Writers SA

What Writers SA does

Writers SA is a not-for-profit literary organization based in Adelaide that serves as the peak body for writers in South Australia, operating for approximately 40 years. Its members include individual writers, writing groups, and young writers, supported through tiered annual subscriptions at A$60 for individuals and young writers and A$240 for writing groups. The organization runs workshops, events, and competitions and offers paid professional services including manuscript assessment, mentorship, and first-feedback sessions, supplementing subscription income with donations and grants from supporters including Create SA and several South Australian councils and libraries.

Writers SA publishes Splinter Journal, described as South Australia's only literary journal in print, which functions both as a member benefit and as a standalone cultural product. It has built a network of partnerships with regional councils (including the City of Campbelltown and Copper Coast), public libraries (Unley, Prospect), and adjacent literary organizations such as Express Media, with whom it operates a joint membership arrangement to reach younger creators. The organization is staffed by approximately 18 people and operates within South Australia's creative industries funding ecosystem rather than as a commercial enterprise.

Name

Writers SA

Legal name

Writers SA

Website

https://writerssa.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Writers SA is a not-for-profit literary peak body in Adelaide serving South Australian writers, publishing Splinter Journal, and offering memberships, workshops, manuscript services, and mentorship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Community Services

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)

Keywords

• Literary community services
• Manuscript assessment
• Writing workshops
• Literary journal publishing
• Writer mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Individual memberships start from $60/year, writing groups $240/year, and young writer memberships $60/year. Members receive discounts on services, priority event booking, and access to member-only opportunities.
2. Workshop and Event Fees: Fees from workshops, courses, and events. Members receive discounts but non-members can also attend many events. Revenue from activities like Manuscript Makeover, Teen Writers Club, and Writing Wednesdays.
3. Professional Services: Paid services including manuscript assessment, pre-submission assessment, mentorship programs, and first feedback sessions. These services offer professional development support to writers seeking publication.
4. Donations and Support: Donations from supporters of South Australian writers and writing. The organization accepts donations to support SA writers and writing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Writers SA is a non-profit literary organization that supports South Australian writers through annual memberships, paid professional services (manuscript assessment, pre-submission assessment, first feedback, mentorship), community workshops and programs (Writing Wednesdays, Teen Writers Club), writing competitions, residencies and fellowships, and publication through Splinter Journal — South Australia's only print literary journal. Members receive discounted access to services, priority event booking, and member-only opportunities.

Product overview

Writers SA is a nonprofit literary organization offering a platform of interconnected services supporting writers through all stages of their creative journey. The core offerings include professional manuscript assessment services (Manuscript Assessment, Pre-submission Assessment, First Feedback), structured development programs (Mentorship Program), and the publication pathway through Splinter Journal—South Australia's only print literary journal. Youth development is served through the Teen Writers Club and Young Writers Membership (joint with Express Media). The organization provides writing community through regular programming (Writing Wednesdays), writing group membership, annual competitions, and residencies/fellowships. Individual membership serves as the primary access point, providing discounts across services, priority event booking, and member-only opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Splinter Journal: South Australia's only literary journal in print, published by Writers SA

