We’re pleased to announce the speakers and sessions for our pre-conference event in Glasgow in April. You can register for the PCE and conference here: http://conference.iatefl.org/my_conference.html

Nuts and bolts: practical considerations for the ELT materials professional

10.00 Introduction and Opening

Daniel Barber: How to become a lean, mean writing machine

I wasn’t always such a staggeringly prolific literary giant. No, converting from teacher to writer hasn’t been easy. As teachers, we become highly skilled at making sure we understand the timetable that’s given to us and getting to the right class on time. Little in a teacher’s experience is preparation for the freedom of a freelance writer’s life. So how did I learn to manage myself? Well, truth be told, it’s still a work in progress (just ask my editor). And I’m getting help – professional help – in the shape of a coach. Find out what I’m learning about getting down to writing, how not to squander whole afternoons on Wikipedia, and whether a coach might work for you.

11.00 Coffee

11.30 Penny Hands: Optimising the author-editor relationship

Over recent years, as self-publishing in ELT has become increasingly popular, discussions about the importance of having a good editor have proliferated. Experienced professionals have described how they were reduced to tears when they received feedback, while starry-eyed authors have declared that they simply couldn’t have done it without the input of their brilliant editor. So what are these first-rate editors doing right?’ And how are the authors in these successful relationships contributing to the smooth running of the process?

In this workshop-style presentation, I will report on a survey in which both authors and editors were asked about their experiences of this relationship. Attendees will have ample opportunity to discuss their own experiences and compare them to the survey results. We will then form discussion groups to identify areas where we can work towards greater collaboration and avoid misunderstandings that can lead to unnecessary anxiety and stress.

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Chris Lonsdale: A Short Introduction to negotiating contracts

Whether you’re a freelance writer or editor, or work in-house at a publisher, negotiating contracts is a key activity in ELT publishing. Yet many people in ELT recognise that they don’t know much about it. As a result, we asked Chris Lonsdale, academic and corporate trainer at the University of Birmingham’s Business School, to provide an outline of the key things you need to know to successfully navigate negotiations. The session will cover preparing for a negotiation, how to conduct yourself while negotiating and where negotiation fits into the longer term relationships you have.

15.00 Coffee

15.30 Heather Buchanan and Julie Norton: Creativity, collaboration and coursebooks

This interactive session offers a critical perspective on collaboration between publishers and authors. We report on a small-scale study which explores  the roles of ELT editors and publishing managers in the coursebook development process and uncovers a range of challenges in the changing world of ELT publishing.

We provide insights into what publishers are looking for from authors, what makes a good editor, and how authors fit into the bigger picture. You will be presented with a range of publishers’ perspectives and also have the opportunity to discuss your own ideas and reactions. Teachers, writers and publishers can potentially benefit from considering how collaboration can enhance good practice and lead to greater creativity in materials development.

17.00 Closing remarks