The literary supplement of El Periódico de España, launched just a few weeks ago, brought together a circle of writers and publishing professionals in Madrid’s Retiro Park to discuss the state of the industry and the role literature plays in society.
From the heart of Madrid’s Book Fair and its environs, a conversation about books continues to unfold. Titles are sold, gatherings are hosted, and conversations over coffee or a drink carry the energy of the moment. In April, the supplement’s editors and collaborators convened again, this time under a banner that invited the whole literary ecosystem to reflect on the present and future of writing. The gathering took place at the CaixaBank pavilion in Retiro, with participants including Olga Merino, Julio Llamazares, Ray Loriga, a literary agent, a well-known cultural promoter, and Lola Larumbe, the longtime head of the Alberti bookstore, among others.
From the outset, the aim was clear. The organizers sought to assemble all voices from literature without regard to origin or status, to create a space where ideas could circulate freely and authors could meet readers and colleagues alike. As soon as the panel came together, the question to be explored was posed: what can literature offer in today’s world?
Julio Llamazares, a veteran writer, answered with his characteristic clarity. He reminded the audience that literature has always mirrored the human condition. It bears witness to time, preserves memories that might otherwise fade, and helps people understand who they are and what the world is becoming. The moment in which we live, he argued, is neither uniquely good nor wholly bad; it is another instance in a long line of human histories, and literature continues its traditional mission of witnessing and explaining the world we inhabit.
Olga Merino, a journalist with a broad background in reporting from Eastern Europe and a deep understanding of current geopolitical tensions, emphasized that literature serves to comfort and illuminate. Reading and writing, she noted, remain lifelines in difficult times, even when powerful entertainment platforms and streaming services complicate the landscape. The core of the craft endures: telling stories that matter and connecting them to real lives.
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The discussion shifted to the industry’s present moment and how the Book Fair itself seems to have rebounded from the pandemic with renewed vitality. Lola Larumbe, who has manned a booth at Retiro since the 1980s, described the fair as a steady center of gravity for the book world. The future is visible in tangible trends: the rise of influencer culture, a focus on young readers, and a network of meetings and opportunities for collaboration. Yet the basics remain unchanged: bookstores, fairs, and the ongoing work of curating and presenting books to readers continues to be the heart of the enterprise. The tools may evolve, she suggested, but the core mission stays the same: to support authors, publishers, and booksellers as they navigate a shifting environment.
Beyond the mechanics of the market, the conversation turned to what writers forge and how they choose to write in the years ahead. Palmira Márquez, who leads the Dos Passos literary agency, has unique insight because her doors open every day to manuscripts from emerging authors. She highlighted the abundance of talent waiting to be discovered in new voices and stressed that the publishing world has shown it can bring fresh first novels to readers who might not have expected them. Miguel Muñoz agreed on the potential for breakthrough works in fiction, but he admitted disappointment with certain strands of contemporary poetry within Spain. He sensed a misalignment between how poetry and prose are currently valued and the vitality that should characterize both forms. He warned that important voices may be missing and urged a renewed search to fill that gap.
Ray Loriga, reflecting on the author’s craft, admitted that it can be difficult to pin down what the writer is aiming for: a universal style that spans generations or a response that speaks to the specifics of the moment. He noted that writers often see themselves as islands, growing with time. His own reading is selective, guided by what will influence his ongoing work, a reminder that authors often navigate by their own compass rather than by fashion.
When asked who writers are writing for, whether for readers or themselves, Loriga spoke of a certain solitary impulse. Readers are cherished, he said, but the drive to write comes from passion rather than fame. What matters is a genuine interest in the work itself; the rest—the audience, the attention—should be incidental. The ideal sits in writing a book the author would want to read, a personal touchstone that still aims to connect with others who share curiosity and taste.
The discussion then turned to the role of criticism and the responsibilities of publishing houses within the April initiative. Álex Salmon defended the project as a serious, constructive space for readers to engage with texts. He argued that for these discussions to have real impact, there must be a stable platform and a publisher’s support to sustain the dialogue. Juan Cruz closed the session by underscoring a simple truth: newspapers can spread a culture of reading, but publishers must invest in the conversation if the pages are to matter. Journalism faces its own pressures, he noted, and a literary supplement gains strength only when editors actively shape and curate its voice. With that, the participants returned to Retiro to greet publishers and booksellers and to revisit the very books that made the gathering possible.
In the end, the gathering stood as a reminder that literature lives through conversation: between authors and readers, between editors and booksellers, and between the pages of a magazine and the shelves of a store. The book world keeps moving forward, driven by a shared belief that stories matter, that voices deserve an audience, and that the work of writing—and the work of publishing—continues to invite people to discover, reflect, and imagine together. As April’s dialogue concluded, the participants carried with them a quiet optimism about the enduring power of literature to reflect society, challenge assumptions, and ignite conversation across generations.
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