How to register for Live Literature events

Scottish Book Trust maintains a database of Scottish writers which includes writers, illustrators, storytellers and playwrights who are available and appropriately skilled to carry out Scottish Book Trust funded Live Literature events. These writers are clearly marked and searchable for on the database.

Writers must meet certain criteria to be registered.

[download criteria]

Criteria for inclusion

The following criteria have been developed with Scottish Arts Council with the support of whom we provide Live Literature funding. Please note that they are subject to change.

  1. Writers applying for inclusion must live and work in Scotland. Writers who live in Scotland for part of the year must outline their availability in their application and will be accepted at the discretion of Scottish Book Trust and the Scottish Arts Council.
  2. Writers must be practising, published creative writers of literary fiction, poetry, literary non-fiction, performance poets, storytellers or playwrights. The definition of literary non-fiction includes biography, literary criticism, travel writing (not guidebooks), memoirs, autobiography and historical non-fiction.
  3. Writers should have at least one published book, commercially marketed, sold and distributed by the publisher throughout Scotland. Books which are solely available by mail order and/or via the internet are not eligible.
  4. Writers should have had their work published within the last ten years and should have at least one work in print.
  5. Playwrights should have had at least one professional production of their work within the last ten years.
  6. Performance poets who can demonstrate a regular record of professional performance over a period of at least two years are eligible to apply.
  7. Traditional or contemporary storytellers must be registered with the Scottish Storytelling Forum and included in its Directory.
  8. Writers of self-published, web-published and vanity press titles are not eligible.  Such titles should also not be included on the application form.
  9. Writers who have had substantial publication in a range of established literary magazines, journals or anthologies are eligible. "Established" here means a periodical that is published regularly (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly), that has been in circulation for at least 12 months, has an ISBN or ISSN number, is distributed in Scotland and is not self published. For avoidance of doubt online publishing is also excluded.
  10. Where necessary, a writer's published work may be requested for review.
  11. Due to limited funding the Scheme cannot support writers whose work solely falls in the following categories: Journalism, Writing for broadcast and General non-fiction
  12. Illustrators are eligible to apply providing they supply detailed information on how their proposed sessions will demonstrate the use of illustration as a narrative tool.
  13. All applicants will be required to provide professional references and supporting information about their experience in carrying out events and projects.
  14. Applicants may be expected to complete appropriate disclosure checks with relevant local authorities before undertaking work with young people or vulnerable adults

 

New applications

  • These are accepted at any time and will be considered on a quarterly basis by Scottish Book Trust.
  • New applicants may be invited for interview at Scottish Book Trust's office at the address below. The interview panel will consist of an author who is currently eligible to carry out Scottish Book Trust funded live literature events, a representative of Scottish Book Trust and a representative of the Literature Department of the Scottish Arts Council.
  • Appeals against the administrative procedures of the Scheme will be considered by a panel made up of representatives from the SAC Literature Department and its Specialist Advisors; Scottish Book Trust; The Society of Authors in Scotland; the Scottish Poetry Library; and a current Writing Fellow or literary magazine editor. The panel will be chaired by a representative of the Scottish Arts Council Literature Department.
  • Appeals against the policy of the Scheme should be directed to the Scottish Arts Council, and will be subject to its Appeals Procedure.

 

Application form

If you are interested in applying to join the Live Literature funding scheme please contact: Clare Rodgers on 0131 524 0166 or email clare.rodgers@scottishbooktrust.com