Totally Lit is back for 2026! Inspired by place, culture, community and story, Totally Lit – Adventures in the Port City will once again activate our port city with a program of live literature events and original, immersive experiences for audiences of all ages.

Totally Lit deviates from the traditional writers’ festival paradigm, by being not driven by new releases or best-selling authors or constrained by auditoriums. For the full program and to book tickets, head to the Totally Lit website.

Plus, you can also become a Totally Lit Friend to enjoy fantastic year-round discounts at New Edition and other Freo bookshops, as well as priority booking opportunities and discounts for Totally Lit events. More on that here.

Where you’ll find us at the festival:

• A Glass of Wine & A Good Book - A conversation with historical fiction author Anthea Hodgson at Samson & Sons cellar

• Book Launch: Midwest - Celebrate Caitlin Maling’s latest poetry collection which explores the coastal ecologies of Western Australia

• Borderlines - Sisonke Msimang, Rashida Murphy and Mohammed Massoud Morsi share their writing and insight into lives disrupted by upheaval

• Flash & Fizz – Hear from two of WA’s stellar flash fiction authors, Gillian O’Shaughnessy and Alison Davis, in a conversation with Emily Tsokos Purtill

• Plain Speaking Jane – A literary lunch with legendary journalist, author and advocate, Jane Caro

• Inspired! – Sabrina Dudgeon-Swift and Casey Mulder in conversation with Linda Martin on the importance of Aboriginal voices and stories in book publishing

• Prime Crime - Australian authors Jane Caro and Sara Foster in conversation with Gillian O’Shaughnessy on writing crime stories

• Eungedup: A Wetland Summer Diary - Giles Watson on the phenomenal biodiversity of the Eungedup wetlands nestled between Albany and Denmark.

• Opposites Attract – Married local authors Katherine Allum and Michael Burrows on their different approaches to the creative process

• Big Book Market – Meet us in Walyalup Koort for Totally Lit’s Big Book Market

• Yorga Manjar Waangk: Women Gather Speak - Join Luisa Mitchell, Casey Mulder, Barb Hostalek & Carol Foley as they yarn about the power and process of women gathering and telling stories

• Representing Neurodivergence Across Genres - Libby Iriks, Erica Lee & Lily Gaulton discuss drawing on personal experiences to represent neurodivergence in their chosen genre

• Double the Trouble - Celebrate the new novels of two local crime writers, David Whish-Wilson’s Free World and Alan Carter’s Last Bastion

• Novel Tea - A special catered morning tea with WA author Amanda Curtin in conversation with Chrissie Maus

• The Costs of Bearing Witness - Robert Wood, Yorga Gelaw Woldeyes & Srijato on the risks of writing against political forces.

• Hungerford Award Celebration - Celebrate the winner of the 2026 Hungerford Award, presented by Fremantle Press

• Crime Time - A day of thought-provoking conversations at Fremantle Prison including:

  • The Crime Scene - Hear from local crime writers Emma Pignatiello, Ruth McIver and Meg Caddy in a discussion led by Brooke Dunnell

  • Crime & Punishment - Tony Buti, David Whish-Wilson, Leigh Straw and Peter Murphy reflect on Fremantle Prison’s bleak history

  • Aiding & Abetting - Crime writer Alan Carter, Assistant Police Commissioner Arlene Mavratsou and academic Richard King on the rise of techno-crime

  • Murder & the Media - Academic and author Glynn Greensmith, and journalist and author Bret Christian join retired Supreme Court judge the Hon Michael Barker discuss the media’s coverage of criminal events

  • International Crime & Consequences - Geoffrey Robertson KC, Prof Simon Adams and Dr Samiha Olwan, chaired by Hon Sophie McNeill, on how we might bring about positive, ethical and lawful change