Room 204
Writing West Midlands’ Writer Development Programme 2012-2015
- Room 204 is our brand new Writer Development Programme. Beginning in 2012, we will be recruiting between 15 and 20 writers per year to participate.
- We think that emerging writers often need support taking their writing development to the next level. It is our objective to further develop the West Midlands as a region of creative writing excellence and a thriving place for writers to live and work. To achieve this we intend to work with writers in our region, through Room 204, to develop their skills and talents by giving them access to our expertise, activities, opportunities and networks, (for example of regional festivals and publishers).
- Room 204 is for emerging* writers living or working in the West Midlands who are looking for career development. It will support 15 -20 writers per year. We will offer each writer at least a year of support, including meetings and planning sessions in the first year, with follow up contact in subsequent years.
- The programme is aimed at writers who are emerging and who are writing creatively in any genre. It would be particularly suited to those who have previously had some work published, have demonstrated a commitment to developing their work over a period of time, or those who have graduated from creative writing HE courses. The programme is free and requires only a time commitment of approximately 3 days/6 half days per year.
Writers will be chosen on the basis of the following:
- The quality of their writing.
- Evidence of their commitment to writing professionally.
- Demonstrable need for our support.
Support may include:
- Regular contact (face to face, email, telephone, as appropriate) with one of Writing West Midlands staff (who have many years’ experience working with writers and the writing industry). They will work with each writer to draw up an individual plan for development. Writers can expect at least 3 face to face meetings per year.
- Tailored signposting and brokering via Writing West Midlands towards performance and development opportunities, potential collaborators, bursaries, courses and events that might benefit the individual writer.
- 3 Skill Sharing / Networking sessions with others on the programme, each one featuring a guest speaker to address an issue in focus. These might include, for example, working with children and young people, performance skills, or working with an editor.
- Priority booking and discounts for Writing West Midlands training and networking activities, plus negotiated discounts with partner organisations.
- A biographical listing on Writing West Midlands’ website.
- A free place on The Writers’ Toolkit (Writing West Midlands’ annual writer networking conference in Birmingham) in Year 1.
- Each year one Room 204 writer will be chosen to benefit from a bursary place on the Arvon Foundation’s Urban Arvon course, a three day non-residential writing course in Birmingham (subject to availability).
- A free CRB check.
Please note:
Room 204 is not a creative writing course. It is a development programme during which writers will be offered advice and guidance. The programme will not offer direct commentary on writing and will not publish or represent writers.
*Emerging, for the purpose of this programme, is defined as committed, but in the early stages of a writing career. Its definition does not rely on having earned money (or otherwise worked) as a writer, nor on the quantity of work published, but on the level of initiative shown in pursuing writing as a career. It is further defined as having taken initial steps towards professionalising as a writer, for example participating in writing workshops, tutorials, being part of a critiquing writers’ circle, submitting to competitions and magazines, seeking an agent or publisher (even if one has not been secured). We are interested in writers who want to write professionally, even if writing would not be their only or main job.
How to apply
The deadline for 2012 submissions has now passed. If you would like to hear about next year’s opportunity, please join out mailing list.
Successful applicants for 2012 will be contacted by 1st April.
