Writers' Day

A fantastic opportunity to develop your writing skills and gain invaluable insights into the workings of the publishing industry. Supporting both emerging and established writers, our Writers' Day aims to build a lasting legacy and invest in the future of marginalised authors. Alongside a full programme of events and workshops, there will be opportunities to book in for 121s with industry professionals throughout the day. 

Thursday 20 June | 10am-9pm
Brighton University City Campus, 58-67 Grand Parade, BN2 0JY

10am-12pm | Writers’ Workshop: 'The Power of Voice'
What makes a piece of writing distinctive? How can we elevate our writing and create unforgettable images and scenes? Informal and fun, this workshop with writer Georgina Aboud provides approaches and tools to develop your voice and create writing that is hard to forget!
£12 or included in £20 all-day ticket

1pm-2pm | Introduction to Grant-fundraising with Yemisi Mokuolu 
We have put together this bite-size one hour session to give you a greater understanding of the methods and approaches behind grant-fundraising that will increase your chances of successfully winning grant applications.
You will leave this session with a clear understanding on:
   > What are grants for?
   > Why funders fund?
   > Who are the funders?
   > Where to find funders?
This workshop has been designed for people who are at the start of their grant-fundraising journey, but is open to those with more experience and are looking for more insights.
Free to attend, please book your ticket in advance

6pm-9pm | Meet The Industry 

Your chance to have your burning questions about the publishing world answered as our panel delves into its inner workings and shares hard-won insights, followed by drinks and networking.

Antony Harwood is a literary agent who represents both debut writers and prize-winning bestsellers across all genres. He was a publicist and then commissioning editor at Chatto & Windus publishers before becoming an agent in 1985. A Director at the Wylie, Aitken & Stone and Curtis Brown agencies, he founded his own agency in 2000 and is now based in Oxford.

Aimée Felone is Managing Director of Knights Of, winner of Children’s Publisher of the Year at the British Book Awards 2022. She founded and runs the multi award-winning inclusive publisher, and is focused on bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront of commercial children’s publishing. With a team led by women of colour, and an unwavering focus on their intended readership for each book, Aimee works to engage with gatekeepers across the industry. 

Sile Edwards began her publishing career in campaigns and communications, eventually moving into selling books and co-representing clients at Curtis Brown.  In her first year as a Literary Agent, Sile was named a Trailblazer by London Book Fair. She has written many top-performing columns for The Bookseller and serves as a trustee on the board for the award-winning mentoring charity Arts Emergency.

£8 or included in £20 all-day ticket