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Donate nowOpportunities for writers
There are lots of opportunities for writers in Scotland. We've collected and listed the current crop below.
We curate this list but don't run the opportunities listed. Want to share one with us? Email andrew.blair@scottishbooktrust.com (this will open in a new window)
You might also want to look into our support programmes for writers; the New Writers Award, Ignite Fellowship and the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. If you're under 18, why not check out What's Your Story?
October
Blacklight TV: 4stories competition
Looking for new TV writers to send in scripts with a view to commissioning six writers to write treatments for episodes of an anthology series.
Deadline: Sunday 13 October
Entry fee: None
The Dinesh Allirajah prize for short fiction
Free to enter short story competition on the theme of artificial intelligence, organised by Comma Press and the University of Central Lancashire.
Deadline: Friday 25 October
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: Razur Cuts
Razur Cuts issue VIII is looking for short stories, poetry and/or reviews with a limit of 800 words.
Deadline: Friday 25 October
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: Stewed Rhubarb
Stewed Rhubarb Press are looking for poetry pamphlets, full poetry collections and novellas. Please send in your pitches from the 1st of October.
Deadline: Sunday 27 October
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: Middleground
Middleground are looking for poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography and art from people of mixed race.
Deadline: Monday 28 October
Entry fee: None
Residency in Finland
Applications are open for month-long residencies (in April and May 2020) at the Arteles Creative Centre in Finland. You must be 23 or older in 2020 to apply.
Deadline: Wednesday 30 October
Entry fee: Yes, see link for details
Call for submissions: Scottish Women’s Creative Writing Competition
The Glasgow Women's Library's annual competition for poetry and short stories, open to women who were born in Scotland, have lived in Scotland or who currently live in Scotland.
Deadline: Thursday 31 October
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: Anstruther Writing Award
The 2019 Anstruther Writing Awards is looking for fishing-themed entries to honour the 50th year of the Scottish Fisheries Museum. The adult categories (poetry and short story) are open Scotland-wide, while the primary and secondary categories (poetry, short story, reflective writing and creative writing) are open to Anstruther school pupils.
Deadline: Thursday 31 October
Entry fee: None
The National Poetry competiton
The Poetry Society's annual competition, open to anyone aged 17 or older. The competition is for previously unpublished poems of up to 40 lines in length.
Deadline: Thursday 31 October
Entry fee: Yes, see link for details
Call for submissions: Lies, Dreaming
Lies, Dreaming are looking for recorded pieces inspired by a theme. Please visit their website for more details.
Deadline: Thursday 31 October
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: New Writing Scotland
New Writing Scotland is looking for work from writers resident in Scotland or Scots by birth. All forms of writing are invited.
Deadline: Thursday 31 October
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: McKitterick Prize
Looking for a full length first novel from a writer over the age of 40.
Deadline: Thursday 31 October
Entry fee: None
November
Call for submissions: 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
A short story competition looking for one story per writer (Over 18s from a Commonwealth country, see link for more details).
Deadline: Friday 01 November
Entry fee: None
Climate Emergency Writer-in-Residence
New Writing North is looking for a writer of poetry, fiction or non-fiction to respond to climate change and help "harness the power of arts and culture to respond to the challenge of the climate crisis". The position is based in the North East of England.
Deadline: Friday 01 November
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: Mothers and Motherhood
London Reader is looking for writing or art that explores the topic of mothers or motherhood.
Deadline: Monday 04 November
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: The Writers' Cafe
The Writers’ Cafe Magazine is open for submissions of poetry and prose that adhere to the theme “Fairy Tale”.
Deadline: Monday 18 November
Entry fee: None
The Ian Bell New Writing Award
An award run by Ian Bell's family and the National Union of Journalists aimed at young writers looking to break into professional journalism. Entrants should be aged 30 or under at 30 November 2019, and be living, working or studying in Scotland.
Deadline: Saturday 30 November
Entry fee: None
Product Magazine: Mentoring for new writers
Product’s Literary Editor Richard Allen will offer a mentoring service to new writers of fiction and non-fiction. Applications are open to writers in English "regardless of nationality, hairstyle or geographical location".
