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New Writers Awards at Edinburgh International Book Festival

This August, join us at Edinburgh International Book Festival to celebrate emerging literary talent including some familiar faces for our New Writers Award programme

We are thrilled to be partnering with Edinburgh International Book Festival on four fantastic events featuring past and present New Writers Awardees.

We’re delighted to return to the festival with Fresh Words. Our brilliant New Writers Awardees will be joined by an array of dazzling writers from talent development programmes across the UK as well as Scottish Book Trust’s very own Scotland’s Stories participants.

Edinburgh International Book Festival takes place from 15 – 30 August at Edinburgh Futures Institute. 

Join us at the festival to champion emerging literary talent. Find the full event details below.

Scottish Book Trust events at Edinburgh International Book Festival 2026

Fresh Words: Northern Writers’ Awards on Wednesday 19 August

Today, we partner with New Writing North’s Northern Writers’ Awards, hearing readings from an amazing line up of writers, featuring Letty Sharpe, Beth Thompson, and Cindy Withjack. They are joined by New Writers Awardees Ross Crawford and Andy Grace Edwards and Scotland’s Stories writers Scott Ferguson and Mhairi Kelly.

Join us from 11:45 to – 12:45 at Venue NW.

Book tickets to Fresh Words: Northern Writers’ Awards

Fresh Words: Gutter Magazine on Friday 21 August

Today, we partner with Gutter Magazine’s Finishing Your First Book programme, hearing readings from an amazing line-up of writers including CL Glanzing, Adam Gordon, Helen Lewis-McPhee, and Amy Macrae. They are joined by New Writers Awardees Sukhada Tatke and Eris Young and Scotland’s Stories writer Gillian Sheriff.

Join us from 11:45 to – 12:45 at Venue NW.

Book tickets to Fresh Words: Gutter Magazine

Fresh Words: Roundhouse Collective on Tuesday 25 August

Today, we partner with London's Roundhouse Poetry Collective, hearing readings from an amazing line-up of poets including Shermya Modupe, Ellen Waters, and Anna Robinson. They are joined by New Writers Awardees Eloise Birtwhistle and Liam Crouse.

Join us from 11:45 to – 12:45 at Venue NW.

Book tickets to Fresh Words: Roundhouse Collective

Fresh Words: Women’s Prize Trust Discoveries on Friday 28 August

Today, we partner with the Women’s Prize Trust Discoveries Award, hearing readings from an amazing line-up of writers including Georgia Moorhouse, Beena Nadeem, and Tara O'Sullivan. They are joined by New Writers Awardees Carol Farrelly and Krystelle Bamford and Scotland’s Stories writer Philippa Ramsden.

Join us from 11:45 to – 12:45 at Venue NW.

Book tickets to Fresh Words: Women’s Prize Trust Discoveries

“It was a dream come true to read my work at Edinburgh International Book Festival [...] it's an experience that will allow a writer to read their work for perhaps the first time to an audience, overcoming nerves and increasing their confidence.”

- Taslin Pollock, New Writers Awardee 2024 and (Lunch) Box Fresh 2024 participant

Keen for more? Check out more Edinburgh International Book Festival events