Monday Midday Mini-fests – Self-Pub Fest

During the first online all-day... actually, soon after it started… I thought what a shame it would be if it only ran once every six months so it’s going to be a regular thing.

Every Monday there are up to five authors and/or self-publishing experts in each session talking about a variety of topics ~ see the dates below. Most will be moderated by Morgen so the participants have the opportunity to chat fully. They should run around 45 minutes but we often keep talking!

New to Self-Pub Fest? See the Participate page for details and/or email Morgen for the information pack.

These are free events but we’re raising money for local book-related charities and we’d be really grateful if you would donate whatever you afford via the Charities & Donate page. Thank you so much.

As with the online all-day festival, each session is live and the recordings uploaded to YouTube and added to the relevant events and authors pages.

The Zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83283293933 (with the passcode of ‘Monday’ should it be needed)…

Forthcoming dates are listed below ~ with the relevant author pages when they’re booked.

Events that have taken place are at the BOTTOM of this page and on the Taken Place page.

#18 Monday 22nd June @ 12pm: how long is a story? ~ we shall be talking about the length of pieces from micro fiction, short stories, novelettes, novellas right up to novels ~ five slots remaining, with Morgen hosting
#19 Monday 29th June @ 12pm: series vs standalone novels ~ the advantages and disadvantages of writing one form over the other ~ David Wake ~ four slots remaining, with Morgen hosting
#20 Monday 6th July @ 12pm: writing for children/YA ~ what differences are there between writing for younger children vs young adults ~ what kind of language you use ~ should there be a message (educational or otherwise) ~ five slots remaining, with Morgen hosting
#21 Monday 13th July @12pm: the Writer’s Toolbox ~ what a writer needs (hardware and software) and where to put the hippopotamus scene! ~ David Wake (moderator) ~ Jack Chandler ~ three slots remaining (with Morgen lurking!)
#22 Monday 20th July @ 12pm: forms of poetry ~ which forms you write ~ form vs free verse ~ serious vs humorous poetry ~ why is poetry misunderstood or difficult for some to understand ~ five slots remaining, with Morgen hosting
#23 Monday 27th July @ 12pm: mixing genres (e.g. authors who write more than one genre) and forms (e.g. novels, short stories, poetry)… a repeat of 30th March but with different contributors ~ five slots remaining, with Morgen hosting
#24 Monday 3rd August @ 12pm: tell us about your books ~ congratulations, you’ve published a book! Tell us how you got the idea, what you did with it (plan or simply write), whether you collaborated with others to get it perfected/published and how you market it ~ five slots remaining, with Morgen hosting

Then no panels for a while as I’m teaching at Swanwick (8th to 13th Aug ~ will I see you there?) then we have a family wedding and other commitments

#25 Monday 24th August @ 12pm: ask Morgen anything (as it’s her birthday this month!) ~ five slots remaining
#26 Monday 31st August @ 12pm (bank holiday here in the UK): do suggest a topic! ~ five slots remaining, with Morgen hosting
The Mondays repeat at noon thereafter with few exceptions where I’m booked on a Monday…

The Monday Mini-Fest events that have taken place so far are…

#1 Monday 2nd February 2026: the moderators from the 25 Jan 2026 Festival returned to talk about themselves and their writing ~ BB Elsin, David Wake, Denise Beddows, Donna Morfett, Lee Benson with Morgen Bailey moderating. Below is the recording… enjoy!

#2 Monday 16th February 2026: was Morgen and Jack Chandler talking about ideas…

#3a Hosted by Self-Pub Fest founder Morgen Bailey, on Monday 23rd February 2026: the sessions was on plotting vs pantsing ~ Denise Beddows, Jack Chandler, John Lynch. Poet and novelist Lee Benson joined us as sadly Alan Meredith and David Wake couldn’t be with us for that session.

I therefore decided to repeat it at 9pm the same day. So…

#3b Monday 23rd February 2026 authors AA Abbott, Alan Meredith, David Wake, Donna Morfett, Ryan Stark joined Morgen for plotting vs pantsing

#4 Monday 2nd March 2026 authors Andrea D Woolhead ~ BB Elsin ~ Denise Beddows ~ Graeme Cumming joined Morgen to talk about characters

#5 Monday 9th March: BB Elsin ~ Graeme Cumming joined Morgen for settings

#6 Monday 16th March: the panel for plots ~ Cristina Loggia ~ David Wake ~ Denise Beddows, hosted by Morgen.

#7 Monday 23rd March: for description vs dialogue Morgen was joined by David Wake ~ Jill Todd ~ Nikki Copleston ~ Phil Oddy

#8 Monday 30th March: mixing genres and forms ~ Andrea D Woolhead ~ David Wake ~ Jack Chandler ~ Janet Pywell ~ Martin Tracey ~ SJ Banham.

#9 Monday 6th April: beginnings ~ with BB Elsin ~ Denise Beddows ~ Esther Chilton

#10 Monday 13th April: the saggy middle of a novel ~ BB Elsin ~ David Wake ~ Jill Todd ~ Karl W Newton ~ Meriet Duncan.

#11 Monday 20th April endings ~ Andrea D Woolhead~ Damiano Polcaro ~ HJ Furl ~ Jill Todd ~ Phil Oddy talked about endings with Morgen hosting.

#12 Monday 27th April: editing ~ David Wake with Morgen hosting.

#13 Monday 4th May: cover design, illustration and formatting ~ Andrea D Woolhead ~ David Wake ~ Ella Hamilton ~ Jack Chandler, hosted by Self-Pub Fest founder Morgen.

#14 Monday 25th May: writing groups ~ AA Abbott ~ David Wake ~ John Moore ~ Ryan Stark ~ with Morgen hosting

#15 Monday 1st June: marketing ~ Damiano Polcaro ~ Jack Chandler ~ Sarah Kirwan ~ with Morgen hosting

#16 Monday 8th June: the publishing industry ~ Andrea D Woolhead ~ David Wake ~ with Morgen hosting

#17 Monday 15th June: collaborating ~ Liz Hedgecock ~ Paula Harmon ~ with Morgen hosting