The Market Harborough Literary Festival – Writers Day

An interactive workshop for unpublished debut authors looking to understand what comes next after typing 'The End'. Join publishing expert Sara-Jade Virtue for a practical deep dive into two of the most important tools in an author's publishing journey: the pitch and the synopsis.
Discover what agents and publishers are really looking for, learn how to craft a compelling pitch that captures the essence of your story, and understand how to write a synopsis that showcases your plot, characters and voice. Packed with practical advice and industry insight, this session is designed to help aspiring authors take their next steps with confidence.

'Sara-Jade Virtue has worked in the book industry for over 23 years, firstly at Waterstones in the Fiction Buying Team. She spent 18 years at Simon & Schuster UK initially as before moving into Editorial in 2019 as Brand Development Director, where she identified new talent and developed growth strategies for emerging and established authors. She is co-founder and co-director of the LoveStoriesEtc literary festival, which returned to Manchester Central Library in 2026. She also volunteers at her local community library.