Read Write Yap

This September, the RWY in Royal William Yard stands for something new: Read Write Yap – a brand-new literary festival celebrating books, stories and the words that shape us, spread across a whole month of events and activities at the Yard. The festival is built around three simple ideas: reading, writing and talking, in whatever form that takes.

Whether you're a passionate bookworm, a curious browser, a family with young children or someone who just likes the idea of sitting somewhere beautiful with a good story, there's something here for you.

Taking place throughout September, we have an array of events and activities to enjoy. Some will happen for the whole month, others on specific dates. Starting with a silent book club in the Yard's microbrewery and ending with a market on The Green celebrating all things reading and writing, the programme spans author talks, spoken word, workshops, guided walks and book-to-screen cinema screenings – there will be something for everyone.

Keep checking this page for updates – more events and activities will be added to the programme.

Join us at any point in September to get involved in an array of bookish activities.

SECOND HAND BOOK STALL

1-30 September

Pop-Up Shop, Unit 5, Arcade, Brewhouse, Royal William Yard

The Pop-Up Market shop is home to a second-hand bookstall for the whole of September. Come and browse a shifting selection of preloved titles, and leave with a tome or two.

BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK

1-30 September

Pop-Up Shop, Unit 5, Arcade, Brewhouse, Royal William Yard

Your next favourite book could be a complete stranger. Pick up a book, wrapped in brown paper and string, read the clue – genre, mood, a hint of what’s inside – and take a chance. Pick from a mix of new and second-hand books for a small fee.

BIG LITTLE STORY COMPETITION

1-30 September

Pebble, Unit 2, Arcade, Brewhouse, Royal William Yard

Calling all creative children! Pebble, the family-run childrenswear and womenswear boutique in the Arcade, is running a short story competition for young writers throughout September. Two age categories: 5-7 years and 8-10 years, with one prompt to get you started: "It all started when I found…" Stories should be up to 250 words. Pick up an entry sheet in store, write at home or on the spot, and drop it in the postbox. Every child who enters receives a Storytelling Star certificate, and the winner of each category takes home a hamper containing books and treats.

DOG STICK LIBRARY

1-30 September

Outside Nala’s Pet Co, Arcade, Brewhouse, Royal William Yard

We couldn't have a literary festival without something for the dogs. The stick library is a dedicated spot where four-legged visitors can take a stick, have a very good time with it, and (unlike a library) keep hold of it if they don’t wish to return it. No library card required and no late fees either!

HAIKU POEM DISPLAY

1-30 September

Melville Corner, Royal William Yard

Hai Coo's Trail has been a public installation of haiku and Japanese short form poetry, curated by Plymouth Laureate of Words in conjunction with Literature Works. This has been a trail across the city, following Hai Coo the Pigeon around Plymouth's streets and shop windows, and we are bringing all 20 poems together in one place.

200 EXHIBITION

1-30 September

11am – 5pm

Melville Corner, Royal William Yard

Read Write Yap is a celebration of stories in all their forms – and the 200 Exhibition is full of them. Royal William Yard’s free, self-guided history exhibition brings together extensive research, original documents, letters, books, and personal testimonials into an exhibition with plenty to read and discover.

As Read Write Yap – Royal William Yard's first literary festival – draws towards its close, independent booksellers, authors, storytellers and creative artisans are taking over the Melville building this Sunday 27^th September for a day of browsing and celebration. Come for one book… leave with five.

The Read Write Yap Market runs from 10am to 3pm, brought to you by the team behind the Yard's popular Good Food and Craft Market. It brings together a broad mix of independent booksellers, authors, makers and artisans, creative and family-friendly activities, and refreshments, all under one roof. It will take place indoors in the Melville building, so books and those browsing them are protected whatever the weather.

This is the culmination of a month that has offered dozens of events, gatherings and adventures with a literary theme – from a blind date with a book stand and a stick library for dogs, to a spoken word night and a mythology workshop aboard a boat. It has been as vibrant as it has varied.

