Nick Hornby Launching Ministry of Stories in London

Posted on November 21, 2010

Nick Hornby has launched The Ministry of Stories Literacy Project. The new project will be located in an empty store in East London which will be refurbished into "a ministry of stories secreted behind its humble facade."

The venture is to inspire young people to take up creative writing. Behind a secret door will be a "monster store" which sells "fang floss" and "human snot." In the back will be famous authors teaching kids how to write. The Guardian reports:

Acclaimed fellow writers Roddy Doyle and Zadie Smith are backing the scheme, which has been inspired by the success of the American novelist Dave Eggers's 826 National movement. "It will mean a lot to the project," said one good friend of Hornby's who applauds the literacy initiative and sees it as typically generous of spirit. "Usually, if you appear at a public event with a writer, just a few people will turn up. But if you go with Nick, then hundreds of people are already there waiting to see him and queuing round the corner. So it's great he uses this popularity altruistically. Most writers would just stay at home."

It's a very interesting project. You can read more about it at the ministry's website.