The road of a writer is a bumpy one.

At what point can you officially introduce yourself as ‘A Writer’ at dinner parties over pâté? What is the essence that a writer’s voice needs to jump out of the crowd? And what is it like to be the one who has to plough through the slush pile and select the stars?

All these questions and many more were debated in LONDNR Magazine’s first panel talk: ‘A Way In: Launching Your Writing Career’ with expert speakers discussing the advantages and disadvantages of various different routes into the industry.

With our Editorial Director, Nina-Sophia Miralles, acting as moderator, we heard from Simon Nelson, Development Producer at the BBC Writers Room on the topic of script-writing and his own career which started as an actor. Alex Pheby, programme leader of the University of Greenwich and co-founder & co-director of Greenwich Book Festival advised us on how uni courses can help tighten up your work and teach you the value of criticism. Eva Lewin, Writer Development Producer at Spread the Word, a charity funded by the Arts Council England explained the benefit of one-to-one mentoring and revealed helpful schemes run by the government which seek to support new writers of all disciplines.

It was an evening of drinks and joy with food for thought and tips to take away!