Claire Mabey explores Auckland Writers Festival’s latest lit innovation.

There’s nothing better than coming across a juicy turn of events in a story you thought you could predict. Auckland Writers Festival’s Lyndsey Fineran and Gabrielle Vincent know just how important surprise and innovation is to any narrative, but particularly to a beloved and long-running festival. Plot Twist is a brand new facet to an already dynamic programme and will take place for the first time on the final day of the festival, Sunday, May 17.

When AWF co-leaders Catriona Ferguson and Lyndsey Fineran discovered that Auckland’s beloved Q Theatre had a dark day during the comedy festival that just so happened to fall within the AWF dates, they knew they had an opportunity to create something fresh, vibrant and fun. Artistic director Fineran got to work alongside family and schools programmer Gabrielle Vincent to create what became the Plot Twist programme. Fineran drew inspiration from fond memories of going to the Crossing Border festival in the Hague: “I loved how it utilised the full theatre and you could dip into author talks and gigs in each room, but there were also DJs and performances throughout the building, which created such a great vibe.”

Q Theatre’s roomy, couch-filled foyer is the perfect spot for vibes: Auckland Zinefest will settle in for the day to run zine-making tables, DJs will spin tunes, and friends will meet, eat, drink, buy books and hang out between talks, masterclasses and performances. “Plot Twist is like AWF’s cool cousin, and STREETSIDE the cheeky younger sibling,” says Vincent.

She’s talking about STREETSIDE: BRITOMART, a one-night only smorgasbord of events all taking place in Britomart on May 8. Between 6-9pm, Festival-goers can drop in and out of an eclectic range of events, from Wrong Readers Club (is there a “right way” to read?) to Tāmaki Noir (delve into Auckland’s underbelly) to W is for Wāhine Toa (with Qiane Matata-Sipu), and writers playing ping pong, where a dropped shot means a hard question and more. Events are fast-paced and free, which makes STREETSIDE a low-stakes, high-reward situation.

“STREETSIDE and Plot Twist each offer different ways to experience what writers festivals can be,” says Fineran, who also wanted to build moments in the programme that would bridge the gap between the student audiences who attend the (epic) schools programme and the audiences who traditionally attend the main programme in the Aotea Centre. Plot Twist is specifically designed with that in-between 18-30-year-old audience in mind: from atmosphere to author line-ups to event concepts.

Let’s take a walk through the twists and turns of AWF’s Plot Twist:

Cards on the table: Tarot and writing, 11.50am (masterclass)

Once upon a time I told Gabrielle Vincent that I read tarot cards to help me unstick sticky situations when I’m writing … and she remembered … and here we are with an hour on how to turn tarot cards into tools for your creative practice. I’m as giddy as The Fool about it!

The rise of romance, 12.40pm (kōrero)

“Romance is bringing a lot of people into or back to reading,” says Fineran. This event brings Enamoured Books owner Ruby Wallace, romantasy writer Ivy Cliffwater, and translator of Korean cosy romances, Shanna Tan, to chat about the various strands of the romance genre and why they’re so hot right now.

Dreaming for the ocean within us: Tangata moana writers and desire, 1pm (conversation and performance)

Guest curator Zech Soakai has crafted a dynamic line-up of Pasifika writers – including Tusiata Avia, Amber Esau and Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson – for a free-wheeling conversation on how desire fuels and guides them.

No one cares about your writing the way you do, 1.20pm (masterclass)

“Dominic Hoey is such a great teacher,” says Vincent. “This masterclass will be amazing for anyone interested in writing and publishing and not coming to it through the traditional pathways.”

To hell and back, 2.10pm (kōrero)

The idea for this event was born from reading serendipity: Vincent was deep in Nikita Gill’s Hekate just as Fineran was absorbed by RF Kuang’s Katabasis. Hell emerged as a clear theme between them and only needed the addition of Aotearoa’s own superstar, Rachel Smythe, to complete it. To the underworld we go!

Thinking differently, 2.30pm (kōrero)

Vincent and Fineran are thrilled to be welcoming YA author and former mental health nurse, Josh Silver (UK), and YA writer David A. Robertson (Canada) to Aotearoa to join local author Karina McHardy for a conversation about navigating neurodiversity and mental health. This is an event designed for a multi-generational audience; one for parents, teachers as well as teens and readers and writers of all ages, too.

Queer the page, 2.50pm (kōrero / masterclass)

Vincent is excited for participants to get involved in this playful blend of chat and craft: Hebe Kearney and Nathan Joe will first explain what “queering the page” means, and does, then they’ll help participants reclaim texts by teaching “blackout poetry” techniques (what can’t the humble ballpoint pen do!).

Weird girl lit, 3.40pm (kōrero)

Weird girl lit is a trending topic on #booktok – but what does it really mean? This event brings together international superstars of the genre, Mieko Kawakami (Japan) and Bora Chung (Korea) with Aotearoa’s own Laura Borrowdale and self-described “strange and unusual” books influencer, Jen Eastwood of Sick Sad Lit, to wrestle with the label.

Hot takes, sharp lines: a spoken word round table, 4pm (kōrero / performance)

Dominic Hoey helped shape up this line up of “poetry baddies” including Mr Meaty Boy, Liam Jacobson, Amber Esau and Michael Pedersen (Scotland) who will perform poems in rounds, with some spicy commentary in between.

Dystopia as protest: write the future that’s fighting back, 4.20pm (masterclass)

How does dystopian fiction pose questions for our present and challenge the systems that oppress us? This is a terrific opportunity for anyone interested in writing for young adults to go deep on the opportunities of the dark with acclaimed British YA author, youth mental health nurse and former actor Josh Silver.

Love won, love lost, love burned up in flames, 5.10pm

Plot Twist goes up in flames with this final, fiery event featuring seven sensational authors (incl. Victor Rodger, Elisabeth Easther, SA Cosby, Sashi Perera and more) curated by father-daughter duo Michael and Matariki Bennett, AWF’s programmers at large. “Every part of the festival has its own gala offering,” says Fineran. “And this one will have all the feels.” It’s also free!

95bFM’s the wire: question time, 5.30pm

Is there anything better than chewing over the big questions of the day with a bunch of lively, articulate people in the know? Max Harris, Gabriella Brayne and Julie Fairey will join bFM hosts to tackle your burning questions – from the fuel crisis to which political party will come up with the best arts policies!