The Malta Book Festival 2024, themed #bindingworlds, attracted generous crowds and underscored literature’s power to unite diverse audiences. Organised by the National Book Council at the MFCC, Ta’ Qali from November 6-10, the Festival attracted both readers and industry professionals, offering a range of events that emphasised skill-building and career development within the publishing sector.
Key highlights included appearances by acclaimed international authors Anthony Horowitz, known for his crime and espionage novels, and Paul Lynch, 2023 Booker Prize winner for Prophet Song. Each brought a unique style and perspective, showcasing literature’s versatility and appeal across genres.
“The National Book Council aims to continually enhance the Festival experience for guests, exhibitors, and the thousands of visitors who attend annually,” Festival Director Simona Cassano said. “This year, we created numerous opportunities for the professional development of local literary talent, while honouring the rich cultural significance of literature,” Cassano added.
Horowitz engaged a packed audience in a lively creative writing masterclass, sharing key techniques that have sustained his bestseller success. Faber Academy’s Director of the Fiction Programme Richard Skinner offered a half-day workshop on fiction development, guiding participants through practical exercises to advance their writing skills. Both sessions gave participants valuable insights into the craft of storytelling.
Furthering its focus on professional development, the Festival hosted ‘Manuscript to Market’, where Horowitz’s literary agent Jonathan Lloyd and Maltese translator and publisher Kat Storace discussed strategies for entering the competitive UK publishing scene. Sessions on illustration, animation, printing and bookbinding provided a comprehensive look at the publishing process, enhancing the Festival’s interactive appeal.
As a crucial meeting point between industry stakeholders and local book lovers, the Festival has a key role to play in facilitating encounter, dialogue and critical conversation on Maltese literature, where readers can not only enthuse over and purchase freshly-minted books from their favourite publishers, but also engage in honest conversations about how the sector — and its output — could improve.
The space created in its pjazza area – where comfortable seating offered visitors close proximity to the café, this year managed by the Malta Community Chest Fund – was the perfect place to meet up and discuss book purchases new and old, while planning one’s trip across the 40-plus exhibitors after admiring the From Illustration to Book exhibition, whose third edition once again paid homage to book illustration while also offering an added visual ‘oomph’ to the event.
The atmosphere of open discussion was solidified further in a crucial roundtable discussion which took place on the Festival’s closing day – Sunday 10 November. Organised by the NBC, ‘Maltese Fiction: Where to Next?’ invited author and scholar Immanuel Mifsud, former National Book Prize adjudicators Maria Theuma and Omar ’N Shea and book reviewer Daniel Cossai for a discussion on the current status of Maltese fiction moderated by author and educator David Aloisio.
The decision to not award any prizes for either of the two fiction categories of the National Book Prize – Novel and Short Stories – was the initial spark for the talk, which evolved into a wider conversation about concerns related to readership rates on the island, the importance of cultivating work endowed with true ‘literariness’, while also acknowledging and creating a space for more ‘commercial’ fiction, which regularly pulls in a healthy swathe of readers.
“These events align with the NBC’s vision to empower Maltese creators – authors, illustrators, and publishers – by fostering skill development and providing a space for open, constructive dialogue about the state of Maltese literature,” Cassano said. “By addressing challenges and envisioning solutions, we hope to inspire growth and innovation in the sector.”
The Malta Book Festival will return on 5–9 November 2025, and preparations are already underway for the next edition. To stay updated on the latest developments, visit ktieb.org.mt and the Malta Book Festival Facebook and Instagram page.
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