Writing Anew with Fresh Tools in Our Arsenal! Delve into Workshops and Masterclasses at the Malta Book Festival ’25

The Malta Book Festival, taking place at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre, Ta’ Qali between 5-9 November, organised by the National Book Council (NBC) celebrates the book in all its forms.

From the finished product available to purchase from the many stalls set up by publishers, booksellers and other exhibitors, the Festival also serves as a vibrant space for both aspiring creatives and the general public to get a sense of what it’s really like to craft stories from conception to completion. 

This is embodied in both the slogan for this year’s Festival – Writing Anew – but also especially in the workshops and masterclasses being offered as part of its dynamic programme, and which are open for free registration here. 

“We take pride in how the festival has evolved to accommodate an inspiring series of workshops and masterclasses year in, year out, allowing its visitors to hone their craft from seasoned and internationally acclaimed professionals in the field of writing, publishing and more,” NBC Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri said.

“This year is certainly no exception. Fully in line with its theme of transformation and renewal – signalled by the tagline Writing Anew – the Festival will once again play host to a number of events which will inspire you to either get cracking on your next manuscript or polish an existing one up before sending it out in the world,” Camilleri added. 

See the full list of events by registration below, and remember to register as places are limited! 

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Writing Imaginative Fiction: A Masterclass by Jeff VanderMeer

Award-winning NYT bestselling author Jeff VanderMeer will show you how to think more creatively about inspiration, process, characters, and plot, using his unique Wonderbook as the anchor for a fun, engaging, and informative workshop about the power of the imagination. 

Wonderbook is still the world’s only fully illustrated general writing guide and the workshop will be highly visual, with reference to many stimulating, full-colour diagrams. (Participants do not need Wonderbook for the workshop, however – any needed materials will be provided.) 

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

How to Work with Professional Editors: A workshop by Ann VanderMeer

You’ve been writing for some time now. Or maybe you want to start writing down all those stories circulating in your head. But what about revision and editing? How important is it and how do you make the most of it? Come join award-winning editor Ann VanderMeer at this editing workshop where you will learn about the different services an editor can provide to improve your fiction as well as how to incorporate revision into your writing process.

A mixture of short lectures along with playful writing exercises await you in this workshop. Lots of hands-on writing games that will demonstrate how you can revise your own fiction, alone and with others. Participants will also learn how to work with professional editors and others in the publishing world.

The workshop is free but registration is required. We encourage prospective participants to book quickly as spaces are limited.

Perfect Your Pitch for the Rights Catalogue: A workshop by Simon Trewin

The National Book Council’s Foreign Rights Catalogue is a crucial gateway for local authors and publishers to showcase their work and open doors in international fora. In this focused, hand-on 60-minute workshop, veteran literary agent Simon Trewin cuts through the noise to show you exactly how to position your entry in the catalogue for maximum impact. 

Drawing on hard-won insights from decades in the trenches, he exposes the Top Ten Pitch Mistakes authors and rights administrators make and how to fix them on the spot. You’ll see real-world examples of pitches that bombed (and why), alongside the streamlined approaches that won major deals. By the end of the session, you’ll have a rights-specific hook that grabs sub-agents and foreign publishers, strategies for anticipating objections and turning them into selling points, and a checklist to ensure your entry in the rights guide never undersells its own potential. Come ready to question every assumption about how rights pitches ‘should’ work, sharpen your own pitch under Simon’s skeptical eye, and walk away with the confidence to get your rights guide noticed – every time.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

One Stop Shop with the National Book Council and Literary Agent Simon Trewin

National Book Council staff will be available to answer any questions you may have, whether you are a book industry professional looking for information about one of our funds or contests, or a visitor to the Festival looking to learn more about the operations of the NBC. There will also be some printed material you can take with you for more information, including the NBC’s recently launched five-year Strategy.

Also present will be UK literary agent Simon Trewin, who will be answering your questions on copyright, contracts and best practices for getting your book into the market.

The meetings will be held on an individual basis, but you must register your attendance in advance.

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But… there’s more! Apart from the events by registration above, our wonderful exhibitors and participants will also be holding a number of their own workshops all throughout the festival.

Explore the full Malta Book Festival programme to discover them all – mark down your favourites before heading to Ta’ Qali for the Festival! 

The National Book Festival will be taking place between 5-9 November at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre, Ta’ Qali. All events are free of charge but some require registration via Submittable. See the full programme of events here.