True Voyage is Return

One month. Four words to inspire you. And the limitless power of your imagination. 

This October writer Philip Holyman will transform the Exchange into a hub for new writing from Birmingham and the Black Country, with writers of all levels of experience invited to contribute to an anthology of brand new work.

There’s plenty of ways to get involved, whether you’re a writer, a reader, or just curious about the whole process!

Creating work

We’re looking for work in a wide range of forms for a new anthology to be launched in January 2025. The theme: True Voyage Is Return. Four words taken from Ursula K. Le Guin’s iconic novel The Dispossessed which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its publication this year. How you interpret the theme and the type of writing you produce is entirely up to you, and Philip has shared some simple guidelines around length and form to help you along your way.

No qualifications or experience are required: we want to hear from you wherever you are in your writing journey, and whatever you like to write - from comics and drama to prose or verse! 

Going behind the scenes

For the month of October you can join writers - from poets and playwrights to essayists and graphic novelists - as they produce brand new work in real time, on full view in the cafe. Including writer and project leader Philip Holyman, who will embark on a new 90,000-word novel over the course of just one month!

For more information on the project and how to get involved visit philipholyman.com 

This event is presented as part of AI Futures at The Exchange. Running February to November 2024, the programme explores the brave new world of artifical intelligence through the lens of University of Birmingham research.