September’s Edinburgh Literary Salon saw its patrons outnumbered by students from Napier’s Publishing course, eager to cement themselves amongst established players in the bookselling and publishing world. One attendee gave the room a look one could only describe as utterly baffled as he pulled up a chair next to one of the many fresh faces in the crowd. But the visitors of the salon, new and old, settled into the room and we listened to a varied group of speakers discuss upcoming events along with the challenges facing the industry.
The September meeting focused on bookshops and book festivals, platforming booksellers and organisers to discuss upcoming events. Annie Rutherford, creative producer of ‘Push the Boat Out’ Edinburgh’s international poetry festival, gave the room an early insight into the upcoming programme. Taking place between the 12th and 15th of November, the festival this year is focused on ‘the space between,’ platforming poetry which flows between the transformative and the liminal. Push the Boat Out aims to celebrate what is described by festival director Emma Collins as the “uncertain and undesigned.” (Collins) Tickets are now available at: https://pushtheboatout.org/programme/.
Mairi Oliver, bookseller and owner of Edinburgh’s radical bookshop ‘Lighthouse’ spoke to the salon about the upcoming radical book fair taking place between the 5th and 8th of November at the Assembly Roxy in Edinburgh. The festival’s theme speaks to the idea of “building a better now” and will be host to book stalls featuring over 70 publishers, along with workshops, panel discussions and activist stalls. The event will be free to browse stalls but £5 to attend panel discussions.
Also discussed were certain concerns facing the Edinburgh publishing community. A brief nod was made to the close call faced by a Scottish staple within independent magazine publishing, The Skinny. Last month the free magazine service was rumoured to be shutting down, with the company describing itself as bracing for “immediate and permanent closure” (Dunn). The news was a reminder of the instability felt by independent publishers and authors, but the magazine’s potential closure was met with an outcry of support, one palpable in the room that night. As one Instagram user so succinctly puts it “you can’t keep a diva down.”
After the speakers wrapped up, the newcomers embedded ourselves amongst the crowd eager to make connections and introductions. One attendee made his rounds asking each student what type of stuff they wrote, like it was a given. As he was met with various answers one thing ran true, a love for the industry, for stories. Whether writer or reader, student or bookseller, everyone in the room was united by a dedication to one thing. Events like the salon, (along with the festivals platformed there) are imperative in fostering integration between authors and publishers whilst ensuring that newcomers feel both welcomed and connected.
The salon takes place the last Tuesday of each month, tickets for the October event can be reserved at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/septembers-festival-salon-tickets-2000891486298
Works cited
Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair 2026’ Lighthouse Bookshop, October 2026. Available at:https://lighthousebookshop.com/events/edinburghs-radical-book-fair-2026-save-the-date. Accessed on Oct 14 2026.
Dunn, Jamie, The Skinny: ‘Back from the Brink,’ The Skinny, October 13 2026. Available at: https://www.theskinny.co.uk/art/interviews/the-skinny-is-back-independent-arts-journalism
Accessed October 14 2026
‘Push the Boat Out 2026 – Full Programme Announced’ Push the Boat Out, October 1 2026. Available at: Push the Boat Out 2026 – Full programme announced – 2026 Push The Boat Out Festival Accessed October 14 2026.
