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Writing West Midlands reveals the 2023 cohort of Room 204

We are thrilled to announce the new cohort of 15 Room 204 writers-in-development. The programme started in 2012 and they will join 175 others who have been part of the scheme since its inception.

Each year, Writing West Midlands opens for submissions from emerging writers from across the West Midlands region, writing in all genres, from poetry to screenwriting to fiction and narrative non-fiction. This year we had around 130 applications. 

The initial Room 204 meeting took place on Saturday 15 April 2023 at the Writing West Midlands offices in Birmingham. The new cohort had the opportunity to meet each other and staff members, Jonathan Davidson and Olivia Chapman, where they learnt more about the year to come and had their author photos taken by photographer, Paul Stringer.

The new cohort of Room 204 starts in April 2023. The writers will be embarking on a year of support through workshops and one to one meetings with Jonathan Davidson, our Chief Executive.

This year we welcome 15 new talented writers from the region into the fold. The writers’ interests and experience span a wide range in genre and style including musical theatre, poetry, therapeutic writing, storytelling, memoir, fiction, non-fiction and plays.
 
Over the coming year, they will attend training sessions, one to one meetings looking at their personal development, as well as opportunities to get to know the other members of Room 204.
 
Room 204 is in its 12th year, offering development opportunities to members through one to one mentorship, training, and support. As membership never expires, the scheme has expanded and acquired a variety of experienced and up and coming poets, authors, script writers and more, working in many genres and forms.
 
Room 204 sees writers, years after their initial development year, continue to support each other by sharing resources, asking for advice, and networking beyond the programme itself.
 
The Room 204 programme, which has been running since 2012, now has 185 writers involved.
 
The new cohort are listed below, but you can find out more information about them here.
 
Congratulations and welcome, writers!
Image (c) Paul Stringer, 2022

The 2023 Room 204 cohort is:

Oluwaseun Oluwatosin Akinsiku

Karen Arnold

Emily Barker

Charley Barnes

Joely (Jo) Dutton

Dan Gutteridge

Sayan Kent

Liz Lefroy

Natalie  Linh Bolderston

Jo Murch

Temitayo Olofinlua

Sallyanne Rock

Jamie Russell

Bethany Wheeler

Daniel Williams