The Literary Consultancy, the UK’s most established editorial consultancy, is delighted to announce the third year programme for the Writing in a Digital Age Literary Conference, with author and campaigner Cory Doctorow delivering the opening keynote, addressing head-on the thorny question of ‘Intellectual Property in a Digital Age’, and bringing us up to date with his own pioneering brand of publishing.
It will set the scene for debate and discussion over two days, with more than 30 writers, journalists, publishers, literary agents, and digital pioneers taking part. In a new development for 2014, conference ticket holders will also be entitled to a third bonus day which will include a Masterclass from the Royal Society of Literature (RSL) in association with Booker Prize Foundation, and a dynamic session with literary agents and publishers. A revamped Pen Factor competition, supported by Kobo Writing Life, offers the chance for 15 writers to benefit from professional feedback on their writing and in-group critiquing on June 15th.
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
- A publishing industry snapshot in a year when Amazon claim that 25% of profits were made from self-publishing, with Steve Bohme (Nielson Books), James Gill (United Agents), Stephen Page (Faber & Faber), and the Guardian’s Claire Armitstead
- A presentation by some of publishing’s visionaries about how writers can carry their stories across a range of storytelling mediums, including Jon Ingold (Inkle) and Francis Bickmore (Canongate)
- ‘The Writer in the Machine’, a must-not-miss in-depth session led by Orna Ross and entrepreneurial author Joanna Penn, presenting case studies that explore how writers can become ‘creative directors’ of their own careers, and what it takes to succeed in different corners of the market
- Modern book criticism will come in for some hard questioning with book blogging’s first lady, Dovegreyreader and writer and journalist Sam Leith among others, asking whether book reviews have any real value to offer any more
- And back by popular demand: Canon Tales, a rapid-fire presentation that lifts the lid of what drives nine of the UK’s top players in the world of books and digital, including author and journalist Kamila Shamsie, Max Porter (Granta Books), Maggie Fergusson (RSL, and author), Chris Gribble (Writers’ Centre Norwich) and Daniel Cooper (Former Amazon Head of KD Publishing, self-published author)
In addition, this year’s Pen Factor Writing Competition is open to both new writers and previously published. With the help of Kobo Writing Life, the winner will be offered a year’s access to TLC literary and publishing events at Free Word Centre, and editorial and advisory support. Two runners-up and a further twelve entrants will benefit from advice given during a pitching and feedback session run on the bonus third day in an exciting expansion of the competition which will have something to offer all delegates.
TLC Director Rebecca Swift said: “We couldn’t be prouder to announce our key associates for 2014, The Royal Society of Literature, and the Alliance of Independent Authors. We feel that this combination, of old and new, represents what’s best of traditional literary values as digital publishing moves forward, as well as the most visionary of what’s to come.
