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Insider tip
Trying to create a comedy game through dialogue or regular one-liners when the gameplay takes itself too seriously is likely to give the player the feeling of a game at odds with itself. Writing for Video Games by Steve Ince-
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How to Get Published
Reach for your diary, and pencil in 19th June. It’s time for…
(And make sure you don’t miss another conference or masterclass – sign up to join our Writing mailing list).
Download our booking form (PDF), or read on to learn more about:
The Insider Guide to How to Get Published
If you are serious about getting published, this one-day conference on Saturday 19 June 2010 is for you.
This is the second in a series of courses brought to you by the publishers of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, the bestselling media guide for emerging writers and artists since 1901.
The day gives you a complete overview of how to get your work ready for submission, and will be filled with top tips, advice and feedback from industry specialists.
1. Conference programme
Saturday 19 June 2010.
Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3GA
9.30 am: Doors open
10.00 am: Welcome
10.05 am: Introduction by Chair, LIZ CALDER, co-founder, Bloomsbury Publishing and Full Circle Editions
10.20 am: What every author should know about today’s publishing industry RICHARD CHARKIN, Executive Director, Bloomsbury
11 am: Break
11.20 pm: What to submit and how, JO HERBERT, Editor Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook (will incorporate a short break)
1.20 pm: Lunch
2.20 pm: ‘But is it any good?’ ALISON BAVERSTOCK, writer, publisher and trainer
3.00 pm: How I got published KATIE HICKMAN, Bloomsbury author
3.30 pm: Break
3.45 pm: Do I need an agent? CAROLE BLAKE, Agent & Joint Managing Director, Blake Friedmann Literary Agency
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2. Speaker profiles
Liz Calder began her publishing career at Victor Gollancz, before moving to Jonathan Cape in 1979. In 1986 she joined Nigel Newton, David Reynolds and Alan Wherry to set up Bloomsbury Publishing, where her fiction stable included Booker winners Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje and Nobel literature laureate Nadine Gordimer.
She has been a member of the Arts Council Literature Panel, chair of the Royal Court Theatre, a founding director of the Groucho Club, and since 2003 has been a co-founder and President of the Parati International Literary Festival (FLIP) in Brazil. In 2009 she joined Louis Baum, John Christie and Genevieve Christie to form a new Suffolk-based publishing house, Full Circle Editions.
Richard Charkin has an MA in Natural Sciences from Trinity College, Cambridge; was a Supernumerary Fellow of Green College, Oxford; and attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. He is Executive Director of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. He is also a non-executive director of the Institute of Physics Publishing.
He is a member of the Strategy Advisory Board of the British Library; a member of the Institute of English Studies Advisory Board; a member of the UK’s Literary Heritage Group; a Trustee and former Chairman of Common Purpose International; Council member and former President of the Publishers Association; and Visiting Professor at the University of the Arts London.
He has held senior positions at Macmillan (CEO worldwide), part of Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck (Director); Current Science Group (CEO); Reed Elsevier (CEO Reed International Books); and Oxford University Press (Managing Director Academic and General Divisions).
Jo Herbert has 14 years’ experience of the publishing industry. She has worked for three mainstream publishers in various editorial roles, most recently at A&C Black for the past eight years as Editor of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook and the Children’s Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook.
She has written articles for Publishing News and runs writers’ workshops at UK literary festivals on the subject of getting published. She lives in London but is originally from Wales.
Alison Baverstock began her career in publishing before setting up a marketing consultancy mainly specialising in the book business. Her writing grew out of her professional experience; she began by writing for publishers on how to market books (the job she did) and now mostly advises those who want to get published on how to achieve their dream (apparently the second most common new year’s resolution).
She is the author of ‘Is there a book in you?’ and ‘Marketing your book an author’s guide’ (both A&C Black) and is the course leader of the MA in Publishing at Kingston University.
She is a regular interviewee on BBC Breakfast to talk about reading, writing and parenting, and has also appeared on Richard and Judy, Open Book, Quote…Unquote and Woman’s Hour. She regularly gives talks at writing festivals and helped found the Kingston Readers’ Festival.
She and her husband have four children and live in Kingston-upon-Thames. She writes regularly for Writers’ Forum and Mslexia as well as articles for the national press.
Katie Hickman is the author The Aviary Gate, a stunning tale of intrigue in the Sultan’s harem, and The Quetzal Summer, which was listed for the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year award. Her latest novel, The Pindar Diamond, will be published by Bloomsbury in June 2010.
She has also written two bestselling history books, Courtesans and Daughters of Britannia, and two travel books: Travels with a Circus, which was shortlisted for the 1993 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, and Dreams of the Peaceful Dragon.
Katie Hickman lives in London with her two children and her husband, the philosopher A. C. Grayling.
Carole Blake has worked in publishing for 47 years. In 1977, she started her own literary agency which merged with Julian Friedmann’s agency to become Blake Friedmann in 1983.
Carole is a past President of the Association of Authors’ Agents and the past Chairman of the Society of Bookmen. She is a member of the advisory board for City University’s postgraduate publishing course and UCLA’s postgraduate publishing course. She was a board member for the book trade charity, Book Trade Benevolent Society for many years, and served as Chairman from 2004 until 2007. She is now a lifelong Patron for the charity, and became President in May 2010.
Her book, ‘From Pitch to Publication: Everything You Need to Know to Get Your Novel Published’, was published in 1999 by Macmillan. It is now in its 11th UK printing and is used by publishing companies and literary agencies to train new staff.
Carole’s clients include Jane Asher, Elizabeth Chadwick, Barbara Erskine, Ann Granger, David Hewson, Peter James, Lawrence Norfolk, Joseph O’Connor, Sheila O’Flanagan, Craig Russell, Tess Stimson, Julian Stockwin and Michael White.
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3. Booking details
Date: Saturday 19th June 2010
Venue: Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3GA
Price: £60 (lunch and refreshments included); £50 student; £50 early-bird discount for bookings until 30 April 2010.
Level: introductory/beginner.
Special discount on A&C Black writing books available on the day.
Student discount: students can enjoy £10 off the ticket price.
Places are strictly limited, so book early to avoid disappointment.
For further information email Ellen Williams or tel. +44 (0) 207 494 8533. To book your place, please download the booking form (PDF) and return it to Ellen Williams, Publicity, A&C Black, 36 Soho Square, London W1D 3QY.
Disclaimer: A&C Black Publishers take no responsibility for lost or damaged applications. Tickets are non-refundable. Speakers are subject to change without notice. Students are required to show valid NUS card on day of conference in order to qualify for student discount. Recordings are strictly prohibited. Bags and coats left at owner’s risk. Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break. Please note filming will take place throughout the conference.
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