GW10 – A sell-out success

I’d like to thank everyone involved in ‘Get Writing 2010′, and I do mean ‘everyone’ – from our fantastic speakers and leaders, to the University of Hertfordshire, the VWC ‘Get Writing’ team, and every single delegate who attended. The measure of the success of the Conference was that it was enjoyed by so many and brought us all a little closer.

It brought two distinguished representatives of the two largest publishing groups in the UK a little closer (I’m referring to our star editors: Marlene Johnson of Hachette UK and Simon Taylor of Transworld, Random House, who met for the first time to prepare for the superb talk they gave). Indeed it brought people involved in just about every aspect of the book business a little closer: publishers, agents and best-selling authors, those involved in sales and marketing, and those providing editorial services, and not least those with the raw talent that is the life-blood of the whole affair – the writers, some of them still students, who will be the published authors of the future.

We all need one-another – that is the point that was brought into sharp focus at the Conference and, thanks to the Conference, I believe everyone came away a little richer. Here are a few of the comments received so far that bear that out. (The first four are from delegates, the next is from a talk leader, and the last is from Marlene Johnson):

“Congratulations on an excellent day. I, and everyone with whom I spoke, really enjoyed the conference…”

“Many thanks to you and all your team for the conference: Brilliant.
It was: Well organised, pacey, adult, informative and convivial…”

“…I had a great time and already look forward to next year’s conference…”

“…I just wanted to say a very big thank you for the wonderful conference …I thought it was one of the best-organized events I’ve ever attended…”

“Well done on a splendid conference which everyone, including me, enjoyed enormously…”

“Congratulations on the event! …From the speakers’ perspective it all went very well indeed and I must say everyone I spoke to enjoyed it.”

Finally, I’d like to add perhaps the most heart-warming response of all, from Simon Taylor, editorial director at Transworld:

“What impressed was the passion every one there seemed to feel for what they were doing – self-belief is so important these days – and I came away with my enthusiasm for the world in which I work and for the art of storytelling (at which we Brits excel) reinvigorated, which has to be a good sign!”

I think that, in those remarks, Simon has encapsulated what keeps us all going – real passion for the art of storytelling – that’s what it’s about, and it was that shared passion that energized the whole Conference and refreshed everyone who was there.

It gives me great pride to have played a small part in all this.

Thanks to everyone who came.