Thanks Geoff and Emily
Mr Trewin's 'top tip' sounds absolutely terrifying.
Susiex

I have been a bit busy recently what with the start-up of United Agents - our new agency set up by 38 agents who left PFD before and after Xmas. It is going brilliantly and our website is http://www.unitedagents.co.uk

I am not writing to you about that - I am writing about the Freedom Through Learning event that took place in Clerkenwell a week or two ago. I really enjoyed the event and enjoyed sharing a platform with Courttia Newland who was terrific. I want to go on the record and say that I was neither offered nor received any fee for doing this event (apart from a bottle of wine!) so am rather concerned from the tone of the comments on the site about the £99 entrance fee that people felt that I was sitting up there counting the money rather than being there for the right reasons. I do lots of events at festivals, universities and such-like and if there is a charge it is usually £3 or £4 quid to cover the organiser's expenses. I was completely unaware of this enormous £99 cost for our event. Money is tight and none more so with budding writers and to be honest I would not have paid £99 to hear the event - we are all watching the pennies these days and I certainly don't have a spare hundred quid to throw around. Had I known it was a paid event at that level I wouldn't have taken part.

I would like to do a free event in the autumn for up to 24 people. We will have a big space in our new building and we could have a couple of hours of chat and advice. If this is of interest then I will make contact with Writewords and we can get it all set up.

And if any of you need general advice between times do email me at strewin@unitedagents.co.uk and I will do my best. My website http://www.simontrewin.com also has lots of advice.

The next email I write is to Freedom Through Learning because I feel a little perturbed by how the cost-element of this event has been perceived.

Sx

Thanks very much for posting that. Bagsie a place for the autumn.

Rod.

That's very generous, Simon.

Just one quick question, if you do come on this thread again: I subbed to United Agents via email back in Jan and never heard back, (queried a few weeks ago and still have no reply.) - is it United Agents' policy simply not to reply if the material is unsuitable, or do you have automated rejection letters? Not bothered either way, would just like to know for the future.

Cheers.

Me too, although in my case I submitted my stuff in February, so I suppose it may just be languishing in a tower of mss somewhere?

<Added>

Bugger! Emails don't languish in towers.

Interesting that Simon didn't know how expensive the event is. I think it's pretty outrageous that they didn't tell him - and in effect made money out of his expertise. I think he's been exploited! Or so it seems to me.

That is an incredibly generous offer from Simon. I would love to go. Susie - still want my spare room?

Sarah

Just to add that I reviewed a collection of Courttia Newland's stories for the Short Review website. This was my own idea, as I'd borrowed it from the library rather than requested a review copy. I'd really recommend it -Writing for the Off-Key, stories about Caribbean youths growing up in West London.

Sheila

Just got back after a few days away - the autumn event sounds great and I might even treat myself to a little London holiday to coincide! Sarah, thanks a lot - whatever, will be lovely to see you there if we can both make it.
Susiex

Simon Trewin came to the Humber Mouth Literary Festival in Hull last year - in June - just before the floods.

The event was at the Central Library and I think it was free - I don't recall paying though it is possible there was a (very) nominal fee?

Anyway it was a great evening - lots of information - Simon took questions at the end and also said that if anyone had any questions they thought of after the event he would reply by email - which I know he did because I received a helpful reply overnight.

Sarah

Has anyone heard any more of this? I've just sent an email to Simon to ask if he is still up for it.

~Rod.

Oh, good for you, Rod. I was reading back over this thread the other day, and wondering.
Susiex