Some exciting news to share for any writers or aspiring writers out there! My thanks to the fabulous Angela McMahon of Flow Communications for asking me to be a part of sharing the press release! Check this out:
Self-published authors to join team of experts at UK’s biggest creative writing festival. The Writers’ Workshop has today announced the programme for this year’s Festival of Writing, the biggest creative writing event in the UK, which takes place annually in York. This year the Writers’ Workshop has invited two hugely successful self-published authors to join traditionally published names in speaking at the festival. Mark Edwards and Rachel Abbot, who have each sold more than two million copies of their books and are now published by Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint, will address hundreds of aspiring writers about the different routes to publication, sharing their experiences and talking about the value of self-publishing.
In previous years key speakers at the Festival of Writing have included well-known names like Jojo Moyes, Stuart MacBride and Adele Parks. Edwards and Abbott’s participation this year indicates how much more mainstream and valued self-publishing has become within the book world, and demonstrates the many creative opportunities now available for writers: “After fifteen years trying to get a publishing deal, Amazon helped me achieve my lifelong dream of being a full-time writer. Now I’ve sold over two million books and support my family doing the thing I love.” – Mark Edwards
The Festival of Writing is one of the most influential and highly regarded creative gatherings in the publishing calendar. It attracts hundreds of aspiring authors from across the UK who gather each year to meet agents and publishers to pitch their ideas, attend creative workshop and benefit from one-to-one tutorials with editors and industry experts, honing their craft and helping them on the path to publication. One of the highlights of the weekend is the now famous ‘Friday Night Live’ competition (often described as the literary X Factor) when delegates read 500 words of their manuscript to be critiqued by a panel of experts. Previous winners have gone on to great success with bestselling novels and six-figure book deals.
The 2014 winner Joanna Cannon read from her future bestseller THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP. Within 48 hours of leaving York she had seven offers from book agents and went on to become a Sunday Times bestseller in hardback and paperback. As a result of her experiences, Cannon set up a bursary for unpublished authors to attend the Festival of Writing. She described the life-changing impact it had on her own career saying: “The Festival of Writing gave me the confidence and self-belief I needed. It was the first time I’d presented my writing to anyone, and being in such a supportive, friendly and enthusiastic environment is something I will remember forever.” – Joanna Cannon
The Festival of Writing takes place 8-10 September 2017 in York. Tickets are on sales from Thursday 13 April.
For more information and the full programme visit: http://www.writersworkshop.co.uk/FestivalofWriting2017.html
Yes, it does….so I won’t be going either as hotel for Bloody Scotland is booked! YAY
Unfortunately it clashes with Bloody Scotland, which I’m aiming at this year.