Testimonials

Begoña Quesada

“In three words, people, people, people. As beautiful as Stockholm is, as practical and well-prepared the venues... what has stuck with me are the stories of my fellow participants... the friendly team and the gentle, inspirational leadership of the captain.”

SWF22 Attendee

“The fabulous people, attendees, staff and faculty alike, all generous with their time and expertise.”

SWF23 Attendee

“I had never been to a gathering like this before SWF23 and I was pretty terrified to step over the threshold of the first meeting. I felt like an imposter. But the thing about the Festival is everyone is so inviting. The vibe is so friendly, that my anxiety quickly faded. Did I mention how much I learned? It was all great.”

SWF20 Attendee

“The best thing about SWF22? Getting to know more about the publishing business from people with experience, and gaining new contacts and hints about how to present/sell your manuscript.”

Joe Mcleod

"As I approached writing from being a designer first, many of the established norms of writing are quite distant to me. Going to the SWF events have been really helpful in exposing me to this new world. I am learning a wide range of techniques and approaches that I would have never discovered without attending such an event.”

SWF22 Attendee

“What I loved most was meeting other writers and sharing stories, impressions and ideas with them and everyone’s willingness to share knowledge and experiences.”

Linda Lodding

“While I already had seven books published prior to attending SWF, any opportunity to network with other writers and industry professionals is a wonderful pitstop on the path to published.  What I now recognize, and perhaps didn’t at the time, is that, as writers, we can learn so much from writers who write in other genres. I even learn from other artists who tell their stories in different mediums.”

SWF22 Attendee

“What I liked most? The quality of the workshop sessions - on point speakers, interactive, in command of their topics. Clear, structured, fun and insightful! I learned alot.”

Maddie Lama Sjåtil

"What stuck with me after the festivals, was that yes, I can actually do this writing thing! And there are so many others like me doing the same thing, at the same stage. Listening to the panel discussions and taking workshops from published authors, some who had just released their debut novels, was inspiring and encouraging. "

SWF23 Attendee

“The festival delivered what it promised: Quality sessions with generous content about writing. Can’t wait for next year!”

Sophie Austen

"You walk away with so much inspiration and so much knowledge that even if you are in the deepest of writing ruts you’ll want to go home and get working on your manuscript as quickly as possible.”"It’s a great place to push your craft forward, to meet fellow writers and to learn more about the business of writing and publishing, along with being a whole lot of fun!”

SWF23 Attendee

“I liked everything: The speakers, the talks, but mostly the environment. Having such friendly people willing to talk, open about all parts of writing and publishing. Everyone was so welcoming, organizers and attendees. The information I got from this conference is invaluable!”

Linda Jämsen

"As soon as I walked into SWF19, I received a warm welcome from the organizers and the other attendees. It was wonderful! I participated in Literary Idol, which can be a bit intimidating if you’ve submitted your first page to be judged. Thankfully, the Stockholm version was much kinder than others I’ve attended…"

SWF22 Attendee

“The event was extremely well organized but more importantly, the environment created was supportive and judgment-free: everyone seemed to want to genuinely connect with one another. I felt welcome from the moment I arrived at the venue. As for the breakout sessions and panel discussions, they were incredibly helpful and insightful. I'm so grateful for the experts' and industry insiders' generosity.”