Event Information

Joanna Trollope and Linda Evans: how authors and editors work together

Date: 20 June 2007   Drinks: 18:45   Talk Starts: 19:15 OPuS Event

Description

THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (Oxford University, Parks Road, opposite Keble College)

To mark the first ten years of OPuS, we are delighted to welcome to our traditional summer event two major figures from the world of trade publishing.

The evening will be chaired by Simon Littlewood, International Director of Random House

Joanna Trollope is the hugely successful author of over 14 novels, several of which have been produced as television dramas.

‘No-one is better at observing and reporting changes in relationships and family dynamics than Joanna Trollope’ (Daily Express)

With her will be her paperback editor, Linda Evans, Senior Editorial Director of Corgi and Black Swan, two leading imprints of Transworld, part of the Random House group.

As at previous summer OPuS events, we have asked our guests to focus on the ‘ever-interesting topic’ – the relationship between author and editor. How does the writer work? Where does the inspiration come from? What creative and critical role does the editor play? Does staying loyal to companies (Bloomsbury for hardbacks, Transworld for paperbacks) make a difference? Can you combine the role of celebrity with that of successful author? And where do agents fit in to the picture?

In honour of OPuS’s 10th anniversary, we have also asked our guests to reflect on some of these issues:

• What are the major changes in the last 10 years in the publishing world? Has it become more ‘corporate’? If so, does it matter?

• Is the dominance of chains and supermarkets a good thing?

• How has the arrival of reading groups changed the scene?

• They say reading and the book are dying because of the internet, yet evidence suggests they have never been more popular – what’s the reality?

• Is there a market for e-books?

• Is the role played by other media like television a force for good or evil?