Literature Works

21/10/2026

Over the next month at Plymouth Central Library (Plymouth Libraries), explore the history of public libraries in Plymouth and try your hand at some interactive poetry activities (blackout poetry and magnetic word poetry), in a special installation The Words We Live.

The Words We Live is a collaboration between Literature Works, Joy-Led Urbanism and R.C. Thomas to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Plymouth Libraries since opening in 1876.

As part of The Words We Live, you’ll find a display of newspaper articles from the post-Blitz period when efforts were made to rebuild and replenish the city’s libraries, and R.C. Thomas has contributed a poem in the spirit of rebuilding. You’re invited you to create your own poems too, with our interactive activities.

The installation began this week and will finish in mid-November.

Plymouth Laureate of Words is a creative partnership between Literature Works, Plymouth Culture and The Box Plymouth. The Laureate represents their city in words, illuminating its life, culture and stories through a combination of creative writing commissions and public events. The locally based Laureate meets the Plymouth community to inspire and encourage the sharing of stories; reflecting the voices at the heart of the city.

21/10/2026

There's still over a month left for low income writers in South West England to apply for TLC Free Reads scheme via Literature Works.

This is a fantastic way for eligible writers to get professional, constructive feedback on their work. We're proud to partner with the each year to help deliver this opportunity.

You can apply up until 7th December 2026 – learn more about what’s required and download an application form from the Literature Works website.

🔗 bit.ly/LWfreeread

20/10/2026

The Forward Prizes for Poetry Young Poets Summit takes place in London this coming Saturday, and many of the talented young poets who have been involved in our programme in recent years will be among the 60+ coming from around the country for performances, workshops, panels, prizes and more.

Those young poets from the South West include Holly Peters (Mayflower 400 Young City Laureate), Graci Wakely (Exeter Young City Laureate 2025-2026) Jonah Corren (Literature Works' very own Programme officer), and Laurie Page (a Creative Writing MA student at University of Plymouth).

Frankie Baldry (Plymouth Young City Laureate 2024-2025) will be there as a co-curator, chairing our Forward Summit Panel alongside Jasmine Allenspach. We thought we'd take this opportunity to re-share Frankie's poem 'The Anglerfish's Daughter' shared earlier this month.

Have a fantastic time everyone. We're pleased to be involved in this 4th Young Poets Summit, alongside other organisations championing young poets - like Young Identity, Barbican Young Poets, The Writing Squad, Apples and Snakes, ArtfulScribe, GOBS Collective and London Writers Centre.

Arts Council England

16/10/2026

Coming soon…our online talent development programme Word Space will return for 2027-2028. More news in our November newsletter - subscribe at bit.ly/LitWnews to receive an e-mail from us once a month.

14/10/2026

It's about a year since Chris Hoban joined us at Exeter Custom House as songwriter-in-residence, crafting a narrative song-cycle, with evocative lyrics telling tales from Exeter’s Quay over the years.

One of the songs he wrote and performed during that time was 'Call Mister Gregory', the true tale of Thomas Gregory (1872-1926), the boat proprietor who lived on Exeter Quayside and became the greatest lifesaver in Britain, saving over 400 people from drowning. Chris has performed the song many times since, and now Thomas' extraordinary achievement is being marked in a new way.

We were really pleased to learn recently that the Exeter Civic Society is mounting a blue plaque on Thomas Gregory's cottage - now the front part of the Prospect Inn - in December. More news soon, but for now, enjoy a studio recording of the song 'Call Mister Gregory' and more on our YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/NE31ZOpTrG4?si=XFckQFML6OKpN6SJ

www.chrishoban.comwww.facebook.com/chrishobanmusicCALL MISTER GR...

14/10/2026

We've just welcomed two new members to our skilled trustee board: Lewis Eynon and Professor John Wedgwood Clarke. They bring valuable skills and experience to our charity, in financial management in the cultural sector, and in creative writing. We are looking forward to working with them.

You can learn more about them and the rest of our team of staff and trustees on the Literature Works website - click through to the Our People page. https://literatureworks.org.uk/our-people/

12/10/2026

FROM OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR:

👻 Spooky Story Writing Workshop
📍Sappho’s, Plymouth
🗓️ 15th & 22nd October 2026
🕢 7pm-8.30pm

Write a ghost or horror story of your very own ready for sharing this Halloween! Led by Write Out Loud-LGBTQ + allies writing opportunities

WRITE A GHOST OR HORROR STORY OF YOUR OWN READY TO SHARE THIS HALLOWEEN!

Workshop One:
7pm Thursday 15th October

Workshop Two:
7pm Thursday 22nd October

Over these two fun and spooky workshops we will explore what makes a good ghost or horror story and take inspiration from the camp and q***r stories of the past.

In the first session we will look at classic tales and story rules and come up with our own unique ideas.

In session two we will develop and edit our stories to ensure maximum spine chills.

