For twitter, #scaremongrel, @tweetybyrde, @thepigeonholehq and http://bit.ly/scaremongrel

Writing West Midlands present their annual conference The Writers’ Toolkit at University of Birmingham, 7th November:

Keynote speakers are poet Jo Bell talking about the 52 Project and how writers can make opportunities for themselves, and literary agent and publishing doyenne Carole Blake, who will let us into the realities of what publishers and agents want from writers.

And in between the two, you can choose from 12 smaller breakout sessions, each looking at a different aspect of the business of writing, from writing for the YA market to negotiating contracts through to writing for broadcast and tax for writers. Full details of all the sessions can be found here.

Book soon to avoid disappointment.

mac birmingham is proud to announce the launch of Forge, a new culture magazine developed by The Icing Agency – a team of young arts marketers from mac‘s Next Gen Creative Agency project. Highlighting the work of creative young people across West Midlands region, Forge will feature a variety of content from a variety of artistic disciplines, embracing emerging artists, writers, musicians and organisations with innovative approaches and inspiring stories.

Come along to the launch party to celebrate, and pick up a copy of the first issue on Friday 9th October at 6pm.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1496132427372680/

On 26th April, PowWow Festival of Writing returns for its fourth year to The Prince of Wales with a programme “that brings you more bang for your book.”

This year, the festival welcomes internationally-acclaimed screenwriter and BAFTA fellow Andrew Davies (House of Cards, A Very Peculiar Practice), author and Salt Publishing editor Nicholas Royle (Best British Short Stories), micro fiction writer David Gaffney, and broadcaster and writer Natalie Haynes.

The packed programme provides festival-goers with a window on the literary world, and includes sessions on screenwriting, how to write a prize-winning short story, fiction for young adults and writing for broadcast.

In a bid to encourage writers of all ages and backgrounds to take part, tickets are just £10, or £5 if you are a student, pensioner or unemployed.

Find out more, and read biogs for all speakers at www.powwowfest.com/2015-festival

Today is the launch of 101 Things Birmingham Gave The World, after huge support on social media with their successful kickstarter campaign earlier in the year.

“101 Things Birmingham Gave The World, is not a Birmingham of the memory. It is a living breathing thing, wrestling with the city’s contradictions, press-ganging the typically arch and understated humour of the Brummie, and an army of little-known facts, both trivial and monumental, into reshaping its confusing reputation.”

Stewart Lee

You can buy the book online HERE, in a handful of shops *soon* or, if you can’t wait for it to be posted to you, or for it to be in shops, get it TONIGHT because there’s a little shindig at The Old Mo tonight in celebration.

Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/324538024396063/

Birmingham Literature Festival

This week Birmingham Literature Festival have released their full programme, running from 2-11 October 2014. For updates and news follow them here.

Fierce Festival

The Fierce Festival programme is also now live, running from 2-12 October 2014. They recommend joining their mailing list for updates.

Plastic Fantastic at Ikon Gallery

On Saturday 23rd August join Ikon Gallery for an hour-long 80s inspired jewellery workshop by Working Clasp. Book online or call Ikon Shop on 0121 248 0711.

The Gloaming Tales at mac birmingham

An Artist Rooms Project, The Gloaming Tales is going to be a spellbinding night of myth and legends told by storytellers around the campfire during the most magical time of day, twilight. Find out more here.

Glug Birmingham

We are on the final countdown to Glug, with less than a week to go! This week we have been sending out more flyers and beer mats, folding programmes and also released a promo video by Created in Birmingham’s Finlay Bell. It’s not too late to book tickets, visit the website to book.

Glug Birmingham: Midland Masters [PROMO] from Inkygoodness on Vimeo.

Local artists create edible flag to mark Indian Independence Day

Local artists Alexandria Robinson-Sutherland and Lexx Carby of Uneek Walls worked with ingredients at Birmingham wedding caterer and restaurant, Itihaas, to adorn the four-foot canvas. Using turmeric, basmati rice and coriander leaves the artists created the edible flag to mark Indian Independence Day.

Birmingham Literature Festival returns later this year for ten days of high quality literature events, conversations and activities. Festival events already on sale include:

• Jackie Kay: Poems for National Poetry Day – Thursday 2 October, 7.30 – 8.45pm
• Wake up Happy with Stephen May – Thursday 2 October, 7.30 – 8.45pm
• Roger McGough with Liz Berry: As Far As I Know – Saturday 4 October, 8 – 9.15pm
• Steven Knight: Writing Peaky Blinders – Monday 6 October, 6 – 7.30pm
• Meera Syal in conversation with Sathnam Sanghera – Saturday 11 October, 8 – 9.30pm

They’re currently looking for volunteers to work on the festival:

What they are looking for:

People who are passionate about literature of any kind, who are confident working in a team (sometimes under pressure or at a relatively fast pace) and people who have initiative and drive. They don’t mind whether you have previous voluntary experience, how old you are (as long as you are over the age of 18 by 1 October 2014) or whether you have any qualifications in English or creative writing.

There are several opportunities available:

Event Stewards –includes ushering & making sure audience members know where to go, assisting where necessary with set-up and the breakdown of events, assisting with catering and looking after writers and speakers (where necessary).

