Why festivals matter

It’s a great way of reaching audiences and engaging with new people. You can find out more about what they want, what they like, and how they read and consume your content. You can raise your profile and become known. You might meet useful people. You can probably sell some books. Either way, you’ll have fun!

Be a festival supporter

If you want to appear and festivals, then go to them. You can learn a lot by watching and listening to others, and see what works and what doesn’t. Follow them on social media and engage with them in conversation.

Do your research

Before you start pitching you need to know what is out there. The simplest thing to do is google ‘literature festival UK’ and you’ll find lots of search results. There used to be websites and newsletters for it, but unfortunately, Covid-19 took a hit, and many are defunct. The Writers & Artists Yearbook does have a section, and you can register online for their listings for a fee. Go through and see which ones resonate with you. If you’re a crime writer you might look at Newcastle Noir or Harrogate Crime Festival, whereas if your niche is poetry, you’ll consider The European Poetry Festival.

As part of that research whittle down a shortlist of 8-10 that you’d love to appear at. Make a spreadsheet of the festival, website, contact details, dates (try not to apply for ones you can’t actually make, or that clash) – and then a space to hone your offer. Some festivals have details guidelines on the websites, so make sure to follow those.

One size doesn’t fit all

Because in doing your research you should have discovered that every festival is different – so your pitch needs to be. That doesn’t mean you need to reinvent the wheel every time. But you do need to show that you have thought about why your work is relevant to them and will help them position their festival as something different. Look at the kind of events they have run before – do you fit in. You don’t want to repeat last year’s offering, but it can help you see the kind of things they programme. Look at the language they use on the website – are they chatty and informal, or very bookish and studious? This helps you determine their audience. Look into the ethos of the festival, see who they’ve booked in the past and how your work and platform relates to them.

Show you’ve done your research and thought about them by suggesting content for a particular stage, or say ‘I know X last year sold out, so I think Y might suit your audience.’

Your event is not a hard sell for your book. Some of the best talks I’ve ever heard are not about the artist’s book at all, but about topics and issues that come up. It’s an opportunity to engage with an audience in a very immediate and exciting way.

What can you offer

You’re obviously getting a lot from being a speaker at a festival – what can you give back? It’s not enough to just have a book out – so does everyone else who is applying. What makes you stand out? Are there particular topics you cover in your book that you can speak knowledgeably on? Have you had to do research and are now an expert in a certain field? Do you have a unique perspective on the writer’s life? Stand back from your work to stand out from the crowd.

Do what they say

If they have a form, use the form. Or if they ask you to email, that. Probably don’t phone them.

Leave the bells and whistles at home

Don’t try suggesting the most elaborate set up – festivals are busy, the stages change acts constantly. There’s no time to set up your backdrop, custom lighting and props unless you’re headlining and they’re setting aside a venue for you.

Endorsements

If you can get recommendations from other festival promoters or people who have seen your work, that will go a long way towards selling you. The fact is that the festival organiser won’t have time to read every book of every author who contacts them, so they will be looking for other evidence that this is the person for them. And social proof sells. If you haven’t been on a festival stage before, have you got quotes from readers you can share?

Evidence

If you’ve got a short video of you speaking or performing, that’s great. That gives me reassurance that you can get up in front of people and deliver. Not every writer is a good public speaker. That’s ok. But know your talents, and showcase them where you can.

Make it easy

I’ve lost count of the number of authors who email me and say ‘I’m a writer and I have a book.’ Do you know what, I don’t have time to do the digging myself. Send me

• Who you are
• A short bio – 2-3 lines max
• Name of your book/work
• A short blurb – again 2-3 lines max
• Any subjects you feel confident speaking about
• What you want to offer – do you want to do a reading, be on a panel, do a workshop, a talk, a Q&A. This will help me work out where best to fit you in the line up.
• Headshots

Check and check again

My name isn’t Fran or Sandra, I don’t run Ramsgate Book Festival, and I’m not a fan of crime. When doing cut and paste jobs it’s very easy to forget to change the name, or address it to the wrong person. It’s an easy way to get someone’s back up, so do check.

Follow up

If you don’t hear back within a few weeks, chase again. But not within a few days. Many people run literature festivals for love, so they’re not on it full time and can’t be as responsive as you might like. But say 2-3 weeks – a gentle nudge to check they have your email is fine. Don’t phone someone on a Sunday afternoon – that’s really not cool.

Don’t take it personally

The fact is, you won’t win every pitch. That’s ok. Feel free to ask for feedback. They might just have a packed agenda, might not have the budget, or you might just not be the best fit. There’s plenty more out there, so get pitching.

And that’s it! If you’ve got any questions, please email me!

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