Participants are invited to have their stories read (by themselves or others) at our storytelling event on the 29th of October.

While the sessions are designed to work together...writers are welcome if they can only attend one and will still be able to take part and create their story.

Write Out Loud is a project created by Down Stage Write to create writing opportunities for LGBTQ writers in Devon and Cornwall. We've led workshops, organised events, created short films, broadcast audio plays and published zines.

The sessions are led by Jon Nash and Mich Sanderson.

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Submit your own community events - anything linked to literature that's happening around the South West, or online events relevant to readers and writers here - at bit.ly/LitWevents

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08/10/2026

📸 Some of our 2026 Young Writers' Flash Fiction winners at Exeter Custom House with Professor John Wedgwood Clarke.

With over 300 entries from 10-18 year old writers all around the world, the judges commented that they were ‘bowled over’ by the quality of this year’s submissions which interpreted the 2026 theme of ‘Between the Lines’ in delightful ways.

The prizegiving event, with readings by the winning young writers, took place on Saturday at Exeter Custom House.

The winners were:

Aged 10-14
1st Place – Conrad Coats, The Strawberry
2nd Place – Aisha Oyewande, The Last Star
3rd Place – Elif Azra Cengiz, The Fate of December and January

Aged 14-18
1st Place – Gemma Brassley, As it Was
2nd Place – Kirsty Gray, Faeries
3rd Place – Jasmine Taylor, A Cat Called Dorian

We also had two highly commended pieces from Amelia Greensmith and Naomi Prieto.

Their entries have been published in a Young Writers’ Flash Fiction Pamphlet, designed and edited by University of Exeter MA Publishing student, Shreeya Sawant.

For the first time, we’re sharing a digital version of pamphlet so that people everywhere can enjoy the fantastic, imaginative work of these young writers. Read below or download the PDF on the Literature Works website: bit.ly/btlpamphlet

07/10/2026

FROM OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR:

Coming up this Saturday...

Wi******er Poetry Day (by Wi******er Poetry Festival)
📍The Arc, Wi******er
🗓️ 10th October 2026
🕢 10am-5pm

This year is our bijou celebration of poetry, and we are inviting you to join us for a day of performance and participation, right here in Wi******er!

📝 Writing the Lyric Self: workshop with Rachel Long
10:30 - 12:00 | for adults of all abilities | £20
A writing workshop exploring new ways of inhabiting and transforming the lyric voice.

🏆 The Hampshire Young Poets' celebration event 2026
11:00 - 12:00 | invitation only
Join Hampshire Poet and competition judge, Damian Kelly-Basher, as we celebrate those who entered the Hampshire Young Poets competition, with Hampshire Cultural Trust.

🙌🏾 Meet our Artistic Director: Erica Hesketh
11:30- 13:00 | all welcome | FREE
An informal meet-and-greet to explore Erica’s plans for WPF27 and an opportunity to share what *you* want from your biennial poetry festival!

🎤 Poetry Open Mic
13:15 - 14:15 | sign-up to read from 12:15 | FREE
A chance to share your work and join us for an hour of local voices. Open to poets 16yrs+, all levels of experience welcomed.
Guest poet: Christina Moran (Kathryn Bevis Prize winner 2025)

🌟 Wi******er Poetry Prize Ceremony 2026
15:00 - 16:30 | online + in person | FREE - booking advised
Join competition judge Julia Copus to hear from the longlisted poets as we count down to reveal the winners, at this exciting live event to launch the 2026 anthology.

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Submit your own community events - anything linked to literature that's happening around the South West, or online events relevant to readers and writers here - at bit.ly/LitWevents

07/10/2026

📢 The Exeter Young City Laureate for 2026-27 is Emily Reynolds.

Emily says about being selected for the role: "As Exeter Young City Laureate, I intend to inspire young people to use writing as a way to ensure their voices are heard, while also drawing attention to the rich literary history of the city."

At Literature Works, we are ambitious to support and develop Exeter’s young voices for the future and the role of Exeter Young City Laureate, introduced in 2025 is central to this. Anyone aged 14-19 who lives, works or studies in Exeter and writes prose or poetry can apply. Emily will receive commissions to create work that celebrate special events in the city and will be invited to perform in venues across the city.

This is the second year of Exeter’s Young City Laureate programme. The first Young City Laureate Graci Wakely has had a fantastic year, speaking at local schools and colleges, curating an event at the Green Phoenix festival and writing commissions on the National Year of Reading and local government policies.

Exeter is bursting with words and stories and, as a Unesco City of Literature is part of an international network of culture and storytelling right around the globe. At the heart of the city’s stories is The Exeter Book, representing 1,000 years of continuous storytelling, reading and writing in the city.

We’re excited for Emily to play a part in Exeter’s next literary chapter, and will share more news soon. If you’d like to contact us to plan a project or arrange an interview with Emily, e-mail [email protected].