The National Creative Writing Industry Day 2026

Hear from published authors and have a 1-to-1 with two agents/editors at the largest event for aspiring writers in the North of England Are you a writer hoping to have your work published? Would you like the opportunity to meet agents and editors - to learn how the industry works from its experts and sharpen the skills needed to enter it? Comma Press invites you to attend the National Creative Writing Industry Day, in partnership with Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. Key Information • Date: Saturday 5th December 2026 | Time: 9AM-5PM • Location: Grosvenor East Building, Manchester Metropolitan University • The National Creative Writing Industry Day 2026 is a full day of events for aspiring writers to gain insight into the publishing industry and advice on how to excel in their practice. Featuring: • A keynote speech by Portico Prize-winning author of Saltwater and Milk Teeth Jessica Andrews • Two panel discussions: 'Making a Living as an Author' and 'The Perfect Pitch' • A choice of four workshops ranging in topics from Pacing a Novel to Poetry and Memory (participants attend one) • Two 15-minute one-to-one meetings with literary agent representatives or editors to get advice on your pitching technique and work-in-progress* • The opportunity to casually network with fellow writers and publishers both during and after the event. The day will begin with an introduction and a keynote speech, followed by two panel discussions. In the afternoon, you can attend a workshop tailored to the needs of those looking to enter the writing industry, and meet one-to-one with literary agency representatives/editors to discuss your work in progress and refine your pitching technique with expert advice from industry professionals. The full programme and schedule can be found below. Attendees will attend one workshop of their choice and have two one-to-one agent/editor sessions each If you have any questions please contact isabella.barber[at]commapress.co.uk Alongside the listed tickets, we also have a limited number of discounted tickets available for underrepresented writers, residents of Greater Manchester and students of MMU. Please get in touch on the above email address for more information or to claim one. *Please note that while we are holding agent sessions in person, occasionally due to unforeseen circumstances agents have to join us virtually (Zoom or MS Teams). In these cases we will set up all the tech and you do not have to make any extra preparations for your virtual session. We are not able to offer refunds if you are offered a virtual agent session. Choose From Four Fabulous Workshops: 1. How to Pace a Novel The pace in a novel is the current in the river – invisible to the eye but a force on the body. When people say a book is too long, they usually mean it is too slow. Using the 7-part structure of novels by Milan Kundera & Kazuo Ishiguro, we’ll look at not only getting the size of a story right, but the measure of it too. 2 . Writing Memoir: Moments of Being Finding those key moments from your life is the best antidote to the blank page. Come along to this interactive memoir writing workshop to help you find the memories that hold the most story. 3 . Submitting to Journals and Competitions Led by the founder of the New Nottingham Journal, this workshop will delve into how and why submitting to competitions and literary journals can help your literary journey. You'll also have the opportunity to workshop your own submissions during this hands-on session. 4 . Poetry and Memory This workshop will focus on how poetry and memory are interlinked, and how we can use memory to inform our poetry. This session will include hands-on writing experience led by a professional poet.