The Novel Fair was a new initiative by the Irish Writers’ Centre launched in 2011. It aims to introduce up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents, giving novelists the opportunity to bypass the slush pile, pitch their ideas and place their synopsis and sample chapters directly into the hands of publishers and agents.
By the time the deadline rolled around on November 11th, the Irish Writers’ Centre had received over 570 entries, a figure which demonstrates the vast number of people writing fiction in Ireland today. Twenty writers were selected for the Fair. Of those that attended many of them have signing with agents, a few of the books are under consideration with publishing houses and three of the attendees have sold their books. Niamh Boyce, signed with Ger Nichol,and sold her book ‘The Herbalist’ to Penguin Ireland, Janet Cameron sold her book ‘Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World’ to Hachette Ireland, having signed with Jonathan Williams and Kevin Curran sold his book ‘Beatsploitation’ to Liberties Press.
Due to the success of the Fair we have decided to run it again in 2013, with an additional prize of a place on a seminar on ‘How to Pitch Your Novel’ to help the novelists perfect their presentations and material for the day.
The winners for the Novel Fair 2013 can be viewed here.
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