ARE you one of those people who feels there is a book inside you just bursting to get out?

A free ‘meet the author’ event in Haxby next Saturday might be just the thing to help you get started.

Local writer Agnes Sam, whose novel The Pragashini Smuts Affair is a powerful account of a young South African-born Asian girl rebelling against the restrictions of the apartheid era and the conventions of her own culture, has assembled a line-up of six local authors for the day-long workshop.

They include Agnes herself; Julian Cole, features editor at The Press, who is also a publisher crime writer; Peter Cooke, who writes historical fiction; and NE David, whose series of novellas are being converted into ebooks.

The aim of the day is partly to enable people to meet local writers. But it is also to get people writing.

The day will start with a workshop on how to begin writing; and will include sessions on writing from personal experience, researching historical fiction, how to self-publish on Kindle, and how to use social media to market your work. It will be very much hands-on, says Agnes, who lives in Heslington .

“We’re asking people to bring laptops if they have them, or else pens and writing paper, because we want people to get writing,” she said.

The event will be held at the Parvin Indian restaurant in York Road, Haxby, from 9.45am to 4.30pm next Saturday (August 18).

The workshop is free, but Agnes asks that those intending to come along should register in advance, so that she has an idea of numbers.

You can register online at meettheauthors.org, or phone Agnes on 01904 423866.