Event Runners –includes assisting with the logistics and production of events, moving props and books between venues and meeting writers and speakers at train station/car park/hotel and showing them to their events.

Photo & Videoing Assistants – photographing and videoing the events to create podcasts/a digital record of the Festival.

Ticket and Book Sales Assistants – assisting with the book sales for each event and ticket sales where necessary.

For more information please visit the Birmingham Literature Festival website.

Next week Writing West Midlands presents Page Talk: Portraits, part of a series of creative writing festivals created, written and produced by young people. Not quite in Birmingham (Wolverhampton) but the opportunity is open to the surrounding areas.

Here’s more about that:

YOUNG WRITERS wanted for a week of FREE Workshops in Wolverhampton
Monday 28 July – Friday 1 August
Arena Theatre

Young writers, aged between 12 and 16, looking for a challenge over the summer holidays can take part in an exciting week of workshops happening at the end of this month for the ‘Page Talk’ creative writing festival.

Hosted by the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton the theme of Portraits will be explored over five half-day workshops which will be led by professional authors, producers, poets, playwrights and more.

20 young people are invited to join the week-long session which ends in a showcase festival day  featuring the work produced along with special guests. On Saturday 2 August Arena Theatre will come alive with events including poetry on film, theatre, recorded podcasts and storytelling.

The talented workshop leaders come from a host of backgrounds and include: Naylah Ahmed; an established writer who has written and produced plays for BBC Radio 4 and the BBC Asian Network. Nick Walker; a Perrier-nominated writer who works extensively in theatre and radio. Emma Purshouse; performance poet who won the Wenlock Poetry Festival Slam competition in 2011. Cat Weatherill;  a compelling storyteller and children’s author who has featured at many literature festivals and has written for the likes of BBC Radio 4. Neil Reading; theatre Director and Producer.

To take part in the free sessions please send an email via parent or guardian to hayley[at]writingwestmidlands.org

Back in October last year, we wrote about a brand new newsletter hitting inboxes across Birmingham. Since then, ICHOOS Birmingham has gone through a facelift courtesy of Claire Hartley, and now the weekly publication is known as I CHOOSE Birmingham.

After a short publishing break I CHOOSE Birmingham returns to subscribers inboxes this Friday. The free e-magazine highlights the very best things to do in and around Brum and includes restaurants, exhibitions, galleries events and much more.

It’s the creation of Tom Cullen the multi award-winning former editor of ShortList.com. It’s now almost 50 issues old and boasts over 3,000 subscribers across the city.

You can subscribe and read previous issues at www.ichoosebirmingham.com

What do you get when you mix a polemic topic, a misunderstood community, two of Britain’s best poetic voices and the artistic directors at Birmingham REP? The answer is Refugee Boy – a heartbreaking and hilarious production brimming with hope, humanity and love.

This is an adaption of Benjamin Zepheniah’s novel of the same title. It runs from Tuesday 8th – Saturday 12th April so order your ticket here before they get snapped up. It tells the story of Alem, a fourteen year old boy fleeing civil war with his family. After being smuggled into the UK, his Ethiopian father and Eritrean mother make the heartbreaking to decision to leave him in London whilst they return to their country.

Alem’s new life in London brings a host of challenges – he is shoved from pillar to post – between court hearings, children’s homes, and foster families. He decides to take control and become the master of his own destiny. He transcends his label and comes of age in circumstances too difficult for most of us to contemplate.

In this production, Gail McIntrye, Playhouse Associate Director, brings together the work of Lemn Sissay and Brum’s favourite dub-poet, Benjamin Zephaniah.

The play has received rave reviews. Many of them focus on the production’s seamless transitions between stages of Alem’s life and the poignant presentation of such a tough young life. The creative team behind it were supported by a local charity working with refugees, City of Sanctuary.

There will be a free curtain-raiser performance before the evening performance of Refugee Boy on 10th April

“A Place Called Home” by Bethan Marlow and directed by Erin Gilley tells the powerful, moving, and inspirational stories collected from a diverse group of refugees and asylum seekers who are all in the process of making Birmingham their home.

This is one not to be missed. The best of Brum’s creative talent coming together and raising awareness of a serious issue.

The event will run 7.30pm – 9.00pm, Tuesday 1st April at The Library of Birmingham and tickets are £6-8 available here.

Writing West Midlands will also introduce their Literary Map of the West Midlands that highlights the talent across the region. The map was designed/illustrated by Kerry.

We commissioned the map because it’s our ambition to make sure the West Midlands is known as a writer’s region. We’re passionate about celebrating the writing of the West Midlands, both past and present.

Abigail Campbell, Acting Programmes Director

There is an incredible programme of events planned for the new season including Birmingham Independent Book Fair on April 12th at Ikon Gallery and we look forward to telling you about upcoming events for the new season.

For more information about Writing West Midlands take a look at their website, follow them on twitter or like their page on facebook.

Writing West Midlands produce the Birmingham Literature Festival, and today (March 31st) is the last day to submit your 2014 event proposals – you need to send them by 5pm.