Mentoring

The Scottish Book Trust mentoring programme is aimed at writers who have a specific project on which they'd like some focused, dedicated support and advice. We match writers with another writer or industry professional who has appropriate experience and support them as they work together over an intensive period of nine months.

The mentoring programme is completely free to participating writers and Scottish Book Trust pays all associated travel and expenses for both mentors and mentees. We also offer all mentors a fee towards their time and input.

Past projects have included:

• A poet who was working on a first collection of short stories
• A writer who wanted to adapt their novel into a play
• A prose writer who wanted to write a television drama
• A writer who needed advice on structuring a tricky second novel
• A writer who wanted to deliver creative writing workshops in the healthcare sector
• An illustrator who wanted to start writing for children

Past mentors have included Bernard MacLaverty, Alan Bissett, Tom Leonard, Professor Douglas Gifford, Kathryn Ross of literary agents Fraser Ross Associates, David Ian Neville of BBC Radio Scotland, established screenwriter Adrian Mead, Philip Howard (former Artistic Director of Traverse Theatre) and many more.

Scottish Book Trust has been running the mentoring programme since 2003. During that time we have managed 31 mentoring partnerships and seen many success stories. Here are some examples:

• Jules Horne and Philip Howard (Traverse Theatre)
• Moira Munro and Kathryn Ross (Fraser Ross Associates)
• Billy Matheson and Niall Clarke (BBC Scotland) - coming soon

We will be accepting applications for the next round of mentoring later in the year. To join the mailing list please contact caitrin.armstrong@scottishbooktrust.com  

Please note from 2008, writers and playwrights with little or no publication or production history who wish to work with a mentor on fiction, poetry or playwriting should in the first instance apply for the New Writers Awards

For further information please contact:

Caitrin Armstrong, Programme Co-ordinator

caitrin.armstrong@scottishbooktrust.com 0131 524 0177

or join the mailing list here