By Sabeehah Saleq, Michaela O’Callaghan, Rosie Burgoyne and Sunny Moen.
Stratford Literary Festival
8 May to 22 May
The Stratford Literary Festival is underway! This year, the festival includes a range of digital events, live digital events and in person workshops perfect for the whole family. Join Caroline Lea and Alan Judd as they discuss how to write stories about real events, and listen to David Baddiel, author of Jews Don’t Count, as he explores why the racism battle is imbalanced. Buy tickets here.
Talking Tech
12 May, 6:00 p.m.
Interested in how emerging technology has the potential to change the landscape in publishing? Join BookMachine in this insightful online event which delves into how publishers can use emerging new technologies to benefit their businesses. A brilliant panel of industry analysts will discuss the potential of areas like AI and machine learning. The event will also feature publishers who are trialling new technology. Get tickets here.
European Literature Night: Writing the World
12 May, 7:30 p.m.
The British Library presents Writing the World in accordance with European Literature Night, a festival which celebrates and highlights Europe’s best writers. This fantastic online event will feature award-winning authors Laurent Binet, Jenny Erpenbeck and Anna Kim. The discussion will be chaired by Alex Clark, former judge of the Man Booker and Orwell Prize. Book your tickets here.
James O'Brien in Conversation with Sathnam Sanghera: How Not to Be Wrong
13 May, 7:00 p.m.
Following the success of his bestselling book, How to be Right, acclaimed LBC presenter James O’Brien is soon to release his highly anticipated paperback, How Not to be Wrong.
This upcoming book is an introspective exploration of James’ personal paradigms and the factors that inspired change in his thoughts and opinions. In the event, James will discuss the lessons he learned in writing the book and will answer questions from the audience. James will be in conversation with Sathnam Sanghera, author of The Boy with the Topknot and Empireland. Tickets here.
Deborah Levy and Shahidha Bari
13 May, 7:00 p.m.
Join award-winning writer Deborah Levy as she celebrates the launch of her highly anticipated, thought-provoking, upcoming book Real Estate, which is the third and final part of her Living Autobiography trilogy. The widely praised author will discuss her work with academic, critic and radio presenter Shahidha Bari. Book tickets here.
A Night In With Pandora Sykes
13 May, 7:30 p.m.
Join podcaster, journalist and Sunday Times bestselling author Pandora Sykes in this exclusive event where she will discuss her essay collection How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right? Pandora will be in conversation with journalist Yomi Adegoke, as they further discuss the themes explored in the book such as millennial burnout, fast fashion and cancel culture. Get tickets here.
Olivia Laing and Katherine Angel: Everybody
18 May, 7:00 p.m.
In this event, Olivia Laing discusses her new book Everybody, in which she draws on the work
of radical psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich to explore the long-endured struggle for bodily freedom, covering topics from gay rights to feminism. Olivia will be joined by Katherine Angel as part of the discussion. Sign up for tickets here.
BYTE Confluence
19 May, 11–8:00 p.m.
Confluence is ByteTheBook’s annual event which explores the dynamic, evolving business of storytelling and gives participants a platform to explore new ideas and opportunities. The event has been widely successful in previous years, and despite having to run online this
year, Confluence promises to provide attendees with ways to network with other participants. This is a great opportunity to make valuable connections! Better yet, this year the schedule is open to anyone who would like to share their own projects and ideas. To be a part of this exciting event, sign up here.
Publisher Websites: How the Best Websites Convert Readers Into Book Buyers
13 May to 20 May
This informative BookMachine CAMPUS two-week course aims to provide non-technical publishing professionals with valuable insight into how to create the most effective website. The first week focusses on website priorities and metadata, while the second week focuses on building traffic, loyalty and increasing sales. Sign up here.
WoWFest21
May 2021
Writing on the Wall Festival is Liverpool’s longest-running annual festival, bringing together writing, performance and publishing in all its forms. ‘WoWFest: 21 Years of Radical Writing’ is a celebration of everything that the festival has achieved in its 21 years on the block, with a brilliant line-up of panels, performances, walking tours, speeches, talks and ‘in conversation’ events organised throughout May.
Our top picks include:
11 May, 6:00 p.m. Nikesh Shukla – Brown baby: A Memoir Of Race, Family and Home
17 May, 6:00 p.m. Working Class Writers & Voices From The Indies
19 May, 7:30 p.m. Between Gangs, Gringos and Gigolos: Mexican writing's rising stars
Check out the full line-up here for individual event tickets or if you are particularly keen, get your hands on a full festival pass for £40 here.