The authors of the short pieces in this collection are all current students or tutors on The National Academy of Writing course at Birmingham City University. Many of the contributors are previously unpublished. This is the first of what is intended to be an annual showcase of talent for the student group.
The National Academy of Writing was set up in 2000 to create a school for aspiring writers with demonstrable talent based on the `conservatoire' approach adopted in the performing arts. The current programme, hosted at Birmingham City University, allows participants to develop their skills as novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, and non-fiction writers, supported by the active involvement of the Academy's Patrons (a substantial body of internationally renowned authors) and Partners (publishers, agents, and other relevant media participants).
