Hi guys
Well this is the second blog on Derby and Edge-lit. What a blast!
Although at 9:20am on the Saturday morning I was looking in the mirror in my hotel room thinking should I go?
Then thought fuck it I've paid and there be others on their own. I had to hurry as the panels started at 10pm and I wanted a coffee to wake up.
As I arrived at the doors, the Quad and coffee shop was packed with fellow geeks and authors. As I told the woman on the door my name I looked at her list and noticed quite a few had a one beside their name as they had come by themselves.
I joined a queue to sign up for workshops people were handing out goody bags with free books - yes!
With me arriving late the best workshops were full so as I was still tired from the journey and few pints night before I decided to just go to some panels and Author talks.
I even met Facebook friends Aly Rhodes, her friends Martin and Stephanie so I ended up not alone. They are fellow writers although they went to different panels than me but we met back up at lunch.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Theresa Derwin and Simon Fairbanks as well as Andy Remic and Steve Cameron.
The Panels
1 - Imposter Syndrome : At what point do you become a Proper Writer?
This was an excellent panel which asked the question when do you feel a you're a Proper Writer. The panel had a couple of authors Micah Yongo and Fran Dorricott who hadn't published yet but had a deal and they felt that whatever stage of writer you are whether published or not that as long as you write and put the time in you're a writer no matter if published.
Rod Duncan still didn't feel like a proper writer yet had eleven novels published. His highest education in terms of writing was English GCSE grade C and now teaches creative writing which shows you don't always need the highest English qualifications.
Also discussed was getting published and it was agreed getting rejections is a right of passage but if a publisher gives feedback even negative it is a step forward as they are very busy and to acknowledge your work they have seen talent there.
The panel agreed writers are best with each other's support and to join writing and book groups will help.
It was a very informative panel especially to me who isn't published yet and has a long way to go in the writing world.
2 - The Life and Legacy of David Gemmell
As a big David Gemmell fan and one of the reasons I attended Edge-lit was for the Gemmell Awards I also couldn't turn down attending this panel hosted by fantasy author and his friend Stan Nicholls and fellow authors and fans Andy Remic, Anna Smith Spark and Gav Thorpe.
They all described how they either met David or came across his work.
Stan met David at his house not long after David had published his third novel for what was meant to be an hour long interview but 10 hours later after two bottles of brandy David sent him home in a taxi as they had hit it off.
Gav first read Legend in his early teens and met him once at a signing in Nottingham but was too scared to go up to him.
Anna came across David's books at university after a guy in her role playing/ D & D group dressed as the character of Druss. But she hasn't read the Druss books yet.
Andy started reading Gemmell when he was 14 years old in 1985 in geography classes by hiding Legend in his geography book.
He enjoyed the book so much he read all his others and even wrote to David.
It was agreed by the panel that David's books weren't great literature but held you because of the passion that went into them and the realistic characters.
Also discussed was how there were strong women characters in his books and how Legend was different to fantasy books out at the time as the main character was old.
The panel also mentioned how his novels were similar to Grim Dark but not quite the same as there is hope in the books.
3 - Guest of Honour - Conn (CF) Iggulden
Conn Iggulden is the author of many historical fiction novels as well as children's books and writer of the Dangerous books for boys.
Darien: Empire of Salt is his first fantasy novel.
Conn told us that historical fiction and fantasy were very similar and at 14 he read his first David Gemmell novel.
Also in his debut novel about Julius Caesar he included minor magic but only received complaints about small details from historians about the colour of robes ect.
He outlined the difference of writing Fantasy to Historical fiction that with Fantasy you didn't have to hit certain points in history.
Conn has wanted to write fantasy for a long time but was waiting for publishers to ask him. Eventually he wrote it and handed it in.
He was asked if it was a trilogy to which he quickly replied yes as most publishers look for trilogies and he learnt from having rejections from the age of 13 to 28 to say yes.
Conn never met David Gemmell but went to his Memorial but as David was relatively young thought he had more time to meet him.
He also told us about his research and he found through his wife smothering him with a pillow that if you're calm you can breath fine.
4 - Guest if Honour - Frances Hardinge
Frances Jardine children's and YA novelist and Costa book winner talked about her writing and how (connected to Panel 1) she still felt like an imposter albeit one skilled one.
She also talked about crossover and how YA are read by adults especially thanks to Phillip Pullman and JK Rowling.
Frances has wanted to be a writer from an early age. Her parents met at a book shop and she made stories up at 6. She wrote short stories at 16 and finished her first novel at 13.
She is writing her new novel which is set in an alternative world.
5 - The Rule of Three: What is the Appeal of the Trilogy
This was an interesting panel which echoed Conn Iggulden in that most authors agreed publishers usually want a trilogy and will more likely sign you up if you offer a trilogy. This is due that a trilogy can offer a proper beginning, middle and end. Plus like the movies it is more of a franchise.
Mark Latham wanted to write a duology but was only offered a trilogy.
Overall all the panels and guest authors I went to see offered me a great insight into being a writer and publishing and I glad I attended Edge-lit.
Will be booking next year and also Sledge-lit in November.