Deadline: Saturday 30 November
Entry fee: None
December
Call for submissions: Nobrow Press Short Story Competition
Nobrow Press are running a short story competition, inviting single stories on the theme of 'The Censor'.
Deadline: Monday 09 December
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: Postbox Magazine
Postbox Magazine are looking for short stories for their March 2020 issue.
Deadline: Tuesday 31 December
Entry fee: None
Call for submissions: ૧૦:૧૦ Press
૧૦:૧૦ Press is open for submissions for The Black Anthology and The Working Class Anthology. It is looking for writers who identify themselves as black or working class to contribute to the respective books and is looking for "poetry, short stories, essays, illustrations and a few pages of a graphic story". See links for more details.
Deadline: Unfixed.
Entry fee: None
January 2020
Write Mentor: Writing for children workshop
Have you ever considered writing for children but didn't know where to begin? Or have you written a first draft and are not sure how to continue? #WriteMentor are pleased to host a writing weekend in Glasgow with author Maisie Chan and picture book writer and illustrator Tita Berredo.
Date: Saturday 11 January, Sunday 12 January
Attendance fee: Yes, see link for details
The Gollancz and Rivers of London BAME SFF Award
A new writing prize looking for a 5,000-10,000 word writing sample which fits into the science fiction, fantasy or horror genres. Open to residents of the UK over the age of 18 who identify as Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities.
Deadline: Friday 31 January
Entry fee: None
Ongoing Opportunities
Awards
The John Byrne award
The John Byrne Award is an online exhibition and competition exploring personal and societal values, open to anyone over 16 years old in Scotland. Creative writing & illustration welcomed. Each month, the best entry is awarded £250. All entries from the year are submitted to the annual John Byrne Award competition where the best entry wins £2,500. All entries are eligible for all prizes and all entries will be considered for posting on the John Byrne Award social media pages.
Entry fee: Free
The Zooker award
A new literary award that aims to encourage disadvantaged authors and reward works of social value. Single prize of £500, plus embossed certificate and featuring. Open to anyone who has published a book through Arkbound or any other publisher.
Entries can be made between 19th May and 10th October each year.
Entry Fee: £7.50 (concessions available)
Call for Submissions
Æther & Ichor
Æther & Ichor are looking for inspiring and imaginative fantasy stories, particularly character-driven works with consistent, inventive worldbuilding. They publish a wide range of styles from urban fantasy to twisted fairy tales to swashbuckling adventures and tend towards darker, slicker, more challenging works with a bit of grit.
Deadline: Rolling
Entry fee: Free
Clover and White
Clover and White are looking for poems, flash fiction and short stories (especially from unpublished and emerging writers).
Deadline: Rolling
Is there a fee to enter? No.
The Dark Horse
The Dark Horse Magazine is accepting unsolicited submissions of poetry by post only.
Entry fee: None
Glasgow Review of Books
Lallans
Lallans is published twice a year and is the journal of the Scots Language Society. It includes poetry, fiction, reviews and articles in Scots.
Entry fee: None
Little Stone Journal
Little Stone Journal is an e-zine looking for poetry, essays and reviews.
Is there a fee to enter? No.
Loss Lit
A Twitter writeclub on the theme of Loss hosted every first Wednesday of the month between 9 and 11pm UK time. Three submission windows are open annually for poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
Is there a fee to enter? No.
The New Shetlander
The New Shetlander is a bi-annual publication looking for contributions of prose and poetry with a Shetland interest: all will be considered for publication.
Entry fee: None
Nosy Crow: Call for debut BAME writers
An open call for children’s fiction submissions (anything in the 5 – 12 age range, but especially 9 – 12, aka “middle grade”) from BAME writers.
Nosy Crow are happy to receive submissions from agented and un-agented authors.
Entry fee: Free
Ó Bhéal: Five Words Poetry Competition
Running weekly until January 2020: five words will be posted on the competition page. Entrants have one week to compose and submit one or more poems which include all five words given for that week.
Is there a fee to enter? Yes.
