When you speak with people who live and breathe books as passionately as you do, language barriers simply disappear. At the London Book Fair I discussed contemporary literature, digital publishing, and the future of storytelling with Marina.
The 2023 London Book Fair at Olympia London brought together more than 30,000 industry professionals, transforming the massive exhibition space into a bustling marketplace of ideas and manuscripts. Marina Vicente Moreno from Editorial Mankell caught my attention during a panel on digital innovation in contemporary fiction.
Our spontaneous conversation revealed fascinating differences between Spanish and British publishing landscapes. Marina’s enthusiasm for experimental narrative formats surprised me — apparently, Spanish readers embrace multimedia storytelling more readily than I’d assumed. Her questions about my multicultural perspective sparked discussions about authenticity versus accessibility in cross-cultural literature.
The fair encompasses rights negotiation and content distribution across multiple platforms, but the human connections prove most valuable. Marina introduced me to three other European publishers actively seeking fresh voices in contemporary fiction.
The Ukrainian spotlight programming this year added poignancy to conversations about literature’s role during cultural upheaval. Watching industry professionals rally around displaced writers reminded me why storytelling matters beyond commercial considerations.
Between meetings, I wandered pavilions representing dozens of countries, each showcasing unique approaches to familiar themes. The global appetite for authentic multicultural narratives feels stronger than ever.
Posted from London, where publishing professionals gather to shape literature’s international future.
— Writer Julia Zolotova
