Proposal for the Future of Birmingham Words.

Birmingham Words is currently in discussion with the National Academy of Writing at Birmingham City University concering the future development of the site.

Background History. 

I started Birmingham Words in early 2003 as a small site for publishing short fiction and poetry from Birmingham. The site's development since then has been organic. Throughout 2003, a growing online community began to develop around the site, which expanded to meet this need, moving to run on platform of Joomla (then Mambo) Content Management System. The site has developed along two main lines: firstly, a community and news site; and secondly, a publication project which issued a quarterly magazine.

In late 2005, the site was awarded two years funding from Arts Council England. With this funding, the site expanded further, relaunching in early 2006 and producing a range of PDF-format themed pamphlets.  Throughout this period, I have cotinued to run the site with the help of a phalanx of guest editors, contributors and others.

Now, however, I am wishing to step back from Birmingham Words and to give my attention to other projects. At the same time I would like to provide a secure future for a site upon which many users and members rely and which performs a very useful service.

Proposal for the Future.

After discussions with the Nicola Monaghan and David Robers at the National Academy of Writing and BCU, we have come up with the following proposal:

From (approx.) February 2008 

• Will Buckingham to step down as editor and manager of Birmingham Words site. 
• Birmingham City University to assume the hosting and technical management of the site.
• Content editorial and other responsibilities for Birmingham Words to be assumed by students from the National Academy of Writing. 

There are several advantages to the changes.

• Securing a more long-term future for the site
• Establishing a broader base for the management and running of the site
• Financial stability, meaning that the site continue to be run as a free resource for visitors and members
• Closer relationship with a professional body (NAW) working in the world of literature 
• A new lease of life!