Frome Festival represents the local arts’ scene in its widest sense, but words – both spoken and written – have always featured strongly, especially in events aimed at writers, and this year is no exception.
Two full-day programmes book-end the week, with the Small Publishers’ Fair, now in its 4th year, at the Silk Mill on Saturday July 6th and the Writers’ Day at Frome Library on Sunday July 14th.
Organised by Frome Writers’ Collective, the Frome Small Publishers’ Fair provides access to stalls offering a range of books, book arts and publishing services. As in previous years, it will be opened by FWC patron, Barry Cunningham of Chicken House. Entry is free, all books are for sale, and refreshments are available from the cantina outside, so do come and browse the stalls on offer.
The Writers’ Day in Frome Library features workshops from editor and publisher Kate Macdonald on ‘how to pitch your book’, and from local authors Alison Clink and Frances Liardet on writing great openings in their ‘Fiction Masterclass’. Places for workshops are limited, so please book in advance through the Festival box office.
The age of social media has provided new routes into authorship for many writers, and guest speaker Jo Middleton, aka ‘slummysinglemummy’, will explain how her prize-winning blog led to a contract to write her first novel. Jo will be in conversation with local writer and FromeFM broadcaster Sarah Scholfield in the library at 1.15 on July 14th.
Additionally, children’s writers should take note that two editors from the celebrated Golden Egg Academy are offering one-to-one sessions in the library on this day. Sessions need to be booked by Friday 5th July: contact abigail@gold eneggacademy.co.uk for details.
The day culminates with a celebration as the winner and runners-up in the Frome Festival Short Story Competition are announced, and the prizes awarded by the competition’s first winner in 2004, our 2019 judge, novelist Tyler Keevil. The winner of the Writers in Residence competition, which takes place in the shops and cafes of Frome on Saturday 29th June, will also be announced. The prize-giving is a free event, open to all.
Outside these two busy weekend days, Vanguard Readings showcase six authors’ work at the Archangel on Friday July 5th, and there is a workshop on writing dialogue from journalist and novelist Keith Stuart (A Boy Made of Blocks and Days of Wonder) upstairs in the Three Swans on Thursday July 11th. This promises to be of interest to fiction writers and dramatists alike. As before, booking is through the Festival box office.
But you don’t need to be a writer to enjoy the power of words and there are plenty more opportunities for just this throughout the week. From poetry to drama, literary readings, talks, walks, story-telling and history –the only problem will be fitting it all in!