Here's what to expect:

Independent booksellers and publishers:

• Bookbag: an independent bookshop based in McCoys Arcade in Exeter’s West Quarter. The shop stocks a carefully chosen range of fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, nature writing, poetry, art titles and zines, with a focus on local and global stories – it’s the kind of bookshop where every title on the shelf has been chosen with intention.
• Gumshoe Books: a Totnes-based independent specialising in crime fiction and mysteries. If you're a fan of a whodunnit, a thriller or anything in between, this is the stall to head for.
• The Ivybridge Bookshop: a family-friendly independent serving Ivybridge and the surrounding area. The shelves hold local favourites and national bestsellers side by side, with a particularly good selection of books about Dartmoor and titles by South Devon writers.
• The Old Queeriosity Shop: an independent bookshop based in Plymouth, specialising in LGBTQIA+ fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children’s literature. As much a community space as a bookshop, this is a place that welcomes all with open arms.
• Usborne Books: represented at the market by Books by George, Usborne is one of the world’s leading independent children’s publishers, with a long-established reputation for high-quality, illustrated, interactive books that treat children as smart and curious readers.
• Stevens Books: selecting and selling specialist books about Devon and Cornwall since 2002. The focus is firmly on local studies and historical interest – innovative historical and archaeological non-fiction about the two counties.
• Blue Poppy Publishing: a publisher and self-publishing service based in North Devon. Founded to publish the owner's own books, it has since grown into a home for authors at every stage – helping writers self-publish while also taking on a growing number of titles in a more traditional publishing capacity.
• Second-hand bookstall: a fixture at Royal William Yard throughout September, now head to the stall in the market to browse a broad and shifting selection of second-hand titles across all kinds of genres and pick up something you didn’t know you were looking for. Proceeds from sales on the day will go to Blood Cancer UK.

Local libraries:

• Plymouth Proprietary Library: an independent library established in 1810, tucked away in Plymouth – one of the city’s best-kept secrets. The library holds over 18,000 borrowable books, including the latest fiction, classic crime novels, biographies and an impressive collection of maritime and local history titles, all housed in a comfortable, friendly setting.

• Plymouth Libraries: runs 11 public libraries across the city, completely free to join for anyone who lives, works or studies in Plymouth. Coming to the market will be library resources and information, free children’s books, bookmarks to make, and stories to share.

Authors:

• Jerry Ibbotson: writes Suburban Fantasy – stories where the magical marches alongside the mundane, where you can go for a pint with an angel, share a bus ride with the Green Man, and where hoodie-wearing demons will mug you in a dark alley. His work spans urban fantasy, horror and science fiction, rooted in folklore and the strangeness of everyday life.
• Gwen Hyver: a Devon-based author who lives in a village on Dartmoor and writes Sapphic swords-and-sorcery fiction with fantastical elements, gothic sensibilities and LGBTQIA+ characters at the heart of every story. Her series Jasyn and the Astronauts draws on fairytale and mythology with a tongue-in-cheek style, and the second book in the series was a finalist in the Golden Crown Literary Society's prestigious Goldie Awards in the fantasy category.
• Chris Robinson: a third-generation Plymothian who has spent his life drawing and writing about his home city. A published author and respected local historian, he has dedicated decades to researching Plymouth’s complex past – producing books, nostalgic publications and films that capture the city across the centuries.
• R.C. Thomas: Plymouth’s Laureate of Words 2025–2027, a British poet, illustrator and creative writing teacher whose work has been published internationally, including collections of poetry. He has been a central presence throughout Read Write Yap – from the Hai Coo's Trail haiku display at Melville Corner to the workshops run for all ages.
• Christian Howgill: spent 20 years working in the professional tennis world before channelling that experience into a book. His anthology brings together over 120 tennis anecdotes arranged across 22 sections, tracing the extraordinary and often surprising range of ways the sport has left its mark on history, culture and everyday life – a must for tennis lovers and a revelation for everyone else.
• Marion Gibson is the bestselling author of Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials and Witchland: A Tale of Witch Hunting and War in Seventeenth-Century Britain (both published by Simon and Schuster). She researches the lives of people tried for witchcraft, to give them their stories back.

