I’m not sure there’s anything much like this anywhere,” says Kate Mosse, of the festival she co-directs with husband Greg. “There are lots of opportunities for people in Sussex to hear authors talk about their work, but this is part of a creative writing programme and gives aspiring writers the chance to meet people from all over the industry. It’s very different from your average literary festival.”

Kate and Greg, both successful authors, launched Chichester Writing Festival four years ago, on the back of the creative writing course they run at West Dean College. Drawing from their combined pool of publishing industry friends and contacts, their intention was to offer new writers the opportunity to meet those already at the top of their game in a friendly, informal setting.

Fifty people apply through the college to attend every event in the three-day festival, mainly, a series of discussions on topics ranging from what publishers want, to whether or not creative writing can be taught. In addition, the delegates attend the three headline “In Conversation” events, which are open to the public, and see Kate in discussion with three well-known guests – this year, Julie Walters, Ian Rankin and Sandi Toksvig.

“All of the people invited – be they publishers, agents or authors – are people we know and admire and who will be generous with their time and with the audience,” Kate explains. “It’s not just a case of sitting on a panel speaking and then going away. Part of the brief when we invite people is that they are available in the bar afterwards and at lunchtimes. No author is coming simply to promote a book – they are coming as writers.”

Of this year’s special guests, Kate says: “Crime is a perennially popular genre, so this year we have Ian Rankin. He is incredibly generous and open and easy to talk to and it will be an enormous treat for members of the audience to meet him in a relaxed way and listen to him being interviewed.” She was personally very keen to invite Julie Walters, who lives in West Sussex and has recently written an acclaimed autobiography, That’s Another Story. “In a world of celebrity biographies where 90% of them are ghosted, she wrote her own book and is a very fine writer. Obviously she is a super star, but she is very much invited as a writer, rather than as a celebrity.”

Sandi Toksvig, the much-loved TV and radio presenter and also a novelist, travel writer and children’s author, has across-the-board appeal, Kate says. “We always have someone on the Sunday afternoon who will appeal to a children’s audience as well as an adult one.”

While it has grown in reputation and popularity over the years it has been running, Kate and Greg have no intention of dramatically changing the model for the festival, nor expanding it. “The reason it works for aspiring writers is because it’s small and they get chance to talk to agents and authors in a small, informal setting.”

Kate adds: “All of us feel, as authors, we are there but for the grace of God and, if you have been lucky, it’s your job as a writer to share some of that with other people.

“The people who come to this weekend are not coming to sell books. They are coming because they feel it’s important to be involved in dialogues with people who are just setting out – whether they are 18 or 88.”

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