Speaking Volumes

Speaking Volumes is a live literature organisation specialising in getting underrepresented voices heard, reaching diverse audiences and finding exciting ways to present the work of writers.

Not Quite Right For Us

To mark our 10th birthday, Speaking Volumes is publishing an anthology of forty writers whose work challenges the mainstream responding to the theme ‘Not Quite Right For Us’ – find out more here.

Anthony Joseph: The Frequency of Magic

Over a number of in-person events, Anthony Joseph performs the entirety of his novel, The Frequency of Magic, with live improvised jazz, accompanied by some of the UK’s finest musicians.

Find out where you can see him here

Watch the writers who are part of the anthology give a taste of their work and the overall themes of the book.

New and Current Projects

  • Crop of the Breaking New Ground booklet cover

Find out what we are currently working on and what is coming up.

Epic Conversation: Bernardine Evaristo and Roger Robinson

For the final event of the A Portable Paradise Tour, TS Eliot Prize winner Roger Robinson was interviewed by Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo. This Epic Conversation took place at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton, with a special invited audience of established and emerging writers, producers and supporters who have been part of Roger’s journey to his book and who he wanted to celebrate with. This is a short extract bt you can watch the full conversation here.

Past Projects

Linton Kwesi Johnson

About Us

Meet the Team

Earlier this week we featured a snippet from Manchester-based poet and playwright @afshandl, whose nonfiction piece 'The Freshie Rocker' is featured in the CHILDHOOD chapter of our new anthology #NotQuiteRightForUs. ⁠⁠ One month to go until our Charleston event on 4TH SEPTEMBER with Not Quite Right For Us authors @paulburston1, @colincraiggrant and @catherinerebeccajohnson, in conversation with @razia1962 about outsiderness and culture.⁠⁠ Time for a new snippet from our anthology #NotQuiteRightForUs! Today we're featuring @afshandl's irreverent and heartfelt essay about punk rockers, undercuts and hiding and becoming who we are 'The Freshie Rocker', which sits in the childhood chapter of the book.⁠⁠ Have you subscribed to the Not Quite Right For Us podcast yet? There will be an episode for each chapter in our new anthology of 40 writers speaking volumes. The first one – on LOVE – is up now.⁠⁠ Mark your calendars for 14th October, we're stopping off at #WordOnline for the penultimate date on this virtual tour!⁠⁠ Earlier we shared a line from poet and author @morty_but_nice's piece 'Airhead' from #NotQuiteRightForUs. Here's a bit about this extremely talented poet and author from Yorkshire...⁠⁠ It's #NotQuiteRightForUs one-liner day again! Today we're focusing on @morty_but_nice's beautiful poem 'Airhead' which you can find in the FRIENDS chapter of the anthology.⁠⁠ Time for another #NotQuiteRightForUs author selfie! Here's @fanonistic with her copy of the anthology, available from bookshops and via @flippedeye! Did you know our anthology #NotQuiteRightForUs, published in our 10th anniversary year by @flippedeye, features 40 pieces of powerful writing? ⁠⁠

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