University of Birmingham Collaborates with Local Writer for Novel Marathon in City Cafe

Birmingham writer Philip Holyman will write a brand new 90,000-word novel, which is approximately 360 pages, throughout October in The Exchange where he wrote his first novel in 2023.

The Exchange is inviting Birmingham and Black Country writers of all levels, (first-time or experienced) to contribute to a new anthology on the theme ‘True Voyage Is Return’. The theme has been taken from Ursula K. Le Guin’s iconic sci-fi novel The Dispossessed which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its publication this year.

I wrote my first novel at The Exchange during 2023, and it was one of the most fulfilling years of my life — not just in terms of producing an entire book, but also the sense of personal development and wellbeing that came with it. The more time I have spent on site, the more I have wanted to help other writers have that same kind of rewarding experience here for themselves.

Philip Holyman, writer and project lead

Philip will also be joined by writers of all kinds, poets, playwrights, essayists and graphic novelists, who will be producing brand-new work in real-time in The Exchange café. There will also be a range of talks, workshops and 1-2-1 writers’ surgeries, which will delve further behind the scenes of the writing process.

Philip, who is leading the True Voyage is Return project said: “I wrote my first novel at The Exchange during 2023, and it was one of the most fulfilling years of my life — not just in terms of producing an entire book, but also the sense of personal development and wellbeing that came with it. The more time I have spent on site, the more I have wanted to help other writers have that same kind of rewarding experience here for themselves.

“Thanks to support from the University of Birmingham and Arts Council England, this project will be a unique month-long opportunity to nurture and celebrate the creativity of local people — from established, published writers through to anyone who feels inspired to write for the very first time.”