Is that random or do they actually exist?
Like a gathering of all the industry people.
I'm in London and can travel anywhere in the city.
Peace xx

Not quite sure what you mean by this? If it's times when the whole industry gets together, there's only really the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs, plus Bologna for Children's. And then they're all much, much too busy with half-hourly appointments for it to be the right moment for an aspiring author, or indeed any author at all apart from a few Big Names and Bright Young Things wheeled in to give a literary gloss to what's basically a trade fair dealing in books as products and properties.

(And the usual authorly reaction to seeing either Fair in action is to run out screaming and try to throw oneself into the Thames, or the Rhine, as appropriate. If you're very lucky, your publisher will decide you're appropriate bait to lure foreign distributors and maybe some trade press to their after-hours party)

Emma

I assume you mean something like the London Book Fair - which is for business transactions between Agents and Publishers, rather than writers touting their own manuscripts - although I know of at least one case where it has been done successfully: the writer in question hired a table at the London Book fair to tout their own novel. Not really the place for wandering up to an agent and placing your manuscript in their hot little hands, they tend to think you're a bit....how to put this politely....barking, if you do that.

Far better are the Workshops given by an agent, published author, and maybe a publisher, where you might get the chance to say 'Hi' to the Agent and ask if they mind you sending them your manuscript.


- NaomiM

And there are the writers conferences like Winchester and so on: the focus is more on creative writing, but agents and editors do go.

Talking of which, good advice here:

http://editorialanonymous.blogspot.com/2008/08/preparing-for-critique-sessions.html

about how to handle it if you do get a chance for some face-to-face contact or feedback on your work.

Emma

Oh
Not the best news.
But I'd love to find out some details about these Agent workshops, as in actually provided and run by real agents.
Not so I can find an agent, I am terrible at sales in anyway and that definitely includes self-selling lol but just to get a taste, what of I'm not sure.
I need a kick in the un-toned bottom and thought it might spark me.....

This is the link for Winchester, Writers' Conference if you want to bookmark it for next year, (and start saving for the conference fees!). The 2008 conference has already come and gone.

http://www.writersconference.co.uk/index.htm


- NaomiM

There's also Caerleon, which I know Dee's been to more than once. And, actually, quite a lot of literary festivals in general have a strand of writing workshops and getting published seminars and the like, so it's worth a look at them (WAAYB has lists of festivals, I think.)

Emma

Look at bookshops events and similar - for example there was a day at Foyles recently with various talks by writers and also a panel which included Lucy Luck (agent) and publishers from Vintage.

Also keep an eye on the Society of Authors noticeboard and Mslexia, that kind of place...

And at the LBF there are Masterclasses where agents and publishers appear to do a turn and answer questions etc.

And as Emma said, lit fests as well. The Wimbledon BookFest is coming up in October and may have something.

Have you looked in the Events Calendar on here? i think it's really a question of keeping your eyes open and doing a bit of digging.

Ooooo events calender *runs off to find it, shouts thanks*
xxx

I've just spotted this. Yes, Caerleon is especially good for beginners dipping their toes in and finding their way in the writing world. Before you know where you are you're going back year after year to meet old friends and eat too many hash browns… and don’t anyone mention all that wine

It’s very reassuring to see that there are hundreds of struggling writers out there, and the mutual support is wonderful. They also do a winter weekend at Fishguard, which is reported to be very good, although I've not been to it myself.

Here’s a link:

http://www.writersholiday.net

Dee