Week - Applications Close 6 August

Monday 19th – Sunday 25 October 2015
Strictly Poetry is a six-day residency in the company of poets led by Deb Westbury, at Varuna, the National Writers’ House in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Varuna Focus Weeks offer a themed residential week to developing and experienced writers with a shared interest in a particular area of writing.

It’s two years now since I joined the Strictly Poetry Focus Week at Varuna run by Deb Westbury (she’s brilliant). In many ways I am still reaping the benefit from the work we did each day. So if you are thinking of going—go, give yourself a whole week with words in like-minded company in that setting.
Kathryn Fry

VARUNA FOCUS WEEKS - 2015

Focus: the Greek word for fire – a sharing of attention – to intensify

A Varuna Focus Week offers a themed residential week to developing and experienced writers with a shared interest in a particular area of writing. Focus weeks include individual work-time and facilitated sessions and may also include one-on-one mentorship. Focus Weeks are led by some of Australia’s best cultural facilitators with each Focus Week Facilitator designing a unique and stimulating program that promotes writing, conversation and engagement. Click here for more details.

Varuna Residential Fellowships for Writers & Illustrators 2016

Applications open on 16 June 2015 and close 30 July 2015

Varuna, the National Writers House invites writers and illustrators from across Australia to apply for a Varuna Residential Fellowship.

NSW LitLink Residential Fellowships 2015

Congratulations to the recipients of the NSW LitLink Residential Fellowship. Read on for news of fellowship recipients and feedback from our consultants

PATTI MILLER: INTRODUCTION TO LIFE WRITING WORKSHOP 2015

This four-week course is an introduction to the journey of writing your life and will be held at Varuna, the National Writers House in Katoomba over four Fridays - November 13, 20, 27 & Dec 4, 2015 - 10am to 1pm. Morning tea included.

The Affirm Press Mentorship Award

Affirm Press and Varuna the National Writers House are thrilled to announce an astounding new award for writers, The Affirm Press Mentorship Award. This new creative partnership offers up to four writers developing exceptional new work the opportunity to work with the Affirm Press publishing team while in residence at Varuna in the Blue Mountains NSW.

Varuna is proud to announce the recipients of the 2015 Publisher Introduction Program Fellowships

Thank you to the publishers from Pan Macmillan, Random House, Scribe Publishers, Text, UQP and UWA Publishers for making the selection and congratulations to the writers who will receive a fellowship.

The writers who will receive a PIP Fellowship 2015 and the Publishers who will read their work are:

Varuna with Sydney Writers’ Festival – Blue Mountains Program, 16-19 May 2015

Autumn is in the air... bringing the promise of the Varuna with Sydney Writers’ Festival - perfect weather for reading, thinking and writing.
Keep your calendars free for Varuna’s four-day Blue Mountains Program of the Sydney Writers Festival, 16-19 May.

At the House – Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May
At the Carrington – Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May

Creative Writing Fellowships for Regional NSW Writers

Varuna the National Writers House will be accepting applications for the 2015 LitLink Residential Fellowship from 16 March.

PIP 2015 – Feedback From the Assessors

220 manuscripts were submitted to Varuna for consideration for the 2014 programme. Each of these manuscripts were assessed by at least two of our four consultants; Carol Major, Helen Barnes-Bulley, Stephen Measday and Deb Westbury.

In making their selection for the shortlist the Consultants continued to look for fresh voices, strong ideas, good writing, a clear sense of who the reader for the work was and an original approach to what might be familiar material. Consultants continued to assess the work blind with each of the shortlisted works reviewed by the four consultants.

We asked them for their general impressions of the work submitted and how they approached this marathon assessment process.

PIP 2015 – The Shortlist

Varuna is thrilled to announce the shortlist for the Publisher Introduction Program (PIP 2015).

This year we selected thirty-four original new manuscripts written by emerging Australian writers to send to our six publishing partners. From these shortlisted manuscripts we have asked our publishing partners to select up to fourteen manuscripts (two each plus two wild cards) to which we will award the writer a PIP Fellowship.

We thank each of our Publishing partners for taking the time to consider the work of these writers. We also thank Varuna Consultants Helen Barnes-Bulley, Carol Major, Stephen Measday and Deb Westbury who assessed the 220 unpublished manuscripts that writers submitted to Varuna as part of PIP 2015.

Varuna with Sydney Writers' Festival 2015 - Blue Mountains Program

Keep your calendars free on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th May for the Varuna-Sydney Writers' Festival Blue Mountains Program.

Varuna Residency Fellowships for 2015

Congratulations to the writers who have been awarded a Varuna Residency Fellowship for 2015.

The LitLink Unpublished Manuscript Award

We are very pleased to announce that the winner of the 2014 Award is Joshua Lobb for his manuscript, Remission. Joshua will be spending a fortnight at Varuna with LitLink Fellowship recipients: Frances Olive, Susan Reynolds, Sharon Dean and Greg Woodland (who was also shortlisted for the Unpublished Manuscript Award).

Supported by Arts NSW the LitLink Unpublished Manuscript Award is for writers living in regional NSW and is a partnership between Byron Bay Writers' Festival and Varuna.

