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.
The Writer's Space Fellowships for Writers with Disability
Applications close 21 Oct
Six two-week residential fellowships will be offered to writers with disability and/or who are D/deaf.
2025 Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival
Tickets on sale now
The Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival returns 31 October - 2 November 2025.
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.
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!).
Varuna Residential Fellowships
Applications open March 2026
Varuna’s most prestigious award, running since 1991. Up to 38 fellowships will be awarded to emerging and established writers across Australia, offering between two and four weeks in residence, with mentorship.
The Eleanor Dark Fellowship for Fiction
Applications open March 2026
Established in memory of Blue Mountains writer Eleanor Dark, this three-week writing fellowship will be awarded to a fiction application of outstanding quality.
The Jill Dark Fellowship
Applications open March 2026
As part of the Varuna Residential Fellowships, a two-week fellowship with travel costs covered and a $600 stipend is awarded to a writer of outstanding talent who is experiencing financial hardship. This Fellowship is made possible in 2025 by a member of our alumni association.
The Fowler Trust Fellowships for Fiction
Applications open March 2026
Generously supported by the Fowler Trust, this program supports four two-week fellowships for fiction writers, including women’s fiction, crime, fantasy, historical fiction, speculative fiction and YA.
The Blue Mountains Fellowship
Applications open March 2026
This two-week fellowship will be awarded to a writer who is currently living in the Blue Mountains LGA. This fellowship is generously supported by David Hammon, who was previously chair of Varuna’s Board.
The Writer's Space Online Fellowship for Writers with Disability
Applications now closed
Six online fellowships will be offered to writers with disability and/or who are D/deaf, providing mentorship, professional development, and the opportunity for peer feedback.
Finish Your Novel with Conor Kostick
Applications now closed
For over 20 years, Conor Kostick has been teaching his popular 10-week Finish Your Novel course at the Irish Writers Centre and Varuna are delighted to offer it in Australia and New Zealand.
Arts NT Residential Fellowships
Applications now closed
This program is presented in partnership with the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT. Submissions are welcomed from eligible NT-based writers.
Varuna International Exchange New Zealand
Applications now closed
Varuna is delighted to offer this four-week international residency to Varuna alumni, held in collaboration with the Michael King Writers Centre in New Zealand.
Copyright Agency First Nations Fellowships
Applications now closed
First Nations writers are invited to apply for one of twelve week-long fellowships at Varuna in 2025, sharing the residency with other First Nations writers, and benefiting from one-on-one mentorship and the sharing of skills and knowledge.
Kickstart Your Writing Project with Ashley Hay
Applications now closed
This six-session intensive masterclass – held across three months for writers at all stages of their careers – offers the opportunity to get started on a new writing project or breathe life into a project you have abandoned or are struggling with.
Roderick Centre Online Fellowship for Regional and Remote Writers
Applications now closed
This program is presented in partnership with the Roderick Centre for Australian Literature and Creative Writing (RCALC) and is open to emerging or established writers, living in regional and remote parts of Australia.
Writing with Heart and Humour with Rick Morton
Applications now closed
This eight-session masterclass for writers in any genre will develop your skills in positioning yourself as an observer, and bringing nuance and humour to the story you would most like to tell.
The Writer’s Space Writing Group - Lithgow
Registrations now closed
The Writer’s Space Writing Group is being held in Lithgow at the Lithgow Transformation Hub for the first time in 2025, offering a free, six-week writing program to writers with disability. Writers at all levels of experience and working in any genre are welcome. Spaces limited to 12.
The Art of Dialogue with Mary Anne Butler
Applications now closed
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.
The Sum of its Parts – Short Story Collections with Julie Koh
Applications now closed
This 10-week course is designed to help you strengthen the fundamentals that aspiring authors often overlook, hone your approach to revising stories for submission, and work towards writing your own knockout short-story collection.