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Telling and Selling Tales: Storytelling in the publishing process
11 September @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm BST
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Gather online with publishing people to explore the art of storytelling in the book industry.
Publishing is built on stories. But we’re not just talking about those found in fiction or between the pages of children’s books.
Skilful storytelling is weaved into everything we do, and is an intrinsic part of what makes the book industry tick. It could be the narratives we share with each other to build momentum around a new project, an author’s opening approach to an agent, or pitching to colleagues at a global Book Fair. Or perhaps it’s the pitch in an acquisitions meeting, or a marketing and sales campaign presentation.
How do these stories emerge, shift and form throughout the process? And what makes for great storytelling that resonates with both your communities of readers and internal teams?
On Wednesday 11 September, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. BST, join us online as our panel – including a literary agent, publisher and storytelling specialist – consider:
- What do you look for in a successful or compelling story?
- How can you work with authors to develop the story’s narrative thread?
- How does this translate into internal storytelling to enthuse colleagues?
- And what stories are hot (or not) right now?
Whether you’re looking to tap into the power of stories, use storytelling to get your team behind your next book, or pick up tips to apply across the whole publishing ecosystem, we’d love to see you there!
Can’t make the event date? Catch the recording within 2 weeks of the event start date on the BookMachine Campus membership platform. Sign up after the event here to access!
The Speakers
Anna Faherty, Writer & Consultant, Strategic Content
Anna runs the writing, training and content development consultancy Strategic Content. Her clients include Hachette, SAGE, the Natural History Museum and Wellcome Collection. Anna teaches on the MA Publishing at University of the Arts London and is known for both writing and researching digital stories. Her book, Writing Online & Audio Stories: Crafting Nonfiction for Websites, Podcasts and Social Media, was published by Routledge earlier this year.
Finn Cotton, Editorial Director, Transworld Publishers
Finn Cotton is Editorial Director at Transworld Publishers, part of Penguin Random House. He commissions crime fiction and thrillers for the list, and he’s edited and published a wide range of authors, including Stuart MacBride, Sarah Pearse, Andrea Mara, Robert Thorogood, and Denzil Meyrick. He recently published the No.1 Sunday Times bestseller No One Saw a Thing, and Knife Skills for Beginners, which was shortlisted for the 2024 McDermid Debut Award.
Kerry-Ann Bentley, Literary Agent, The Good Literary Agency
Kerry-Ann Bentley is a literary agent at The Good Literary Agency where she represents established and debut writers. She is building a list of adult fiction (literary, commercial, upmarket) and narrative non-fiction (memoir, essay collections, social/cultural journalism). She represents select children’s authors (middle-grade, YA) as well as some poetry. Clients include award-winning author Alex Wheatle MBE, Yvonne Bailey-Smith, Gemma Weekes, Karla Neblett, Lela Burbridge, Charlie Castelletti, Jackson King, Dr Aleema Gray, and Dominique Palmer.
Helen Dyer, Head of Marketing, DK Learning
Helen Dyer is an experienced marketing professional with nearly a decade in the educational publishing industry. She has successfully launched e-commerce websites, new series, and brands. Currently, Helen leads the marketing strategy and implementation for both UK and international audiences within DK’s newly established Learning division. Her expertise in driving innovative campaigns and managing diverse market needs has been pivotal in expanding DK’s reach in the educational sector.
FAQs
Who is this event for?
Publishing colleagues from agenting and editorial to design, branding, comms and marketing – everyone who has a penchant for storytelling or who taps into stories and narratives in their role. Equally, industry suppliers, publishing hopefuls and aspiring authors alike will leave with some powerful insights.
What is BookMachine?
We’re glad you asked! We’re a creative digital marketing agency for publishing, education and the book trade. We’re also the creators of Campus, our membership community for ambitious publishing professionals. We’re passionate about providing events, courses and digital campaigns to help industry professionals nurture their books, audiences and skills.
What’s the difference between member and non-member tickets?
Active BookMachine members can attend all our events free of charge. (They also get access to our course library, recordings of past events, industry discounts and other perks!). Non-members can pay to attend one-off events. Click here to learn more about becoming a Campus member.
How will this event be accessible?
This event will take place online on Zoom. Closed captioning will be enabled for this event for attendees to toggle on and off. We will also keep communication between attendees in the chat box to a minimum so personal screen-readers are not overloaded with additional text.
Will this event be recorded?
Yes – but please note that it will only be available to BookMachine Campus members. If you can’t make the live event, consider signing up for a membership instead. Join for as little as £18/month (cancel anytime) to access the recording, as well as 100s of other video resources. The recording will have subtitles available.