Developments in the internet and electronic publishing are revolutionising the way books are sold and read. Not since Gutenberg has there been such a profound change in the transfer of knowledge in our society. What effect is this having on authors? Is it changing the way they write? If the physical book dies out, how will this alter the nature of fictional and non-fictional texts? With the decline of print newspapers and the fragmentation of the reading constituency, how will classics be identified and reputations made?

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John Lanchester, Andrew O’Hagan, Colm Tóibín, Mary-Kay Wilmers and James Wood will discuss these and a host of related issues with special reference to their own practice as writers.