Talks, panels and workshops
There will be two rooms at the Royal Bath Hotel that will be hosting panels, talks and workshops. All sessions on this page are one hour long, including Q&As.
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See our full programme below!
In the Kings Hall
9:30am
Love & Magic
With Ruth Frances Long, Nadia El-Fassi, Sarah Rees Brennan and Amy de la Force.
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Romantasy is the hottest genre in the world right now, but stories that mix romance with fantasy, magic and the supernatural have always been popular.
This panel will explore why romantasy is having such a huge moment and how writers create these magical worlds.
11am
A Sense of Place
With Janet Gover, Sue Moorcroft and Phillipa Ashley
Great romance novels take their readers on a journey. These novelists are experts at creating a sense of place and weaving that place into their stories.
In this session, they will discuss how and why they create places that readers fall in love with.
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Chaired by Gary Dalkin, contributor to Literary Wonderlands and Literary Landscapes - two books that look at famous novels from the perspective of the places they are set in.
1:30pm
Sadness & Joy
With Lola Jaye, Emma Claire Wilson and Sarra Manning
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Romance stories are ultimately heartwarming and uplifting, but many explore deep and dark emotional themes. This panel will discuss the challenges and possibilities of mixing the light and the dark within romantic fiction.
3pm
Slay the Slush Pile
With Jennie Ayres, Emily Ruston, Ellah Mwale and Sara-Jade Virtue. Chaired by Janet Gover.
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Attendees will have the chance to get live feedback on the opening of their novel from a panel of editors and industry experts.
Details on how to submit your story are coming soon.
4:30pm
In Conversation
Milly Johnson and Paige Toon hosted by Amelia Berry
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Join two of the queens of romantic fiction for a conversation about writing, romance and creativity.
In the Mezzanine
9:30am
Writing Across Genres
With Jeevani Charika, Zen Cho, Abiola Bello and Clare Swatman
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Authors today increasingly need to be adaptable and open to change and trying new styles and genres. This panel will discuss the differences and overlaps between different genres of novel, and discuss how authors make the switch.
11am
Debut Spotlight
Nikki Moore, Bianca Gillam, Niloufar Lamakan and Kel Menton
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Join us to shine a light on some of the most exciting debut authors of 2025. The stars of the future talking about how they got started and what they’ve learned during their first year of publication.
1:30pm
This is Trade Publishing
Sara-Jade Virtue
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An interactive workshop aimed at unpublished debut authors looking to understand how the publishing process works from typing The End, to seeing their book on the shelf.
Join Sara-Jade Virtue for a whirlwind whistle-stop tour through nailing a Pitch and Synopsis, touching briefly on the difference between a Structural, Line and Copy Edit, typesetting, proof-reading and cover design, hitting the basics of marketing, publicity and sales, post publication, ‘What Can I Do To Help Sell My Book?, and finishing the journey with the all-important question – Do I Need An Agent?
3pm
Research and Imagination
Christina Courtenay, Nicola Cornick, Nancy Revell and Lola Jaye
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Research is key to many authors’ work, and especially to historical writers. This panel will explore the balance between research and creativity, consider when research becomes procrastination rather than inspiration, and explore how to turn research into page-turning stories.
4:30pm
Finding Your Audience
Helen Lewis
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Join us for the inside track on the first building block of promotion and publicity - knowing who your reader is and working out how to reach them.
