Writers to pitch for ultimate prize

A PUBLISHERS’ pitch event for writers is the biggest event for emerging writers in Scotland.

XpoNorth, which runs the event, is inviting writers from all over the Highlands to take part in the event.

Held in Inverness on Wednesday June 7 as part of leading creative industries conference and showcase XpoNorth, the event offers 18 writers the chance to pitch their work, Dragon’s Denstyle, to a panel of leading UK agents and publishers.

The panel includes Jenny Brown Associates, Canongate, Birlinn, Sandstone Press and Sceptre/ Hodder Stoughton.

This is the second year that XpoNorth’s writing and publishing network has held its all- comers pitching event. A call was put out in January for writers to submit work for consideration.

Last year, one of the pitchers, Iain Hector Ross, had his book The Whisky Dictionary snapped up by Sandstone Press. It will be published by the Dingwall- based publisher in the autumn.

This year, from 106 submissions, 18 writers have been selected.

Based on the principle of ensuring the best work across genres is presented to the panel, this year’s event has three pitch sessions, two for fiction and one non-fiction.

This year, the first two panel sessions will be prefaced by a short, stand- alone introduction and trends session in which the panel will discuss the work of their agency/ publishing house and give insights into current commercial trends in publishing.

During each panel session, the pitching writers will each have ten minutes to introduce and present their work - first five minutes - and five minutes to answer the panel’s questions.

The sessions are open for any XpoNorth delegate to attend and time limits for writers will be strictly enforced.

Leading literary agent Jenny Brown, who will be on the pitching panel, said: ‘ Only in its second year, XpoNorth’s pitch event is already a red letter date in the literary calendar.’

Peter Urpeth, director of XpoNorth’s writing and publishing network, said: ‘ We’re looking forward to hearing a range of pitches in Inverness from some seriously talented new writers.

‘And with expert advice from publishers and insider knowledge into current publishing trends, I’d also recommend attendance for anyone interested in writing and getting published.’