How should I prepare for my session?
First of all, make sure you're aware of your file upload deadline and have given yourself enough time to finish your documents, read over them, and upload them – with plenty of breathing room allowed for any tech issues or emergency plans! All files need to be submitted by
1pm (BST) on May 18th 2026 and we won't accept late entries. For more information on what to submit and how to format your documents, please see the FAQ section:
'One-to-One file uploads'.
The time can fly by, so we recommend writing down any questions you'd like to ask and bringing them to your session. Don't be afraid to take down notes or ask the agent/book doctor to jot down any authors, books, agencies, publishers, or (if you're lucky enough to receive a manuscript request) email addresses they mention during the session. You will receive a print-out of some brief notes the agent or book doctor prepared in advance, but we don't recommend relying solely on these, as your own notes can help explain any missing context or any further discussion that came about during the live session.
If you would find it useful to have a copy of your submission pack in front of you during the session, you're welcome to bring print-outs or a laptop with a digital copy, though this is not a requirement and is entirely up to you.
What happens during a One-to-One session?
At the Festival, you'll need to arrive 5-10 minutes before your session so we can check you in. A waiting area is available close by, but please make sure you are ready to enter the room when the doors open at the start of the 15-minute session slot. It's absolutely fine to leave a workshop or panel in order to attend your session – for more information, please see the related FAQ:
'My one-to-one slot is during a workshop I'd like to attend. Is that okay?'
You can find the location of your agent or book doctor's desk on a seating plan provided by the staff outside the One-to-One room. When the doors open, simply make your way to their desk and your session will begin!
We'll keep track of time using a countdown projected onto the screens in the room. One minute before your session ends, you'll hear a chime sound to indicate that the session is nearly over. This is your cue to start wrapping up the conversation and gathering any belongings. A second chime will sound at the end of the session, at which point we will open the doors for the next set of attendees. We want everyone to have a fair amount of time in their One-to-One, so please respect the agent/book doctor and your fellow writers by leaving promptly at the second chime.
What should I do if I don’t agree with the feedback?
First of all, give yourself some time to decompress. While opening yourself up to feedback is a crucial step for any creative to take, it can also be incredibly daunting! You might like to visit the quiet room at the venue, get some fresh air, or grab some water or a cup of tea.
Once you're ready to dig into the feedback, we recommend following these tips:
- Keep an open mind. Even if you disagree with a point of feedback, it can still be useful to consider why the reader might have reached that conclusion and whether there are any helpful insights you can take from this.
- Trust your reader's expertise. Literary professionals will be presenting feedback shaped by their experiences in the industry. That doesn't mean they know your book better than you – but it probably means they know the market well enough to be giving an informed opinion, and that they're trying to use that knowledge to help you succeed.
- Confront your emotions. If there's a thorny piece of feedback that brings up complicated or negative emotions, don't be afraid to take a step back and consider why this might be the case. It might be that the feedback touches on a highly personal element of your work, or maybe it's criticism that doesn't make sense to you. Understanding your own reactions can help you identify what's important to you in your writing and what you might need extra support tackling.
- Remember that you're in charge. The wonderful Sheyla Knigge from High Line Literary once said that querying is the last time your story is truly yours and no one else's; you'll have a team of people working to polish your manuscript into a publication-ready book later down the line, but for now, you get to call the shots! Not everyone will 'get' your writing, and while it is important to keep an open mind, you are entirely free to disregard feedback you don't agree with. This is a really important part of the creative process, as learning which elements you are and are not willing to compromise on will help clarify your vision for the manuscript and make stronger, more focused creative decisions in the future.
- Remember that it's not personal. Agents and publishers might receive hundreds, if not thousands of submissions each month but are only able to take on a select few clients. While rejections and criticism are never easy to receive – or to deliver! – it's all part of the publishing process. Even if you've come away with more negative than positive feedback, please don't worry; you haven't wasted your one and only shot to impress a pro, and they're not going to think any less of you for putting yourself out there and trying.
If you need any extra support, or if something you heard in your session isn't quite making sense to you, please get in touch with us after the Festival and we'll be happy to help.