Varuna, The National Writers' House seen from above

For Writers

Varuna offer writers time and space to write in the ‘big yellow house’ in the Blue Mountains, with six writers-in-residence staying each week, benefiting from one-on-one mentorship, and the support of their peers. Writers can apply to stay at Varuna via one of our residency programs.

We also offer an extensive program of online masterclasses and intensives, designed to support writers to develop their craft, finish their project, and build connections. Unlike many other writing courses, Varuna masterclasses are by application, so that each of our online course groups is carefully curated with our expert facilitators.

Finally, we offer in-person workshops in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, throughout the year as well as during the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival.

Jaala Hallett 9/9/25 Jaala Hallett 9/9/25

Red Room Poetry Fellowship 2026

Applications close 3 Feb

In partnership with Red Room Poetry, this fellowship for six poets includes a residency at Varuna, one-on-one mentorship, and a poetic commission as part of the national Poetry Month in August 2026.

Chris Cannell 9/9/25 Chris Cannell 9/9/25

Ann Moyal Non-Fiction Fellowship

Applications now closed

The Ann Moyal Non-Fiction Fellowship encourages excellence in non-fiction writing and supports writers developing an original work drawn from the broad fields of the humanities and social sciences. Three writers will be selected for a three-week residency, 28 Sept - 19 Oct 2026.

Wei Clerkin 9/9/25 Wei Clerkin 9/9/25

Cove Park International Fellowship

Applications close 11 Dec 2025

Varuna alumni are eligible to apply for a four-week residency at Cove Park, Scotland, with the opportunity to present at Wigtown Book Festival.

Amy Sambrooke 8/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 8/9/25

Finish Your Memoir in 2026: an extended program with Kris Kneen

Applications close 28 Jan 2026

Commit to your writing and make 2026 the year you finish your memoir. In this in-depth online masterclass, award-winning author Kris Kneen will lead a small group of writers over 9-months, with structured exercises, readings and feedback designed to help you finish a draft of your memoir.

Amy Sambrooke 8/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 8/9/25

Kickstart Your Writing Project with Ashley Hay

Applications close 28 Jan 2026

This six-session intensive masterclass offers the opportunity to get started on a new writing project or breathe life into a project you have abandoned or are struggling with.

Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25

From Poem to Manuscript with Felicity Plunkett

Applications close 19 February 2026

Expand and nurture your practice as a poet in this 4-month program. We’ll create an encouraging and inspiring community, and support the development of original work, from single poems to sequences, and explore how to build a collection for publication.

Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25

Mastering Structure through Character Arcs

Applications close 10 March 2026

Designed for writers of all levels, genres and narrative art forms, this 16-session masterclass with BAFTA award-winning screenwriter and author Anthony Mullins will show you how to craft an authentic and powerful narrative structure.

Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25

Manuscript Development Masterclass with Jane Messer

Applications close 9 April 2026

A deep-dive writer development program designed for writers with a manuscript substantially underway, or with a draft completed, this 5-month masterclass provides a unique opportunity to receive feedback on your manuscript and the guidance and support to take it to the next level.

Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 7/9/25

Crafting Knockout Scenes

Applications close 14 April 2026

Scenes are the building blocks of novels, plays, screenplays, short stories, and even works of creative non-fiction. This 8-week program with Brooke Robinson will sharpen your writing to create truly powerful scenes.

Amy Sambrooke 6/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 6/9/25

The Art of Dialogue with Mary Anne Butler

Applications close 13 May 2026

This 8-week online program drills down deeply into how to craft dialogue on the page, ensuring that each of your character’s voices is unique, shaping their distinct speech patterns, and working on questions about who speaks, and when.

Amy Sambrooke 4/9/25 Amy Sambrooke 4/9/25

Recharge Your Poetry Practice with Felicity Plunkett

Applications close 26 August 2026

In this five-week masterclass you’ll have the opportunity to read a lot, write a lot, receive written and verbal feedback, explore a trove of original prompts and diverse forms, explore and enhance aspects of your creative practice and have a one-to-one consultation about your work.

Amy Sambrooke 19/1/25 Amy Sambrooke 19/1/25

Crafting Point of View: On-Demand Masterclass

Self-paced online course

Bring the Varuna magic to you with this nine-part online, self-paced course on point of view with Jane Messer. Explore this important element of writing craft, analysing sample readings from well-known authors and being prompted with a series of exercises.

Amy Sambrooke 18/1/25 Amy Sambrooke 18/1/25

Writing for Wellbeing: On-Demand Masterclass

Self-paced online course

Bring the Varuna magic to you with this eight-part online, self-paced course on writing for wellbeing. This revitalising program enables you to explore writing as a practice for your own wellbeing, including techniques for getting started (or re-started!).

Chris Cannell 17/12/24 Chris Cannell 17/12/24

2025 Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival

Thank you all for coming to the 2025 Festival, and trusting in us for another year. 'Twas a weekend of laughter, curiosity, big ideas and challenging conversations. The Blue Mountains Writers Festival returns Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026.