Resources for writers

Whether you're looking for guidance on starting your first piece of writing in years or you're on the hunt for professional opportunities or retreats, we've got something for you.

Coronavirus and writing: support and information

Coronavirus, online events and author fees
Scottish Book Trust believes authors should be paid for their work fairly, including for digital events.
Coronavirus: resources for writers and freelancers
Practical resources and support for those affected
How to run an online workshop
Advice for facilitating an online workshop, including safeguarding and privacy
Online writing workshops
Find opportunities to share and improve your work remotely
Find writing inspiration in lockdown
Staying creative is tough even at the best of times

Writing opportunities

Looking for places to send your writing, people to workshop with or nights to attend? We've gathered together opportunities of all shapes and sizes.

50 Word Fiction
Can you write a story in just 50 words?
Writing groups in Scotland
Find a community of writers near you
Retreats, workshops, classes and funding
Programmes and one-off classes for professionals and novices alike.
Opportunities for writers
Competitions and calls for submissions for Scottish writers
Spoken word events in Scotland
Spoken word events and open mic nights are a brilliant way of getting your writing out there
Literary agents in Scotland
Check out our list of Scottish agents
How to set up a writing group
Need some writer friends in your corner? Setting up your own writing group could be the answer

Writing advice

Approaching writing for the first time in a long time or hoping to try something new? We've got some handy guides to help you get started.

How to start writing
If you've always wanted to try your hand at writing, give our guide to getting started a go
How to start writing short stories
Get stuck into writing short stories with this handy guide.
Five tips to avoid fantasy writing disaster
Andrew Pettigrew gives some tips on how to avoid the pitfalls of fantasy writing
Five ways to battle writer's block
Spending hours of your life looking at a blank page? Give our top tips a try
Writing a screen adaptation
Advice from Douglas Dougan on how to make the leap from printed page to the big screen
How to start writing memoir
If you've always wanted to try your hand at writing memoir, give our guide a go
Writing representative disabled characters
Andrew Pettigrew shares his advice for writing believable characters with additional needs
Sgrìobhadh anns a' Ghàidhlig
Writing in Gaelic
Plotting a crime novel
Mason Cross shares five top tips for plotting crime fiction
Creating an atmosphere in your writing
Kirsty Logan's top tips for atmospheric writing
Writing genderqueer and nonbinary characters
Eris Young's advice for authors writing nonbinary characters
"How I started writing"
Jenny Lindsay's unconventional route to poet and spoken word performer
Creating believable relationships in fiction
Daniel Shand on how to create relationships so real you'll believe them yourself
Writing historical non-fiction
Fiona Macdonald shares her expertise in bringing history to life
Creating a sense of place
Amanda Curtin tells us what she thinks is necessary to create a sense of place in a novel.
Writing fantasy fiction
Caroline Dunford on how to make your fantasy world believable and relatable
Writing for children
Alan Dapré on how to write children's books that inspire and excite your readers

Publishing and promoting your work

Getting ready to send work to an agent or publisher is as exciting as it is scary, here are a few resources to help pave your way.

Submitting to a literary agent
Getting ready to submit to an agent is an exciting – and nerve-wracking – time
Getting published: fiction
Advice to help you get your novel out into the world
Self-publishing
Find out more about the risks and rewards of self-publishing your work
Getting published: narrative non-fiction
How to build your profile as a non-fiction writer
Getting published: children's and young adult fiction
How to get your manuscript out in the world
Getting published: poetry
Ways to get your poetry in print
Getting published: illustration
The road to becoming a professional illustrator
Getting published: scriptwriting
Advice for getting your script picked up by an agent or producer
Getting published: advice for dealing with rejection
Rejection is part of writing life. Here's our advice for taking feedback and moving on
Promoting your work: social media for writers
How to make the most of your social media presence
Promoting your work: PR and press tips for writers
Promoting your book (and yourself) is an essential skill for writers
The writer's CV
As a writer applying for jobs or opportunities, you may be asked for a writer’s CV
Cover letters
Your cover letter may be your first impression, so it's important to get it right
Writing a synopsis
This gives a quick overview of a longer body of work - here's a few helpful tips to get started
Author biography
An author bio provides a quick and concise overview of you and your writing
Reading your writing aloud
Scared of reading your writing aloud? Try these top tips for acing your performance.
How to avoid taking a bad author portrait
Alex Hewitt shares how to take the perfect headshot
How to avoid disaster at an author event
Steven Cole shares some excellent tips for author events
Proofreading your own work
Leila Cruickshank shares her proofing pinciples to help make sure your writing shines

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