For all the writers eagerly setting up their blogs and tweeting away to their readerships, there are just as many shuddering at the very thought of developing an ‘online presence’. Although some writers may find their occupation a lonely business, let’s face it – if you chose a job that involves sitting in a room on your own for a large part of the day, then you might not be the sort of person who really wants to do any engaging or, God forbid, promoting.
However, the benefits of entering the digital world could be more than just increased sales figures. In a traditional publishing set up you might once have felt that your work was done after submitting your manuscript. Embracing the opportunities technology has to offer, however, enables you to make positive choices about the direction your career can take, from finding an agent to crowdfunding your own book.
The publishing world is in flux. And New Writing North’s chief executive Claire Malcolm wants to inspire writers to make the most of it. “There are many new opportunities for writers, which wouldn’t have been around even five years ago. The gatekeepers are changing and it’s a really exciting time to be entering the industry,” she says.
Do It Yourself is the theme of this year’s Newcastle Writing Conference organised by New Writing North and Northumbria University. The conference topic was chosen in response to a survey of 260 writers based in the North of England, of which an overwhelming proportion (82%) of respondents felt that they needed help in developing, or improving upon, an online platform. There was also a considerable interest in self-publishing (67%) as well as most respondents (88%) wanting help approaching publishers and agents.
The conference will address all these needs, with the ethos firmly on writers taking control. As well as sessions with vloggers, bloggers, publicists and agents, there will be talks about pitching and editing your own work. Claire Malcolm describes the conference as “an opportunity for us to bring together publishing experts and successful writers, who will highlight the very positive changes writers can make to advance their own careers. We want to energise writers to take their careers into their own hands and to encourage an enterprising ‘do it yourself’ spirit.”
Whether or not you can make it to the conference now might be time to put aside your fears and try a little DIY.
Newcastle Writing Conference 2015: Do it Yourself takes place on 6 June 2015 at Northumbria University, Newcastle. More information here
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