Poetry London
Poetry London are looking for up to six poems, and are now taking submissions online.
Deadline: Rolling
Is there a fee to enter? No.
Product Magazine
Product Magazine is currently looking for fiction, art and photography.
Entry fee: None
Rattle: Ekphrastic Challenge
A monthly competition inviting poets to respond to visual art (and occasionally looking for artists to supply images).
Is there a fee to enter? No.
Rattle: Poets Respond
A weekly competition inviting poets to respond to recent events. The deadline for each week is Friday at midnight PST. The poems must respond to news that occurred since the previous Friday, and have been written in the time since.
Is there a fee to enter? No
The Selkie
The Selkie is looking for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and features. The Selkie is committed to working with marginalised and/or underrepresented voices. Please visit the link below for more information.
Entry fee: None
Shift
Shift are searching for original fiction and non-fiction for their next and future issues! Fiction and non-fiction submissions welcome. Your piece should be suitable for a YA audience.
Entry fee: Free
Shoreline of Infinity
Shoreline of Infinity is looking for science-fiction poetry and book reviewers.
Entry fee: None
Stories from the OCD Community
The International OCD Foundation is looking for insightful, compelling stories from those living with OCD or a related disorder, their family/friends, researchers, and medical professionals. Stories should be 1000 words or less and IOCDF publish one per month.
Entry fee: Free
Thi Wurd
Thi Wurd is a fiction magazine based in Glasgow. Submissions of short fiction and illustrations are welcome.
Entry fee: None
The Weekend Read
The Weekend Read will publish outstanding fiction by women every Friday. We’ll feature prize-winning stories, stories from published collections and brand new work by established authors as well as showcasing new, emerging voices from across the globe. Read online, or listen to our podcast.
Is there a fee to enter? No
Funding
The Gaelic Book Council: Commission grants
The Gaelic Books Council offers assistance to authors who wish to write in Scottish Gaelic. Priority is given to writers who have a publishing agreement in place, as well as to projects that contain a high percentage of Scottish Gaelic content. They support a wide variety of literary genres, and are open to applications in support of digital titles and other formats, as well as traditional printed books.
Entry fee: Free
Scottish Books International: Travel Fund
This fund has been established by Scottish Books International to support writers who have been invited overseas to promote their work, including trips to festivals, publicity events and more.
Entry fee: Free
Workshops
Anita Govan: Text Into Performance
Anita Govan, Performance poet, Teaching Artist & Co-founder of Scottish Youth Poetry Slam, offers sessions with individual, constructive feedback on ‘text in performance’. Giving tips and tricks on how to tackle blocks and confidence issues, through to practical voice & performance exercises.
Former Stirling Makar (2012-15) with thirty years of experience behind her in the creative industries (inc. drama, directing & producing), across Scotland. Anita has trained internationally with Keith Johnstone (Canada 2000) Goat Island Performance Company (Chicago) and performed at Glastonbury and the Nuyorician (New York).
Rates: £50 – ½ day up to 3 hrs, 4 spots per session (for individuals or shows, quotes available).
For more details or to sign up to the waiting list contact: anitagovan@gmail.com
Writing and Editing Services
Helen Boden: Reading, editorial and tuition services
Writer, editor and experienced arts educator Helen offers the following services for individuals:
Editing and reading - including manuscript appraisal, development editing and proof-reading; student essay and dissertation reading
Tuition and mentoring – from a couple of meetings or conversations to a longer-term programme involving regular submission of work and critique
If you are looking for an objective, professional assessment of your writing, I provide a customised and client-focused approach. We develop a schedule that reflects the client’s needs and is appropriate to the nature of their project. This can include checking for clarity, flow, structure and readability. I work on poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Feedback by mark-up on electronic or hard copy can be supplemented by written reports, or given in person, by telephone or online.
Rates: My guideline rates are £45ph, but this varies according to the nature of the project.
Contact: helenboden@talktalk.net
Invisible Ink
Invisible Ink is an Edinburgh-based literary consultancy offering advice, support and expertise to writers all over the world. We specialise in ghostwriting, mentoring, manuscript assessment, and teaching and workshops, and are keen to collaborate with you at any stage of your writing project. More information can be found on our website, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch—we’d love to hear your stories.
