Exploring the challenges and opportunities of the publishing industry will be the topic of a talk organized by University of Guelph professor and author Lawrence Hill.

Hill and his long-time editor Iris Tupholme from HarperCollins will speak Nov. 16 at the McLaughlin Library.

Tupholme, executive publisher at HarperCollins, will speak and answer questions. The talk is free and open to all.

Hill is one of Canada’s most esteemed writers and cultural voices.

Among his 10 novels and non-fiction works, Hill’s best-known work is The Book of Negroes. Published in Canada in 2007, it has since been translated into 10 languages and published around the world.

He said it can be difficult for an aspiring author to get started in the publishing industry.

“The primary challenge was finding an agent and a publisher who would be willing to take on my first book. I never did manage to get an agent for the first novel, though I did end up with a small but dynamic publisher in Winnipeg — Turnstone Press,” he said.

“But once published, it was difficult to attract attention. Reviews, prize nominations and invitations to give public readings are hard to come by when nobody has heard of you, or necessarily wants to hear from you.”

Hill said this month’s event is intended to help “demystify the business of writing and publishing, show developing writers how other writers come to market, and provide points of contact between aspiring writers and professionals who are already established in the market.”

The talk begins at 2:30 p.m. and will take place in the Whitelaw Room of McLaughlin Library, Room 246A.