In this title, contemporary creative writers reflect on the past, present and future of the novel. In 2012-2013, a year-long conversation between writers took place at 17 literary festivals around the world, from Jaipur to Krasnoyarsk, and from Melbourne to Berlin. Distinguished novelists such as Irvine Welsh, Ahdaf Soueif and Ali Smith shared their thoughts on various aspects of contemporary literature - the challenges it faces and the directions it is taking. This book is in part an anthology of the best of those accounts and also an overview of the lively wide-ranging global debate that the authors' views engendered among the many writers who took part. It adds up to an arresting and thought-provoking picture of the state of world literature today. It is a powerful statement of the significance of literature in the modern world, and a call-to-arms for those who believe that fine writing is endangered. Contributors include well-known contemporary novelists such as: China Mieville, Ahdaf Soueif, Kapka Kassabova, Irvine Welsh, Ali Smith and Kirsty Gunn. It provides an international perspective on the issues facing writers and writing in general, and the present-day novel in particular. It is a new and valuable resource for academics and students, and a fascinating primer for a wider readership - for those who want to know how fiction functions & who like to get an insight into the thought processes of creative artists.