Some novelists hit a remarkable seam on their second outings, and among the second novels that have earned their place in history are The Mill on the Floss, Pride and Prejudice, The Master and Margarita, Fahrenheit 451 and Midnight’s Children. This year the RSL takes over the administration of the £10,000 Encore Award, founded in 1990 to celebrate the best second novel of the year. In a conversation chaired by literary journalist Alex Clark, one of this year’s judges, Nikita Lalwani and past winners Iain Sinclair and Evie Wyld speak about the pleasures and pitfalls of writing and reading fictional follow-ups. The shortlist for the 2017 RSL Encore Award is also announced at this event.

We are grateful to Lucy Astor for sponsoring the RSL Encore Award.