About Writers SA

Writers SA is the state’s peak organisation for writing and literature, putting South Australian writers at the forefront of national literary culture. A member-based not-for-profit, we nurture deeper connections, create vital opportunities and industry pathways, and support writers at all stages, through an array of literary programs, festivals, services, and events.

Established in 1985, Writers SA was the first writers’ centre in Australia, and continues to showcase and promote the state’s writers, placing them at the heart of Australian literary life. A resource for writers of all ages and experiences, we help both emerging and established writers on every aspect of writing craft and publishing. While we are a state-based organisation, we collaborate with interstate and international partners, and we are committed to advocating on behalf of all writers in Australia.

Writers SA is located on Kaurna land. We acknowledge Kaurna people as the original storytellers of this place, who have led a culture of storytelling for many thousands of years. We pay our respects to Kaurna elders past and present, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on whose lands we live, work and create. This always was, always will be Aboriginal land.



Meet the Staff

LAURA KROETSCH

Chief Executive Officer

Laura Kroetsch is a longtime curator and producer of literary and ideas events. She initially came to Adelaide as the Director of Adelaide Writers’ Week, and went on to co-design and deliver Dark and Dangerous Thoughts (DDT) that ran as part of Dark Mofo in Hobart, Tasmania. She was the producer and co-creator of In Other Words at OzAsia.

She has served as a peer assessor for both Arts SA and what was then the Australia Council for the Arts. She has judged literary prizes, been a longtime book reviewer and has interviewed many writers on-stage and off.


BRONWYN TILLEY

Operations Manager

Bronwyn Tilley (writing as Bronwyn Stuart) is a multi-published award-winning author of 19 novels, novellas and short stories in both contemporary and historical romantic fiction, traditionally published and self-published. She is an advocate for fair deals for authors and a font of knowledge about the literary industry both here in Australia and overseas.

Bronwyn is a skilled public speaker and MC. She appeared at the Clare Writers Festival and on several publishing panels around the country. From 2016 to 2018 Bronwyn programmed and managed conferences for Romance Writers of Australia as well as sitting on the committee for the not-for-profit for two of those years. Her non-writing jobs have included: retail manager, office manager, call centre worker, checkout chick and other not-so exciting positions.

Bronwyn and her vast collection of shoes reside in the Adelaide hills on Paramangk land along with her husband, kids and dogs.


LANA GUINEAY

Marketing Coordinator

Lana is a freelance writer and author based by the beach, with a diverse background in digital, media, and publishing.

Her debut Dark Wave was winner of the Viva La Novella prize. Her non-fiction has been published widely, and her award-winning fiction has appeared in Going Down Swinging, Anthology of Australasian Stories, and was a daily winner of the 2019 Swinburne Microfiction award.

Lana graduated from the University of South Australia with a degree in Creative Writing, and followed a career as a content editor for global brands before returning to her hometown.

Lana is passionate about supporting, promoting, and getting to know South Aussie writers at Writers SA, and is currently writing her second novel.


EDOARDO CRISMANI

First Nations Writers Coordinator

Edoardo Crismani is a film director, writer, singer-songwriter and is a descendant of the Wiradjuri people. He is the Coordinator of the SA First Nations Writers Group.

Edoardo was nominated by the Australian Writers Guild for a 2017 AWGIE Award for writing The Panther Within. In 2020 he directed Deadly Family Portraits: Crombie Crew for ABC TV, available to watch on iView.

Edoardo is working on his first novel, Finding Billy Brown, which was shortlisted for the Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship.


VERN SCHULZ

Finance Officer

Vern has a diverse background and broad experience in all facets of office and finance management. Starting out in the graphic arts industry as a photo retoucher and desktop publisher, he then transitioned to working in a business doing website design and publication, in the role of Director and Office Manager. Following that, he moved to the Pink Sofa, a lesbian dating website, as Office Manager, doing payroll, accounts and selling online advertising. After 4 years working in that interesting and diverse role, he moved to one of Adelaide’s leading law firms as a Legal Administrator, and then Payroll Administrator.

Out of work hours, Vern has subcontracted his time to one of Adelaide Hills’ favourite pizza and wine bars, Lost In A Forest, doing HR, Finance and Payroll. An avid (and competitive) sailor and certified RYA Keelboat Instructor, you will often find him off sailing locally, interstate and overseas whenever possible.

With a keen interest in the arts, Vern is pleased to be working with Writers SA and brings a broad range of skills to the organisation.


TAMARA MONTINA

Program Coordinator

Tamara Montina is an emerging writer and editor dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and exploring the complexities of identity. Through her work as the Head Editor of UniSA’s student-led publication, Verse Magazine, she has honed her skills in crafting compelling narratives and advocating for diverse perspectives. Montina’s work has been featured in the publications of Liminal Mag, State Theatre Company, and Verse Magazine, where her work confronts the themes of human connection, grief and cultural longing. She was the guest Curator for the Context Writers Festival in 2023.


ALFIE SIMPSON

Event Assistant

Alfie Simpson is a writer and editor currently living in Adelaide. When he’s not removing words from manuscripts, he writes for an online magazine called Breach, where he specialises in stories about plant-monsters and extremely deep oceans. His piece ‘Sub-Urban’ won the 2018 Aurealis Award for best horror short story. Another of his stories, ‘The Endless Below’, was shortlisted for the same award in 2017. His other works include ‘All the Long Way Down’, published in Cthulhu Deep Down Under Volume 3 in 2021.


Meet the Board

Read about our Writers SA Board members.

Annual Reports

Click here to see our annual reports.

Links

Useful links for writers.

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