#Merky Book Fest: Stormzy Inspires Next Generation
Camden was the place to be for literature enthusiasts as they gathered for the first #Merky Books free two-day literature festival. The event was put together by the British rapper, Stormzy, and Penguin Random House UK to develop and produce diverse storytellers.
The festival aimed to demystify the creative industries and encourage a new generation of writers. The headliners included Noughts and Crosses author Malorie Blackman, songwriter Wretch 32, and author John Agard, all of whom shared their insights and experience with aspiring writers.
Taylor-Dior Rumble, who wrote The Situationship, the first romantic comedy to be signed by Merky Books, expressed her delight and said the festival "makes the world of publishing feel a lot more accessible". She added that the publishing industry is often "very posh, very white, very upper middle class" and can feel distant to those from different backgrounds.
Fiona Lamptey, director of UK features at Netflix, emphasized the importance of sharing knowledge and understanding the skills required for a career in the creative industry. "It's about being true to who you are," she said. "If you've got an idea, it's finding an audience for your project." She also talked about her experience as a black woman in predominantly white spaces and how she uses her position to create a pathway for others.
Award-winning author John Agard praised #Merky Books for its initiative to extend the repertoire of young writers' voices and empower them to engage with the page. He stressed the importance of instilling the joy of language and words in young people from early years to encourage writers from diverse backgrounds to enter the writing space.
The festival was a great success, inspiring and encouraging young writers to pursue their passion for writing. #Merky Books has made an admirable effort to diversify the publishing industry and provide a platform for underrepresented voices. The literature festival has added another feather to its cap, and we hope to see more such events in the future.
In addition to the headliners, the #Merky Books literature competition featured quite a number of panel discussions and workshops protecting subjects such as "How to Get Published", "The Power of Poetry", and "Breaking Barriers in Literature".
The competition additionally covered e-book signings, possibilities to fulfill and community with different writers, and a market for unbiased publishers and bookshops to exhibit their work.
The #Merky Books imprint has speedily installed itself as a platform for rising and numerous voices within the publishing enterprise. Since its release in 2018, it has posted quite a number of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, such as Stormzy`s personal e-book, "Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far".
The imprint is devoted to coming across and nurturing new talent, and it accepts unsolicited submissions from writers of all backgrounds. The #Merky Books Free Writing Course, released in 2020 in partnership with Cambridge University, is every other initiative geared toward presenting entry to writing schooling for individuals who might not have had the possibility otherwise.
The #Merky Books literature competition became a testimony of the imprint's dedication to selling variety and inclusivity in literature. By bringing collectively installed and rising writers, enterprises professionals, and literature enthusiasts, the competition furnished a platform for dialogue, learning, and inspiration.