

SEMINARS

Introduction to the London Author Fair


Official welcome to the first ever London Author Fair, by the fair's co-founders Gareth Howard and Hayley Radford.
Gareth Howard |
CEO, Authoright
Hayley Radford |
Authoright, Director of Marketing
Co-Founders of the London Author Fair

Author Entrepreneur: Why Your Book is your Startup
All authors - self published, trad and hybrid - are required these days to work on their book with the same energy and committment as if it were their business. This seminar will tell you why this is the case, and how you can master your own book startup.

Chair
Porter Anderson |
Journalist

Eileen Gittins |
CEO, Blurb

Gareth Howard |
CEO, Authoright

The Business of Books
Writing is a passion, publishing is a business. So the quote goes. Here leading lights will discuss how the business nuts and bolts of publishing is changing, and how it affects you, the creative force behind the industry.

Chair
Philip Jones |
Editor,
The Bookseller

John Thompson |
Professor, University of Cambridge

Holly Bennion |
Exec Commissioning Editor, Wiley

Simon Skinner |
Sales Director, Nielsen BookData

Suzanne Baboneau |
MD, Adult Publishing Simon & Schuster

Agents of Change: the Evolution of the Literary Agent
Agents. We all need one. Do we? Is it true that Agents are now becoming publishers too? Our panel of leading literary agents will discuss how their role is changing and take questions from the floor.

Chair
Porter Anderson |
Journalist



Andrew Lownie | The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency
Hellie Ogden |
Janklow & Nesbitt
Oliver Munson |
AM Heath

Gordon Wise |
Curtis Brown

Making Your Mark & Marketing Your Book
Branding and marketing are crucial. And the responsibility of getting them right will often be left to the author.
Our panel of experts will offer practical and creative advice to authors starting out based on their own experiences.

Chair

Adele Parks |
Bestselling Author
Hayley Radford |
Director of Marketing


Julia Coblentz |
Nook Press
Matt Cain |
TV Presenter & Author

Content is King: What can Publishers and Authors Learn from Other Industries?
TV, Film and the computer games industries are leading the way when it comes to exploring exciting and ambitious new ways of developing and sharing stories and ideas. What does the future hold for the book? And what can publishing do to keep up? Find out here!

Chair
Gareth Howard |
Authoright

Kate Pullinger |
Literary Prize Winner & Academic


Anya Saunders | BBC
Writer, Producer &
Director
Russell Harding |
Creative/Game Director,
Sony Computer Entertainment

Distribution: Why it's so Important for Authors
Distribution remains one of the most critical yet mysterious parts of the publishing process for most authors. This panel will tell you everything you need to know in order to maximise your reach and drive book sales.

Chair




Sheila Bounford |
Publishing Expert
Anna Lewis |
Valobox & Completely Novel
Camille Mofidi |
Kobo Writing Life
Ruth Jones |
Ingram
Darren Hardy |
Amazonl

Discoverability and Connecting with Readers
The connection between readers and writers is stronger than ever. And with that the power of direct marketing from creator to consumer. But it's a big wide web out there. How do you break through the white noise and reach your audience?

Chair
Porter Anderson |
Journalist

Gareth Howard |
Authoright

Patrick Brown |
Goodreads

The Big Publishing Brain Storm: how can we get to where we want to be in 2020?

Chair




Eileen Gittins |
CEO, Blurb
Patrick Brown |
Goodreads
Adele Parks |
Author
Gareth Howard |
CEO, Authoright
Porter Anderson |
Journalist



Polly Courtney |
Self Published
Author
Andrew Lownie |
Literary Agent
Piers Blofeld |
Literary Agent