We’re coming up to the sixth anniversary of 26. Some of you might wonder: what is it with this number? Indeed it seems to loom large in my life. There are the 26 fruits on this site, that go with the 26 ways of looking at a blackberry in my book title. It’s also the number of the house where I live, the number of sports at the next Olympics and the number of miles in a marathon.
But it was the number of letters in the English alphabet that led to 26 www.26.org.uk , the organisation for writers I co-founded in 2003. With 300 members and more exciting projects and events than ever, 26 is thriving.
One of the projects is 26 Exchanges, a collaboration with International PEN www.internationalpen.org.uk to explore issues of translation between languages and cultures. My idea here was to pair a number of UK-based writers from 26 with writers from PEN in different countries and languages. Initially the aim was to create content for a blog to accompany International PEN’s “Free the Word!” festival last April. But now 26 Exchanges has grown into images and sounds, a book and a multimedia exhibition that will be part of the 2009 London Design Festival. The exhibition is sub-titled ‘Journeys between and behind the lines of language’. You can see it in London between 21 and 25 September at the Royal Academy of Engineering, 3 Carlton House Terrace. I’ll return to this when the exhibition is up and hope to see many of you there.
The other big event coming up for 26 is the second annual speech. This year’s speaker is Dr Oona King, former MP and now head of diversity at Channel 4. It should be an interesting evening. It worked so well last year at the British Library conference centre that we’re going back there again – 8 October at 6.30.
Here are two signs that 26 is still rising and that writers are gaining increasing recognition for the roles they play in business, society and life.
With professional writers it’s often a case of ‘physician heal thyself’ – we’re great at articulating other people’s messages but not necessarily our own. The sector has been crying out for an active, high quality, high profile professional body like 26, that offers writers new challenges and opportunities, and gets people talking about creative communication.
I don’t get involved in every project or go to every event, but I’m glad when I do. Particularly looking forward to seeing Oona King. So this is just to say thanks, John and the 26 team, for putting the case for writers everywhere.
PS I’m not a troll!
Well said, John.
Can’t believe we are six.
It’s wonderful that so many more 26 members are now initiating projects, writing on the message board and contributing to the movement. I think we’re going into an exciting new phase. Everyone welcome!