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

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

Tweets by Speak_Volumes

We're really stoked to be the closing event at the always incredible Radical Book Fair by @lighthousebks! This event takes place online on Sunday 14th November at 7.30pm.⁠⁠

Yesterday we shared a snippet from E. Ethelbert Miller's poem that you can find in our anthology Not Quite Right For Us. We're so incredibly proud to publish work by this inspiring writer and activist, here's a bit about him: ⁠⁠

It's time for a new NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR US one-liner, and today we're highlighting 'A Cruel Nakedness' by the incredible poet and activist E. Ethelbert Miller, which you can find in the YESTERDAY/TODAY chapter of the anthology.⁠⁠

Are you keeping up to date with the Not Quite Right For Us podcast? There are now four episodes online – LOVE, TODAY/TOMORROW, TRAVEL, – featuring writers from each chapter of the anthology. ⁠⁠

The next event in our NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR US digital tour takes place on Thursday 28th October with the wonderful folk at @writerscentre, who will be hosting an exclusive film featuring work from writers in the YESTERDAY/TODAY chapter of our anthology. ⁠⁠

Yesterday we shared a peek at @joshuaidehen's poem in Not Quite Right For Us. We are so proud to publish this incredible writer, here's a bit more about him:⁠⁠

New Not Quite Right For Us one-line excerpt! This week we have poet, teacher and musician @joshuaidehen's simply beautiful poem 'The Nod'⁠ about safety and depth of small gestures from human to human.⁠⁠

Our first book, NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR US, has been out for a few months now, and we continue to be blown away by all the lovely things you're saying about it. ⁠⁠