The Word Cloud

Hi

I'll be there from 2:00 Friday to the end on Sunday (minus the Monday trip)

Planned to see:
Fri 15:10 John Jarrold
Fri 17:00 James Gill

Risky to see both 1-2-1's so early on, but it gives me time to enjoy the workshops!

My one-to-ones are on Saturday:

20:00 – Jim Beam

21:00 – Jack Daniel

22:00 – Johnnie Walker

23:00 – Glenfiddich

Can I just say that at first I thought: How did Captain get three 1-2-1s.....

And with the best in the business, too! :)

Hi! I'm seeing John Jarrold on Friday at 15.50 and Philippa Pride on Sunday at 10.40.

Hi guys, my 1-to-1s are with Beverley Birch on Saturday at 15.10 and Zoe King on Sunday at 10.1o.

I was thinking about recording mine so I don't forget what is said - do you think that would be ok?

Looking forward to meeting some of you there.

do you think that would be ok?

You'd have to ask the agent. I'm sure they'd all understand why you might want to, and some might be fine.

But some are aware how an off-the-cuff remark to an individual in a private conversation (say, about a big-name author) can take on a very different colour when made public, even just on a site like this, say, especially when taken out of context. They might be okay if you say that you wouldn't use it for anything except your own personal notes. Or they might not, and you'd have to have a contingency plan.

Thanks Emma.

If my memory is the contingency plan, I'm in big trouble!

Agree with Emma
Do ask, but just make sure you got a good scribbling hand, working pen and enough paper.
Best skill... is to write while looking at them.

@Ro - I am jealous that I didnt get an appointment with Phillipa Pride!

Also, looking forward to JJ's workshop on Saturday

Definitely don't do it without asking! But I have a small anxiety that some people might find it off-putting and feel they're being put on the spot. It might make them censor themselves before speaking and interrupt the flow. I could be wrong and maybe they would all feel fine but I do wonder if it's worth the risk.

As I've said elsewhere, some will mark up your submission and give you that to take away. It's only 10 mins so I bet you won't forget any concrete suggestions you're given. You could always try just writing down the occasional word, like a headline, that would lead you to what was said next. You can fill in the gaps immediately after your session before you even leave the room.

Personally, if that would work for you, I wouldn't take the risk, however small, that recording could have a negative impact on what's said to you.

OK, thanks for all that - received and understood!

About a hundred years ago I could take shorthand at 120wpm so maybe I should brush up on the old skills.

David Lleyelyn and Nicola Morgan. No idea what times. I need to rememebr to print that off the email... lol

Ah, you're seeing Crabbit (Nicola) - really lovely lady.

Saturday : Julia Churchill (Sat 1) - 10:40
Saturday : Toby Frost (Sat 4) - 16:40

I petrified already!

I've gone for Julie Cohen and Ed Handyside... looking for perspectives from different angles.

Hmmmm maybe I should be with my spelling lol!

If anyone sees me.... look for the one with a satchel...and probably a black top....
I will happily share what I learnt from my 1-2-1s...

Boozing jokes aside, my one-to-ones are on Sat – Debi Alper, Simon Trewin. Video interview with Simon for anyone who’s interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irbBuDJGwXc

Enjoy :)

My one-to-ones are on Saturday. I had a warped logic about which day to select for one-to-ones. I thought if the feedback was bad on Friday it could put me off from enjoying the Saturday and Sunday. So it's Piers Blofeld (morning) and Vicky Blunden (afternoon) on Saturday.

There's some really good advice on here from those of you who've been through these one-to-one feedback sessions at previous festivals - really helpful for us newbies who'll doubtless be biting nails etc before the feedback at these sessions.

I won't lie in saying that I feel like i will get some bad feedback on my Friday 1-2-1.... but its a learning curve, and good will come of it

Flickimp - I really hope that no one gets 'bad feedback'. What you want is to have any issues highlighted that might be preventing your submission from being as good as it can be and constructive suggestions re how to deal with those issues, specifically relating to your opening chapter and pitch, as well as the concept of your book. If there's a general issue in your first pages, like not enough showing, for example, you can apply it to the rest of the book.

That's constructive feedback. You can go away and build on it and make a real difference to your writing.

All authors need this sort of feedback, no matter at what level they are writing, whether as fledgling novelists or as published authors working with their editors. If anyone goes away feeling they just can't hack it and might as well give up, that would be appalling and that can only happen if they get what I would call 'bad'. I'm sure that won't happen! If it does, come and see me!

I read a five minute piece from my forthcoming book at last years Wigtown Book Festival and it was slatted in a good way. I did feel like giving up I must admit, but then I heard about the York festival to which I am going for 1-2-1s and I thought back to the wigtown festival and what they had told me. So I re-did the first chapter before I sent it off for feedback for York, and I am alot happier with it. But I don't really know what they are looking for so it's probably still not very good.

Well said Debi...and I take back the bad feedback statement!

Flicky, fantasy world cats are great and yours will work out! Have a look at this blog, especially the video that's embedded in it. It was made for the author by a fan. Cat book blog.