Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527188
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 2 BOOKS Register now for workshops and masterclasses at the Malta Book Festival THE Malta Book Festival (MBF) is the largest celebra- tion of literary culture on the island, and this year's edition aims to bring its richness and variety to the fore, with a num- ber of events now open for reg- istration. Taking place at the Malta Fairs and Conferences Centre (MFCC) in Ta' Qali between 6 and 10 November, the theme for this year's edition will be #bindingworlds — reflecting both the many genres of liter- ature as well as, crucially, the dedicated professionals who make sure books reach our shelves. Visitors at the festival will be able to avail themselves of workshops and masterclasses that run the gamut of the entire publishing process: from the craft of writing to the art of il- lustration, from learning about the realities of the wider pub- lishing industry to the hands- on practice of bookbinding. See the full list of events by registration below, and remem- ber to register as places are lim- ited! The World of Writing: A Cre- ative Writing Masterclass by Anthony Horowitz Malta Book Festival 2024 spe- cial guest Anthony Horowitz will be delivering an exciting and wide-ranging masterclass on writing. Learn about the fundamentals of plot and plot twists, crafting an unforgetta- ble character, penning crack- ling dialogue and much more. Horowitz, the bestselling Brit- ish author behind literary sen- sations such as the Alex Rider franchise and – as a screen- writer – the likes of Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War – will also delve into the different skill sets required for writing prose fiction and screenwriting. Register here: https://tinyurl. com/5y3j2a42 Developing Your Fiction: A Faber Academy Workshop by Richard Skinner Hone your fiction writing skills at this workshop run by Richard Skinner, Director of Fiction at Faber Academy. This session, designed for seasoned or emerging writers, will focus on character development for the first half and the triangles and squares in diction (or the role of the narrator in fiction) during the second, with close reading of acclaimed works by Alice Munro, Andre Debus, Han Kang and Julian Barnes. This workshop will also include a Q&A covering expert editing advice from Richard Skinner, the different stages of editing a manuscript for publication, the importance of the first chapter, and the role literary agents play in the publishing industry. This workshop is designed for an adult audience (18+). The registration fee for this workshop is €20, including a light lunch and refreshments. Online pre-registration is compulsory and spaces are lim- ited to 15 participants – register early to avoid disappointment! Register here: https://forms. gle/v2CT4uu2ZypxhvHGA Manuscript to Market: A Q&A with Literary Agent Jonathan Lloyd from Curtis Brown Join Jonathan Lloyd, literary agent and president of Cur- tis Brown, for an enlightening Q&A session moderated by Kat Storace (Praspar Press). Gain invaluable insights into pub- lishing, from finding the right agent to making a compelling first impression. This event is open to Maltese writers in Eng- lish. Pre-register to ensure your spot and submit questions in advance for a personalised dis- cussion. Register here: https://forms. gle/gMdiScHhoMSdCA1a9 Literary Speed Dating Literary speed dating is back – a unique 15-minute oppor- tunity to meet publishing pro- fessionals at the Malta Book Festival. You may simply want to chat about literature, writing skills or any other publishing topic about which you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. This edition features Simon Trewin (literary agent), Joey Connolly (Director of Faber Academy), Loranne Vella and Joe Gatt (Aphroconfuso edi- tors), Kat Storace (translator, publisher at Praspar Press), Glen Calleja (publisher at Kotba Calleja), the Literature Chairperson at MEIA, Moira Zahra (MCOI), Ed Dingli (il- lustrator), Nikki Petroni (Edu- cation and Development Exec- utive at ACM), Matthew Borg (Senior Manager at the NBC, Malta Book Fund). Register here: https://tinyurl. com/ytu6v2wh From Theme to Illustration (Ages 14+): A Workshop by Ed Dingli Join Ed Dingli, illustrator of the 2024 Malta Book Festival, for a hands-on workshop on transforming concepts into il- lustrations. Participants aged 14+ will sketch alongside Ed, exploring ideas, mind maps and keywords to create their own designs. This workshop is being done in collaboration with Arts Council Malta. Register here: https://forms. gle/rAoKUzov4XrLMRPt6 From Concept to Animation: Kyle Xuereb Cunningham's Malta Book Festival Promos Discover the creative jour- ney behind the 2023 and 2024 promo ads with illustrator and animator Kyle Xuereb Cun- ningham. Learn about the an- imation process, from creat- ing the storyboard to the final touches. This session is being done in collaboration with Arts Council Malta. Free registra- tion required. Register here: https://forms. gle/t3m4tNMku1bmfhVy7 Bookbinding Workshop (Ages 8–12; 14+): A Hands-On Intro- duction by Glen Calleja Join Glen Calleja, bookbind- er, publisher and author, for a hands-on workshop on how to make a book by hand. Par- ticipants will learn about tra- ditional bookbinding methods and have the opportunity to create a small book of their own. This workshop is free but requires participants to register in advance. Bookbinding Workshop: Ages 8–12 Saturday 9 November 2024 @ 09:30–11:00 Bookbinding Workshop: Ages 14+ Saturday 9 November 2024 @ 11:30–13:00 Register here: https://forms. gle/eQiuTMJ3JAkgNgLP8 Join in this dynamic celebra- tion of literature and creativ- ity at the 2024 Malta Book Festival! For more information and to stay updated on the lat- est developments, visit ktieb. org.mt and the Malta Book Festival Facebook and Insta- gram page.