14 APRIL 2020 http://www.writers-online.co.uk???
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Ask a Literary Consultant
‘I’m a debut writer and would like to attend London Book Fair
this year. Are there any tips you may have? Do I need to set up
meetings beforehand or should I wait until I’m there and hope
for a chance encounter with an agent?’
London Book Fair (LBF) is one of two main trade publishing fairs
(the other one is Frankfurt in the autumn) and this year it’s based
at Olympia London, 10-12 March. It’s predominantly aimed at
agents, editors and publishing professionals from all over the
world and it’s their chance to do business and forge relationships
with one another. There are over 25,000 attendees – it’s vast,
incredible, and hectic.
It’s not really an opportunity for unrepresented authors to
meet agents in the traditional agents’ floor set-up, sadly. [But
don’t give up reading yet. There’s a more accepted way to catch
an agent’s eye, see below.] Agents have their own domain in the
International Rights Centre and it’s almost impossible to get in.
And if you do manage to get in – we have heard of a few plucky
authors who’ve managed it, generally more by accident than
design – it’s generally frowned upon if you don’t have a meeting
set up in advance. Setting up a meeting in advance would be
the polite way but you may not have much luck. Agents are
frantically busy meeting their published authors and negotiating
deals and have very little space to entertain prospective authors
(however willing they may be). As with everything, there are
always the exceptions, but I wouldn’t go there with the goal of
making that connection. If it happens then brilliant, but if not,
don’t put undue pressure on yourself. Take LBF for what it is,
which is a great opportunity to be exposed to the dizzying world
of publishing and to equip yourself with information.
So, historically, LBF hasn’t been too focused on authors wanting
to attract an agent or publisher. However, in recent years LBF
has dedicated a floor to indie authors – Author HQ – which
hosts a variety of seminars on how to get published or become an
authorpreneur. There is also a dedicated area nearby called Writer’s
Block, home primarily to companies that assist writers, such as
the Society of Authors and Alliance of Independent Authors.
We (Cornerstones) will be at stand 1F54 in Writer’s Block, and
you’re welcome to come by and say hello – we’re a friendly team
and would love to see you. We’ll be sharing the stand with our
educator providers, Professional Writing Academy, who run courses
for writers, including our online editing course, Edit Your Novel
the Professional Way. If the prospect of developing your CV and
skillset appeals to you then PWA are a great route forward.
If you’re a would-be professional writer, attending LBF is, in
my view, worth it. Once you’ve paid for your visitor pass there
are a multitude of free seminars that you can dip in and out of,
including a Dragon’s Den style opportunity, The Write Stuff,
where writers will be pitching their stories to a panel of agents.
There are also some dedicated conferences, such as the Writers’
Summit, which lasts for much of Tuesday, and I will be on a panel
for the Insights Programme about the writing process – Playing
with Prose: Plot, Character, Setting, on Tuesday 10 March, at
Author HQ, 2.30-3.30pm. Do come and join in and bombard us
with questions! (See the LBF website for more information: http://www.
londonbookfair.co.uk/)
If you do brave LBF but within moments feel overwhelmed,
make straight for our stand in Writers’ Block. You can then take
stock and plan your day. We’re a few feet from the main seminar
area so it’s a good place to start. Some final tips: don’t forget to
bring water and a snack (there are cafés but expect long queues
during busy periods), wear comfy shoes, don’t bring a full copy
of your manuscript, do bring flyers for your book and business
cards, and bring a notepad and pen, plus a carrier bag for any
spare books that come your way.
We hope to see you there.A debut writer planning to attend the London Book Fair gets sound advice on making
the most of their visit from Helen Corner-BryantDevelopmental editing
and mentoring
Copyediting and proofreading
Scouts for literary agentsCall Helen Corner-Bryant +44 (0) 1308 897374 http://www.cornerstones.co.uk
“
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The UK’s leading
#1 TRANSATLANTIC LITERARY CONSULTANCY literary consultancy
When I contacted Cornerstones I was assigned a fabulous mentor, who helped
me to improve on my original manuscript with her winning combination of
insight, knowledge, enthusiasm and a bit of tough love. Although it wasn’t
always easy, it was worth it! I now have a three book deal, and have at last
fulfi lled my ambition to become a published author.- Chris Penhall, e House at Alice Built (Ruby Fiction, 2020)