The Helderberg’s second annual Fringe Fireside Chats Festival will be held across the basin from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 August.
Guests will dive into a world of imagination as indie authors showcase their latest works and engage in thought-provoking discussions. Last year’s first groundbreaking fringe festival for self-published authors aimed to address a changing book publishing landscape.
This year’s unique three-day festival continues to celebrate self-expression and the beauty of the Helderberg, with small or unaffiliated writers showcasing their self-starting kind of creativity, from serious bibliophiles to poets to flaky eccentrics to mountaineers, together with talks on how to self publish.
The festival has partnered with 30 talented self-published authors as well as 16 venues ranging from local pubs, restaurants, wine farms, clubs and coffee shops in Gordon’s Bay, Somerset West and Strand as well as the Golden Eye and Drama Factory theatres.
Whether you’re a fan of fiction, poetry or non-fiction, there’s something for everyone. Guest will hear first-hand from authors about their journey from story idea to published book. Aspiring authors can also join useful workshops on how to self-publish.
There will be in-depth talks on how it is now possible for self-publishing authors to print just one hard copy, and then upload it for print on a demand-only basis as well as talks on copyright laws, writing with AI and how to market your own book.
Fringe Fireside Chats was inspired by the first fringe festival in Edinburgh. Unlike formally organised festivals, fringe festivals accommodate anyone with a desire to participate who can find a venue willing to host them. They start out on a shoestring, relying on creativity, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Fringe festivals are non-traditional in style and subject matter, and support emerging independent artists and those who defy mainstream conventions. Fringe Fireside Chats is an open access festival.
- For more information on the fringe festival, visit www.fringefiresidechats.com.
