Northern Publishers’ Fair at Central Library

Various independent publishing houses will be setting out their stalls at Manchester Central Library (home of Word Central) for the latest (seventh?) now biannual Northern Publishers’ Fair, organised by Manchester’s own award-winning Fly On The Wall Press.

Organiser Isabelle Kenyon says the fair’s aim is to celebrate and showcase “a cracking array” of independent publishing houses based in the North of England. Her own publishing house, Fly On The Wall Press, picked up Small Press Of The Year North in the 2024 British Book Awards, and the not-for-profit, social enterprise company publishes anthologies, collections and chapbooks. The FOTW managing director says that for too long, the publishing industry has been London-centric, so in 2019, she set up the Northern Publishers’ Fair at Manchester Central Library to showcase our own talent.

For this autumn fair, there’s a new element, which Kenyon is calling “the chatty table”, with literary agents Emma Layfield (Children’s Book North Agency) and Clare Coombes (Liverpool Literary Agency) on hand to chat to any aspiring or established authors with publication journey questions. Emma Layfield is also happy to chat to children’s book illustrators.

Spanning literary fiction, genre fiction, middle-grade and children’s, poetry and memoir, publishers will be on hand to share their catalogues and talk with visitors, whether writers looking for publishing tips or avid readers wanting a bookish chat. You’ll also be able to network informally with like-minded literature enthusiasts, meet authors during book signings and– of course – buy books.

Bringing new and exciting authors to a Manchester audience, alongside Fly on the Wall Press, the featured publishers so far confirmed for the autumn event include: Manchester and Salford’s Carcanet Press, Comma Press, Confingo Publishing, Flapjack Press, Manchester University Press and Saraband, plus Liverpool’s Dead Ink Books (joint Small Press Of The Year North 2025 and with its own bookshop on Smithdown Road), Stairwell Books from York, Northodox Press, Peepal Tree Press, Vertebrate (Adventure) Publishing and Written Off Publishing.

Previous events have seen hundreds of happy visitors walk away with tote bags bulging with new reads – don’t forget one of the ticket options gives you the chance to grab a Fly on the Wall Press goodie bag: a limited-edition ‘Reading is Resistance’ tote containing two free mystery books and bookish goodies!

While you’re in town, why not combine with Poets & Players – it’s on down the road at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation with readings by Sasha Dugdale, Deryn Rees-Jones and Lousie Machen (2.30pm).