Sissay, Solomon and others to join industry experts for LBF's Author HQ

Lemn Sissay and Nicola Solomon will join industry experts from Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Hodder in a three-day Author HQ programme at next year’s London Book Fair (LBF).

In addition, the Writers’ Summit, a one-day conference aimed at equipping authors with practical tools, will kick start the week of the fair. Held on Monday 11th March at the new venue of Novotel west London, the day will feature workshops, panel discussions, industry and expert advice, as well as networking opportunities.

Speakers including writers and illustrators Natasha Carthew, Hazel Mead, Tabitha Rayne and Greg Buchanan will be attending, as will Natasha Bowen, Abiola Bello, Sana Rasoul and Davina Hamilton. They will be joined by leading experts from HarperCollins, Rethink Press, Bitter Lemon Press and The Diverse Book Awards, among others. 

With a keynote delivered by Lisa Sharkey, senior vice-president at HarperCollins US, topics discussed on the day will include how authors can own their own media, getting started in the book industry and mastering the technical details of publishing. 

Moreover, taking place between Tuesday 12th and Thursday 14th March at London Olympia, speakers participating in the Author HQ programme of talks and panels will also include Vicky Palmer, Gavin Esler and Charlotte Eyre, who will appear alongside industry experts from Amazon KDP, Storymix, The Carnegie Awards and the Society of Authors. 

Designed to share insights into the current trends and "hot topics" of the book industry, talks at Author HQ will cover TikTok and social media tips, preparing for publication and mental health. The YA book market will be a topic at this year’s event, which will also cover other issues such as building tomorrow’s readers, neurodiverse stories and more. 

Author HQ will be sponsored by Kindle Direct Publishing, with a series of sessions featuring self-published authors and KDP experts providing advice and guidance for authors.

On the afternoon of Wednesday 13th March, Author HQ will bring back its Illustrators Programme, featuring a business masterclass on contracts and copyright, advice on how to get illustrations published, the process behind a cover design and a networking reception for illustrators. Confirmed speakers at the Illustrators Programme include illustrator of the Fair Flavia Z Drago, Jennifer N R Smith and Matthew Kelly of HarperCollins Children’s Books, among others.

Sharkey said: “For people who love books, whose lives and careers are driven by the power, beauty, and wonder of words, it feels like arriving in paradise when you walk through The London Book Fair. I can’t wait to be back seeing the smorgasbord of ideas from the worldwide zeitgeist and appreciating the cultural melting pot as I walk from booth to booth admiring books from around the world, meeting with my colleagues and friends.”

Gareth Rapley, director of LBF, added: “From masterclasses to insightful conversations from experts in the field, networking opportunities to practical workshops, The London Book Fair will offer something to prospective, new, recent, and veteran authors alike. We are thrilled to have so many brilliant writers, illustrators, publishers and leading voices in the industry sharing their knowledge and insights at next year’s fair."