Writing and the Small Press

a one-day conference at the University of Salford, Saturday 31 March 2012 from 10am-4pm.

The small presses in the UK have a complex and fascinating history as they interact with writerly practice. Developments over the last twenty to thirty years such as the the rise of desktop publishing, the collapse of the net book agreement, and the advent of print-on-demand – as well as digital publishing and online bookselling – have created an environment in which small presses have thrived and created new opportunities for writers. This conference aims to bring together publishers, writers and academics to discuss the influence of the small presses on creative practice and to consider their broader role in cultural production. In addition, there will be practical sessions on how to publish with a small press and opportunities for publishers to showcase their books. 

Confirmed speakers include the novelist Elizabeth Baines, poet Robert Sheppard and Alec Newman of The Knives Forks and Spoons Press. Manchester publisher The Red Telephone will also be in attendance.

Topics to be considered include, but are not limited to:

• The relationship between the creative writer and small presses
• Specific studies of individual small presses and their lists
• Genre studies of the role of small presses in regards to poetry, fiction etc.
• The formal properties of the small press book and its relation to aesthetics.
• How creative writing and publishing practices are adapting to new media.

Abstracts of no more than 200 words to be submitted by February 29, 2012. Please send to one of the organisers:

Lucie Armitt
l.armitt@salford.ac.uk 

Ursula Hurley
u.k.hurley@salford.ac.uk

Scott Thurston
s.thurston@salford.ac.uk

School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences
University of Salford
Salford
M5 4WT