Makers and artisans:

• Rachel's Reads: brings a beautifully curated collection of book-themed gifts to the market – wrapped blind date books for adults and children, a selection of second-hand titles, and a range of handmade bookmarks and book-loving gifts. The perfect stall for anyone who wants to leave with a whimsical bookish treat.
• Devon Pens: handcrafted pens from local and historic woods, each one chosen for its story as much as its grain. Living on the edge of Dartmoor, the maker sources wood from National Trust estates, local properties and historic sources – timber with a past life in ships, rail carriages, even cannons – giving each pen a provenance that makes it genuinely worth writing with.
• Lines of Thought: a series of pencil portraits exploring the work of West Country authors, each piece incorporating a notable quote from the subject's literary canon. The stall brings framed originals, prints and cards featuring writers including Dame Daphne du Maurier, Sir William Golding and Sir John Betjeman.
• Pop-Up Shop: Royal William Yard's own pop-up collective brings a market stall showcasing handcrafted work from local makers including Papercutz Glass, Hannah Wisdom textiles, Adhock Homeware and Profanity Porcelain, among others.
• Viki Starmore: featuring a series of screen-prints and original trace monotypes

Activities on the day:

• Plymouth Children's Book Club: brings two ticketed author and illustrator events to the market. From 11am to midday, award-winning author Tom Palmer – known for his thrilling, history-rich sports fiction and powerful tales of bravery – leads a session for young readers. From 1pm to 2pm, Plymouth-born illustrator Jack Viant, known for his internationally acclaimed and laugh-out-loud picture books including ‘I Am Going to Jump This Log!’, takes over with games, art challenges and storytelling. Tickets apply for both sessions.
• Mildred Tumbleweed’s Dragon Awakening Experience: immersive and interactive workshop for children – sessions are led by storytelling and hands-on adventure. The Elf King’s dragons have fallen asleep, and Mildred needs some brave young Dragon Keepers to help awaken them. Children will help cast a magical spell, make their own wand and choose a mystery dragon egg from the cauldron to discover which dragon they have awakened. Places can be booked in advance or on the day.
• Tree Walking Tour: Andrew Young is a volunteer Tree Warden who has spent many years studying Plymouth's trees – and writing about them, in a book called For the Love of Trees. At 2.30pm, he leads a reflective free walk around the trees of Royal William Yard, pointing out the distinguishing features of twelve selected trees and talking about what makes each one special. The walk begins under the large ash tree on the green and takes around an hour. Booking is required; copies of For the Love of Trees will be available to buy on the day.
• Plymouth Walking Tours: Hannah, a proud Plymothian and founder of Plymouth Walking Tours, will be at the market to talk about her range of guided walking routes around the city. At 2pm, visitors can join her Royal William Yard: A Maritime Masterpiece tour – a 70-minute walk through the Yard, exploring the Georgian architecture, waterfront and naval history of one of Europe's most remarkable listed sites. Tickets apply.
• Big Little Story Competition: Pebble, the family-run childrenswear and womenswear boutique in the Arcade, has been running a short story competition for young writers aged 5 to 10 throughout September. Every child who entered receives a Storytelling Star certificate. The winners of both age categories will take home a hamper of books and treats.
• Writing Corner: a quiet drop-in space at the market where anyone can pick up a pen and write something. A poem, a line or two, the opening of something longer – all welcome, no experience required.
• Kids’ Zone: children can design their very own bookmark using craft and colouring materials supplied. A memento to take home and pop inside their next book.

Refreshments:

• Blue Bell Coffee: a self-sufficient mobile coffee business built around a converted Suzuki Jimny – completely off-grid and fully equipped. The philosophy is simple: great coffee for the great outdoors. Grab a flat white to browse the fiction, a brew for the biographies, and enjoy the market with a drink in hand.
• Herb Heaven Devon: a small artisan herb farm in South Devon. They grow, hand-pick and hand-blend organic herbs and botanicals into natural, caffeine-free loose-leaf teas – from seed to cup. What’s better than settling into a good book with a good cup of tea?
• World Pizza: serving from a mobile pizza van (the vans are named Margot & Bella), offering authentic woodfired Neapolitan pizza.
• Chennai Street Kitchen: bringing the bold, aromatic flavours of South Indian cuisine to the Plymouth waterfront.
• Sweet treats: because no good book market is complete without something to snack on. Choose from a selection of tasty treats to keep energy levels up.
• Cafes, restaurants and bars: Bookend the day with a hearty breakfast or settle in for dinner – or grab lunch, snacks or drinks at one of the Yard’s waterfront cafes, restaurants or bars.

Getting to Royal William Yard is even easier this weekend, as everyone starting their journey within the Plymouth city boundary can travel for free on local bus services every weekend throughout September.

Read Write Yap launches during the National Year of Reading – a Department for Education initiative championing reading not as obligation, but as one of life's genuine pleasures. At Royal William Yard, we think that's an idea worth celebrating. Find out more here.