Thursday 22 March
Fake News or True Stories?
Blurring the lines between Fact and Fiction - workshop with Alison Taft
Where do you get all your ideas from? This is one of the most common questions writers get asked. Ideas are all around us but how do you translate them onto the page and make them into compelling poems and stories? Why does fiction have to work harder than fact? And does truth matter in these post-truth times? This fun and friendly workshop will enable you to steal like an artist and provide inspiration for your own imagination to work on.
Alison Taft’s first three novels were published by Caffeine Nights, an independent press based in Kent. She now writes under the name Ali Harper. Her latest novel,
The Disappeared will be published by Harper Collins in June 2018. She has recently received Arts Council Funding to write the next book in the series.
10.00am - 12.00pm HEART Centre, Bennett Road
£4
Saturday 24 March
Pitch and Pen
Ever wondered whether that idea you have for a novel, or a poetry or short story collection could fly?
Would you like the chance to pitch to a team of publishing industry professionals?
You’ve seen Dragons’ Den, so now Headingley Litfest invites you to pitch your ideas in front of an audience and a panel of professional writers and publishers. Not only is this a great chance to see whether your idea is sound, it also gives you a chance to see what the competition is like out there. What makes a great idea stand out from the pile?
The winning pitcher(s) will be invited to submit a synopsis and sample of their work for consideration by either Valley Press based in Scarborough, or Sheffield based And Other Stories. Regardless of whether a publishing contract is offered, feedback will be provided on the submission package.
The panel of judges will be made up of:
Jamie McGarry Publisher/Director - Valley Press
Anna Glendenning Editor - And Other Stories
Alison Taft - Novelist and Editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy
£5 to pitch -
places to pitch are limited and to apply for a ticket you must please
email litfestpitchnpen@gmail.com stating whether you want to pitch poetry/short stories or a novel.
£2 to attend - on the door.
4.00pm - 6.00pm New Headingley Club, St Michael’s Road
Valley Press (est. 2008) is a thriving independent publishing house based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. With authors from all corners of the UK, as well as Canada, the USA, India, Bermuda and China, it brings the world to Yorkshire and Yorkshire to the world. There are more than 100 titles currently in print, including poetry (collections, pamphlets and anthologies), fiction (novels and short stories) and non-fiction (travel writing and memoirs). 2018 will see further expansion, with musical history and graphic novels appearing on the shelves. Valley Press’s most important belief is that great literature and great publishing is for everyone and anyone. Get in touch if you agree.
And Other Stories publishes some of the best in contemporary writing. It aims to push people’s reading limits and help them discover authors of adventurous and inspiring writing. And Other Stories is its readers, editors, writers, translators and subscribers. While all its books are distributed widely through bookshops, it is subscribers’ support that makes the books happen. The press now has about 1,000 active subscribers in over 40 countries, receiving up to 6 books a year in advance of publication date.