By Sunny Moen, Sabeehah Saleq, Michaela O’Callaghan and Rosie Burgoyne
Publishing: Here & There – Hosted by SYP London & Ireland
27 April, 6:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.
This panel event from the Society of Young Publishers promises to be full of fascinating insights from industry professionals. They will speak about their journey into publishing and regional diversity within the industry. Sign up here.
Dara McAnulty in Conversation with Lucy Siegle
29 April, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
In this insightful online event, Wainwright Prize-winning nature writer Dara McAnulty is joined by environmental journalist Lucy Siegle to reflect on the inspiration behind his writing, and discuss the youth activism that has propelled campaigns against the climate crisis. Sign up here.
Poetry & the Creative Mind – Virtual Gala Supporting National Poetry Month
30 April, 12:30 a.m.
Hosted by the Academy of American Poets, this annual gala highlights the importance of poetry in our culture. This year’s gala features an extraordinary line up of guests, including Meryl Streep, Regina King, Sandra Oh and more. Be sure to sign up for this free event here.
Swindon Festival of Literature
3–9 May
Join Cat Weatherill, the best-selling author of Wild Magic, to discover how she adds that magical touch to her books. A discussion with Lennie Goodings, Chair of the iconic Virago Press, is also not to be missed; listen as Lennie discusses her newly-published book, A Bite of the Apple, a celebration of writing, publishing and reading. Find out more about this brilliant collection of online events here.
Writing Practice: Using Prompts to Get the Creative Juices Flowing
5 May, 6:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Rachel Mann, author of On Blackberry Hill, leads this fantastic online workshop which will help writers of all genres to sharpen their writing skills. If you are a budding writer ready to master your craft, sign
up here.
Rosie Garland Talks to Megan Taylor
5 May, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
In this event organised by Nottingham’s Five Leaves Bookshop, Rosie Garland reads from her latest poetry collection, What Girls Do in the Dark. Rosie writes long and short fiction and was named by Val McDermid “one of the UK’s most compelling LGBT writers today.” Join in and ask Rosie questions as she discusses her life and writing. Free tickets here.
A Career in Publishing: Editorial
6 May, 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Some of Bloomsbury’s most talented team members will be interviewed at this event. The host will attempt to cut to the heart of their roles and their careers so far, including what they wish they had done differently. In turn, they have promised to respond honestly, warts and all, regarding what they love, and love to hate, about bringing new books to life, with a Q&A at the end. Sign up here.
Richard Dawkins in Conversation with Matt Ridley
6 May, 6:30 p.m.
Be sure to sign up for this fantastic event where best-selling author Richard Dawkins promotes his new book Books Do Furnish a Life. In conversation with fellow science writer Matt Ridley, the discussion will cover the work of key figures such as Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan and more. Sign up here.
Publishing in a Pandemic: A Glimpse of Future Opportunities & Challenges
8 May, 9:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
It’s often said that the pandemic has accelerated changes already underway in business, and this has proven especially true for book publishing. This event will delve into the industry and explore the changes COVID-19 has incited, as well as the road ahead. Host Jane Friedman is a full-time entrepreneur and has twenty years of experience in the publishing industry. Get tickets to this intriguing event here.
The British Book Awards
13 May, 4:00 p.m.
Are you ready for the Nibbies? 2021 has been a tough and strange year in the book industry, so it has perhaps never been more important to celebrate the successes of publishers, retailers, agents and authors! Find out which books have been awarded Book of the Year in their relevant categories, from Children’s Fiction and Audiobook to Fiction: Début and the new Pageturner for popular fiction. It is a testament to industry professionals’ hard work and resilience that such great literary works have been able to reach the hands of booklovers throughout the pandemic.
Alongside the Book of the Year Awards, celebrate the Trade Awards and gain brilliant industry knowledge to bring to your next cover letter and interview. If you are obsessed with marketing, make sure to find out who won the Marketing Strategy of the Year. If you are a proud supporter of independent bookshops, find out which bookshops are vying for the top prize here. There are also awards for top Editor, Designer, Rights Professional and much more! Find out all about the ceremony and view the shortlists here.
U.S. Book Show Conference
25 May, 3:00 p.m. to 27 May, 10:00 p.m.
This event is for connecting the community and building a buzz around books. Join Publishers Weekly on this three-day event, which will have a wide array of book and author panels. Get tickets here.
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