Creative Coach Philippa Johnston: Professional development planning for writers
Are you keen to make this year your year for moving forward as a writer? I work with writers in Scotland and further afield, helping them to define and prioritize their goals, explore options and then map out a plan of action. I offer two one-to-one services: Professional Development Planning which consists of one (or sometimes two) face-to-face two-hour sessions and Coaching which is available by Skype or telephone (or face-to-face, location permitting) and comprises five or more one-hour sessions. (Some writers like to combine the two services and have a PDP session followed by a coaching series.) I’m an accredited coach and my coaching practice is informed by my work specialising in writer development with NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education) and my 30 years of experience working in the arts sector in Scotland and England. I also offer Application Guidance, detailed advice on how to make your application for an award or funding the best it can be, drawing on my extensive experience as a funding assessor and applicant.
Twenty-Six Letters: Writing and editing services
For creative writers of all abilities – Victoria at Twenty-six Letters can help you take your novel, memoir or collection of stories/poetry to the next level:
Editing and manuscript appraisal – for complete manuscripts, whether you need a detailed report on structure, characterisation, plot etc, or a full line-edit to polish the final draft. Mentoring – for works-in-progress that need a little guidance.
Ghostwriting – for anyone with a good idea, but lacking the time/skills to write a full-length book (fiction and non-fiction).
For 14+ years, Victoria has worked between the advertising and publishing industries, writing for some of the world's best-known brands and helping to craft both biographical and fictional stories
Claire Wingfield: Complete book marketing toolkit
This is an online course for anyone who would like to create a clear and comprehensive strategy to reach more readers. It includes professional feedback on your author website and social media accounts as well as dedicated support to help you come up with an effective and achievable marketing plan. The course is run by experienced literary consultant Claire Wingfield, who is on hand to guide and support you throughout. The marketing toolkit can be undertaken at your own pace, and gives you access to a supportive Facebook group upon completion, where Claire will continue to share updates to the course and new ways to sell more books.
Rates: Usually £279, but Claire is offering a £50 discount for participants via Scottish Book Trust using the code FRIEND 50.
Writing Retreats/Classes
Liminal Residency: Alternative writing retreat
The Liminal Residency is a series of alternative writers' retreats which take place in neglected and unusual spaces. Most ordinary retreats and residencies depend on isolation and the removal of distractions. The Liminal Residency depends on lived experience, random chance and shared adventure.
If you’re interested in attending a Residency, please get in touch with a bit about yourself and your work. You can specify an interest in a particular Residency, or make a general application.
Deadline: Rolling
Entry free: Free to apply, although you would need to cover your costs of transport, accommodation and food during the residency
North Lanarkshire weekly creative writing classes
Join like-minded wordsmiths to share ideas, work in progress and receive useful tips. The classes are suitable regardless of whether it is the first time you have put pen to paper, or you have been scribing away for years. Age 16 years+. These classes run broadly in line with the school terms and will finish mid-July.
Wednesday: 5.15pm – 6.45pm at Airdrie Library Wednesday: 1.00pm – 3.00pm at Bellshill Cultural Centre
Entry fee: £5.00/Concession £4.50
Third Thursday Writers
Ekphrastic (using visual art as a prompt) writing group, facilitated by Helen Boden, which meets once a month in a different Edinburgh gallery or exhibition. Each two-hour workshop moves between viewing, discussion, writing, and constructive critique. We visit most of the free exhibitions at National Galleries Scotland, and have also formed relationships with Fruitmarket Gallery, City Art Centre, Talbot Rice Gallery and Dovecot Studios. Using specially-devised exercises, we respond to art-forms from a range of mediums – painting, drawing, sculpture, video, installation, print-making . . . and from all historical periods.
This supportive tutored group is suitable for all levels of experience, and meets 10.30am-12.30pm on the third Thursday of each month.
More information: contact helenboden@talktalk.net
Entry fee: £12 per session