Publishing for Writers: Women’s Prize Trust X GirlDreamer

Do you dream of being a published writer?

Then come along to this free online event to hear from a panel of editors, agents and authors as they share insights gleaned from their experiences navigating the publishing industry. Led in conversation by podcaster and Women’s Prize trustee Raifa Rafiq, our speakers will share candid advice on how to get started and break through as a writer, and show you how you, too, can channel your creativity into a lasting career. 

Guaranteed to be a practical and inspiring session for anyone interested in the realities of writing and the publishing world – whether you’re looking to take your writing to the next level, exploring a career in the creative industries, or an avid reader curious to take a peek behind the scenes. Following the panel discussion, you will have the chance to put your questions to the speakers. 

The panel includes Abi Daré, author of The Girl with the Louding Voice, Natalie Jerome, literary agent at Curtis Brown, Arzu Tahsin, editor at large at Manila Press, Amy Mae Baxter, senior editor at Dialogue Books and founder of Bad Form, chaired by Raifa Rafiq, Women’s Prize Trust trustee and co-host of the Mostly Lit podcast.

If you’re considering entering the Women’s Prize Trust Discoveries programme – open to unpublished writers aged 18+ and free to enter – we hope this session will inspire you to share your story and give you that confidence to press submit! Find out more about Discoveries and browse our catalogue of resources for new writers here.

Date: Tuesday 15th November

Time: 19:00 – 20:30 GMT

Location: Online

Tickets: Reserve your free place here

Speaker bios:

Raifa Rafiq

Raifa Rafiq is an investment funds lawyer at one of the leading international law firms in the US. She is also a contributing author to It’s Not About The Burqa and has written for the Guardian, Refinery29, iNews and Stylist Magazine amongst others. Raifa is the co-creator and co-host of the multi-award-winning literature and pop culture podcast, Mostly Lit and has appeared at Literature Festivals, BBC radio and interviewed authors for BBC Sunday Morning Live and Waterstones. She is on the board of the Women’s Prize Trust, the charity behind the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the greatest international celebration of female creativity.

Amy Mae Baxter

Amy Mae Baxter is Senior Editor at Dialogue Books (Hachette) and the founder and editor-in-chief of Bad Form, a multi-award-winning books magazine by and about writers of colour. She was named a Bookseller Rising Star in 2021, and a Big Issue Changemaker of 2022. She is a fan of rom-coms, Thai food and the Real Housewives. 

Abi Daré

Abi Daré is the author of The Girl with the Louding Voice, which was a New York Times bestseller, a #ReadWithJenna Today Show book club pick, and an Indie Next Pick.  She grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and went on to study law at the University of Wolverhampton and has an MSc in International Project Management from Glasgow Caledonian University as well as an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. Abi lives in Essex, UK with her husband and two daughters, who inspired her to write her debut novel.

Natalie Jerome

In her first 12 months as an agent, Natalie Jerome was shortlisted as Literary Agent of the Year at the 2021 British Book Awards and in 2016 Natalie was highly commended for her work at the National Business in the Community Race Equality Awards. As one of the few black Publishers in the UK, Natalie has worked to improve diversity within the industry and is on the advisory board of Creative Access. Natalie’s been described as a ‘brand publishing wizard’ having acquired and published books that have sold, during the course of her career to date, six million copies driving revenue of £30m. Natalie specialises in commercial Non-Fiction and has commissioned and published books by a host of high-profile names.

Arzu Tahsin

Before joining Bonnier and Manilla Press, Arzu Tahsin worked at Virago Press, Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, and Weidenfeld and Nicolson. An editor with many years of experience, Arzu has published some of our most beloved writers including Khaled Hosseini, Malala Yousafzai, Maria Semple, Catriona Ward, Harriet Lane and Tea Obreht. Arzu is also Editorial Consultant for The Good Literary Agency, a social enterprise agency dedicated to increasing opportunities for representation for those under-represented in mainstream publishing including writers of colour, disability, LGBTQ+, working class and anyone else who feels like their story isn’t being told in mainstream publishing.