Writer Melissa Lucashenko will be one of the visiting authors attending the first Kyogle Writers Festival.

The inaugural event will have the topic of 'country' as its theme, and will be held May 14 to 26.

More than 40 writers will participate, including novelists, short-story writers, poets, nonfiction writers, local historians and songwriters.

Acclaimed Aboriginal writer of Goori and European heritage, Melissa Lucashenko, will be attending.

Her novel, Too Much Lip, earned her the Miles Franklin Award for literature in 2019.

Human rights activist and founder of the Sydney Peace Foundation, Stuart Rees, will discuss his latest book, Cruelty or Humanity: Challenges, Opportunities and Responsibilities.

Former ABC journalist Scott Bevan (7.30, Foreign Correspondent) will be reflecting on the set of three nonfiction books he has written while kayaking on the Hunter River (The Hunter), Sydney Harbour (The Harbour) and Lake Macquarie (The Lake).

The festival program includes conversations with authors, panel discussions on topics such as Indigenous writing, writing in a time of climate change and poetry readings.

Workshops will enable visitors to hone their craft, and they will range in topics from writing young adult fiction, narrative podcasting, songwriting, writing children's stories as well as writing for the media.

Kyogle writer and poet, Katinka Smit, said she will run a workshop on writing local history.

"The best historical writing imagines what it was like for those who lived then," she said.

"It is the day to day lives of the past that fascinate most".

One of the event's organiser, Paul Shields, invited Northern Rivers book lovers to be part of the festival.

"Writers' festivals expand horizons, stimulate thinking and engage people in ideas they may not have really considered before," he said.

"We hope the festival becomes a sustainable annual addition to Kyogle's event calendar, helping to contribute to the town's cultural landscape while at the same time showcasing this extraordinary area to visitors."

The full program, locations and tickets available at the Festival's website, www.kyoglewritersfestival.com.