Varuna Fellowships for Writing & Illustrating Retreats 2015 - open for applications to 28 August, 2014

Supporting the best in new Australian writing and illustrating.
Each year since 1991 Varuna has offered at least 25 Fellowships for Writing Retreats. Over 21 years, Varuna has developed a unique environment encouraging sustained work, conversation and community among writers. Varuna Fellowships for Writing Retreats offer writers a residency in an environment wholly dedicated to writing, with accommodation and full board provided, to develop an established writing or illustration project.

NSW LitLink Residential Fellowships & Unpublished Manuscript Award 2014

Congratulations to the recipients of the NSW LitLink Residential Fellowship.

This year’s LitLink Awards had the largest number of manuscript submissions of any round yet receiving 65 manuscripts from writers living in regional NSW and the greater Sydney area.

Varuna Sydney Writers' Festival - Blue Mountains Program 2014

The Blue Mountains Program for the 2014 Sydney Writers' Festival is now available here.

For four exhilarating days distinguished writers from around Australia, the world and these beautiful Blue Mountains will engage in challenging discussions, inspirational readings, sophisticated analysis and some deep reflection on how and why they pursue the intriguing and controversial ideas that inspire their passionate creativity.

Varuna is proud to announce the recipients of the 2014 Publisher Introduction Program Fellowships.

Thank you to the publishers from Allen and Unwin, Pan Macmillan, Picaro Press, Random House, Scribe Publishers, Text and UQP for making the selection and congratulations to the writers who will receive a fellowship. In a field of exceptional writing and story telling the choice was not an easy one.

The writers who will receive a PIP 2014 Fellowship and the Publishers who will read their work

Varuna with Sydney Writers' Festival 2014 - Blue Mountains Program

Keep your calendars free on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th May for the Varuna with Sydney Writers' Festival Blue Mountains Program!

The LitLink Residential Fellowship & The LitLink Unpublished Manuscript Award 2014 - applications now open

For writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction living in regional NSW and the greater Sydney area.

PIP 2014 – Varuna Consultant Feedback

Last week we announced the 36 writers shortlisted for Varuna's Publisher Introduction Programme.

280 manuscripts were submitted to Varuna for consideration for the 2014 programme. Each of these manuscripts were assessed by at least two of our four consultants; Carol Major, Helen Barnes-Bulley, Stephen Measday and Deb Westbury. We asked them for their general impressions of the work submitted and how they approached this marathon assessment process.

PIP 2014 – The Shortlist

Varuna is thrilled to announce the shortlist for the Publisher Introduction Program (PIP 2014) of thirty-six original new manuscripts created by emerging Australian writers and poets.

Varuna Open Day 2013

The photos from our Open Day in September are now on this site in our Photo Gallery.

2013 NSW Writers' Centre Varuna Fellowship winner

The 2013 NSW Writers' Centre Varuna Fellowship has been awarded to Helen Thurloe for her Young Adult novel, The Sublimation of Azra, about a 16-year-old Pakistani girl from Sydney's west with a passion for science.

Program and Promotions Co-ordinator

Varuna is seeking a creative, collaborative and organised person to be our new Program and Promotions Co-ordinator.

Val Vallis Awards for Poetry - winner 2013

B.R. Dionysius for 'Protein Gradients' (QLD)

Varuna Fellowships for Writing Retreats 2014 

Congratulations to those who were awarded a Fellowship Retreat in 2014!

NSW Litlink Varuna Fellowships 2013

Congratulations to the recipients of the NSW LitLink Varuna Fellowship residencies!

Ray Koppe Young Writers' Residency 2013 Winner Announcement

Sydney Writers' Festival 2013 - Photos

Photographs from this year's Sydney Writers' Festival in the Blue Mountains are now available in the Photo Gallery section of the Varuna website.

Varuna participates in NSW State Government's NSW Creative Industries Launch Video

The State Government has launched NSW Creative Industries and Varuna has participated in the launch.

Vale Jill Kitson, former board member

Varuna Publisher Program 2013 Awards

The following have been selected as the recipients of the Varuna Publisher Program 2013. Congratulations!

HarperCollins Varuna Awards - 2013 Winners

The winners have now been announced for the HarperCollins Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development.

Congratulations to the winners and the fantastic writers for this year's HarperCollins Varuna Awards!

Varuna Publisher Program 2013

Here is the shortlisting for the 2013 Varuna Publisher Program.

Three nights in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster

by Varuna director David White

“It’s a lonely, miserable existence, writing,” said Morag Fraser, sometime Miles Franklin award judge, to us at one stage.

New CEO Appointed

The Board of the Eleanor Dark Foundation Ltd has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer for VarunaThe Writers’ House.

Jansis O'Hanlon will take up the position in late November, 2012.

Varuna Fellowships for Writing Retreats - Selections for 2013 Residencies

The following authors have been successful in being selected for residency in 2013.

Penguin Varuna Scholarship 2012 Winner

The Timeless Land on Radio National

ABC Radio National's Oz Classics Book Club turned to Eleanor Dark's The Timeless Land on 25 May 2012 at 10:a5 am.

Re-release of Return to Coolami

Allen&Unwin re-release Eleanor Dark's novel Return to Coolami.

An emotional novel that explores the psychological impact of four people thrown closely together during the course of a motor trip from Sydney to the interior of Australia.

Doctors Who ...

Including the Dr Eric Dark Memorial Lecture video recordings and much more.