A National Academy of Writing that aims to nurture tomorrow's top literary talent has been launched in Birmingham.

Backed by some of the country's leading novelists, the institute aims to be as widely recognised as London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Academy of Music.

Birmingham's award-winning novelist Jim Crace said he hoped it would make writing "sexy" and put the city on the literary map.

Speaking at a launch event at Birmingham's Bank restaurant in Brindleyplace yesterday, he said: "To have a national academy of writing in this city will not only be useful to those on the course but when they go out there part of their memories will be from Birmingham.

"I know people who are quite sniffy of Birmingham but when they come here they go back to where they come from with a clearer view of the city.

"The Birmingham Academy will add to that. It could have an impact in the way the city is perceived."

Moseley-based Mr Crace said he believed the academy would boost the profile of writing as a career.

"Its appeal is relatively limited. Writing is a quiet, reflective, invisible activity. It doesn't seem very sexy," he said.

"I hope this will make it sexy." The author added it was important that Birmingham's literary talent was recognised.

"As a second city, unlike any other city in Europe, Birmingham has virtually no literary life.

"While you could say it is not essential for every city to have a football team for example, it would be odd if it didn't.

"In the same way, Birmingham as a second city really ought to have a literary tradition."

Mr Crace claimed Birmingham's transformation should provide ample material for would-be writers.

"What I say to students in Birmingham is if you went to Oxford or Cambridge you would see a city that has not changed one iota.

"This is a city of change. To my point of view it is an immensely exciting place and one that is perfectly suited to the creative world of writing because change and variety are the lifeblood of literature."

The first 15 to 20 students will start a two-year diploma in writing at the academy this autumn based at the University of Central England's Perry Barr campus.

Creation of the centre has, however, been dogged by setbacks since it was first muted six years ago.

Kick-started in a blaze of publicity by writer and broadcaster Lord Bragg, the plan faltered - something organisers blame on Birmingham City Council.

Academy chairman Dr Barry Turner, an established writer and editor of The Writer's Handbook, said: "Michael Lyons, the city's former chief executive, was very encouraging but unfortunately he left.

"We were strong on promises but not on action. The idea was to attract as much talent as we could for people to develop careers in writing.

"We had a long list of patrons, some of the best writers today who were prepared to give their time in lectures and seminars to support us.

"But we got to the point where we could not go on like this. Administrative costs became increasingly high.

"We were spending more on admin and premises than on courses."

At the beginning of 2003, the academy gained a reprieve when Britain's largest private estate, Calthorpe, donated rent-free space in Calthorpe House, Five Ways.

But a discontinuation of £100,000 funding from the Birmingham Learning and Skills Council left it struggling to survive.

Last year the academy almost quit the city altogether, but a deal was finally struck with UCE.

Mary Martin, pro vice-chancellor of UCE, said: "We want to put Birmingham on the map as a cultural centre and I think we have really started to do that."