Products and services

• Manuscript Assessment Professional evaluation service where experts assess writers' manuscripts and provide detailed feedback to help improve the work before publication. Available to Writers SA members and the broader SA writing community.
• Pre-submission Assessment Assessment service preparing manuscripts for submission to publishers, literary agents, or competitions, providing targeted guidance to maximize submission success.
• Mentorship Program Structured program pairing emerging writers with experienced mentors to develop craft and navigate publishing pathways, supporting professional development over an extended engagement.
• First Feedback Introductory feedback service offering writers initial assessment and guidance on their work at an accessible price point as a lower-cost entry into manuscript assessment.
• Self-Publishing Resources Educational resources and guidance for writers pursuing independent publishing routes, covering distribution, formatting and marketing of self-published works.
• Splinter Journal South Australia's only literary journal in print, published by Writers SA, showcasing contemporary Australian writing and literature, and providing a publication pathway for SA writers.
• Writing Wednesdays Recurring weekly in-person writing session using the Pomodoro Technique, providing structured quiet writing time and community for participants in Adelaide.
• Teen Writers Club Term-based workshop program for high school-aged writers offering a safe and engaging environment to develop writing skills, connect with peers, and explore creative expression.
• Individual Membership Annual membership for individual writers of all experience levels at $60/year, unlocking discounts on workshops and services, manuscript assessment discounts, partner offers, priority event booking, access to free member events, member-only residencies and competitions, weekly e-news, free info sheets, promotion opportunities, and community access.
• Writing Group Membership Annual group membership at $240/year for organized writing groups of all sizes, providing group promotion, workshop discounts, and free venue and meeting space for members.
• Young Writers Membership Annual joint membership with Express Media for writers under 25 at $60/year, combining the full benefits of Writers SA membership with Express Media membership and resources.
• Writing Competitions Annual and ongoing writing competitions offering South Australian writers opportunities for recognition and publication, including the Campbelltown Writer's Competition (theme: Connections, 2026).
• Residencies and Fellowships Supported residencies and fellowships providing writers with time, space, and resources to focus on their creative projects.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.

• Express MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint membership partnership for writers under 25. Young writers receive dual membership benefits from both Writers SA and Express Media, expanding resources and opportunities for young writers across Australia.
• Create SAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor supporter of Writers SA. Create SA is South Australia's arts and cultural authority, providing funding and support for the organization's mission to support SA writers and writing.
• City of CampbelltowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the annual Campbelltown Writer's Competition. Writers from across South Australia invited to submit original stories inspired by the theme of Connections. Competition entries must link to Campbelltown area or residents.
• Unley LibrariessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost partner for author events including 'A Night of Mystery with Michael Caleb Tasker and Rebecca Heath'. Libraries provide venue and audience for literary programming.
• Prospect LibrarysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost partner for author events including launch of David Brooks' new book. Libraries collaborate on literary events for the community.
• Ellipsis PoetrysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for monthly poetry open mic events held at Arthur Art Bar. Events on second Thursday of each month except March.
• Various South Australian CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil Partnerships and Events program through which Writers SA collaborates with councils across South Australia to deliver writing programs, competitions, and events for regional communities.
• Copper CoastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for open mic poetry events in the Copper Coast region, supporting regional literary engagement.
• Pink Shorts PressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for book party events celebrating September titles at Adelaide Arcade, supporting local publishing community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Writing NSW: New South Wales state writers' centre offering a near-identical model of membership, workshops, manuscript assessments, and publishing pathways. Most directly comparable peer given shared structure, services, and peak-body positioning.
• Writers Victoria: Victorian equivalent state writers' organisation delivering workshops, mentorship, manuscript services, and literary events with similar membership-based community model.
• Writing Queensland: Queensland state writers' centre providing comparable writer development services, workshops, and community programs to Queensland writers.
• ACT Writers Centre: Canberra-based writers' centre with similar membership, workshop, and manuscript services model serving ACT writers.
• TasWriters: Tasmanian writers' organisation with comparable peak-body role, member services, and workshop/event programming for a similarly small jurisdiction.
• Varuna Writers' House: Writers' residency and workshop provider offering comparable residencies, fellowships, and intensive writer development programs — a service line directly comparable to Writers SA's offerings.
• Faber Academy: Commercial creative writing school offering workshops, manuscript assessments, and courses with similar service mix to Writers SA's professional development portfolio, though for-profit and UK-based.

Emerging players

• Express Media: Australian youth literary organisation with overlapping youth-writer focus and joint membership partnership with Writers SA. Comparable audience and programmatic overlap in youth writing development.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Society of Authors: National peak body for Australian authors offering advocacy, contracts advice, and professional services. Operates at national scale with broader author-focused mandate versus Writers SA's regional community focus.
• Wheeler Centre: Melbourne-based literary centre hosting author talks, festivals, workshops, and residencies with broader programming and institutional scale. Comparable public-program focus but operating at larger venue scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Writers SA