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Opportunities for writers
There are lots of opportunities for writers in Scotland. We've collected and listed the current crop below.
For more opportunities, you might also want to look into our resources for writers, and our writing programmes; 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?
Please note that we curate this list but don't run the opportunities listed. You can find free guidance on copyright and other issues on the Society of Authors' (this will open in a new window)advice page.
Want to share an opportunity with us? Email andrew.blair@scottishbooktrust.com (this will open in a new window)
No Deadline
Primo Poetica
Looking for football poetry that will strike a chord across Europe due to the delayed Euro 2020 tournament.
Entry fee: None
Postcards from Malthusia
Looking for new and unpublished poems addressing issues related to the current situation.
Entry fee: None
Loud Coffee Press
Invisible Cities
Scottish Football Supporters Association
page one mentoring scheme - Johnson & Alcock
The Johnson & Alcock Agency are offering an online mentoring programme to underrepresented writers (including - but not limited to - Black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates, those living outside of London and the South East, people with disabilities, and those from low-income families), with the aim of demistifying their industry.
Kalopsia Literary Journal
Looking for poetry, prose and visual art. Feedback will be offered where possible.
Entry fee: None
August
Bloody Scotland - Pitch Perfect
Unpublished crime writers can pitch their novels to a panel of literary experts, with the winners receiving feedback from the panel.
Deadline: Friday 14 August
Entry fee: None
Mountaineering Scotland
Mountaineering Scotland are looking for prose, poetry and non-fiction connected to mountains and mountaineering.
Deadline: Monday 31 August
Entry fee: None
The Edinburgh International Flash Fiction Award/Golden Hare Award
Looking for stories of 250 words or less. This is an international competition but Scottish residents will also be entered into the Golden Hare Award.
Deadline: Monday 31 August
Entry fee: £6 per story
September
Hachette Children's Group
Hachette are inviting children's picture book writers and illustrators based in Scotland and Northern England to apply for spaces at a digital open day in October. You need to send them samples of your work.
Deadline: Tuesday 01 September
Entry fee: Free
the common breath - short prose anthology
the common breath are looking for short pieces between 6 and 500 words in length.
Deadline: Tuesday 01 September, 9pm
Entry fee: Free
The 2021 Prole Poetry Pamphlet Competition
Prole Publishing are looking for finished poetry pamphlets for their annual competition. There is a £12 fee for the first entry, £8 for all subsequent entries.
Deadline: Wednesday 16 September
Entry fee: £12
Manchester Writing Competition
Poetry and fiction (short stories) competitions with a main prize of £10,000.
Deadline: Friday 18 September, 5pm
Entry fee: £18 (reduced price available)
Gutter
Submissions of poetry and prose for Gutter No. 23 are open.
Deadline: Friday 18 September
Entry fee: None
New Writing Scotland 39
All forms of writing (up to 3500 words) are invited.
Deadline: Wednesday 30 September
Entry fee: None
Poems for Social Work
The Scottish Poetry Library are looking for up to two poems for an anthology aimed at newly qualified social workers, in association with Edinburgh and Napier universities.
Deadline: Wednesday 30 September
Entry fee: None
Pushing the Boat Out
North East Scotland's Pushing Out the Boat magazine is looking for prose up to 3,000 words and poetry for its 16th issue in English, Scots and Doric.
Deadline: Wednesday 30 September
Entry fee: None
Crowvus Christmas Ghost Story Competition
Crowvus are looking for ghost stories of up to 4000 words for a Christmas anthology.
Deadline: Wednesday 30 September
Entry fee: £3 - £5
October
Perito Prize
Looking for original, unpublished short stories around the theme of Accessibility.
Deadline: Thursday 01 October
Entry fee: None
BlueHouse Journal
Looking for poetry, essay, memoir, creative non-fiction, visual art, hybrid works and reviews.
Deadline: Thursday 01 October
Entry fee: None
The Poetry Society
The Poetry Society's National Poetry Competition is looking for unpublished poems of up to 40 lines.
Deadline: Wednesday 31 October
Entry fee: Yes, see under "Rules" in link below.
December
Language Evolves - Short Story competition
Looking for short stories inspired by the field of language evolution.
Deadline: Tuesday 01 December
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 and illustration welcomed. An award of £500 is offered quarterly, plus an annual award of £7,500. All entries are eligible for all prizes and all entries will be considered for posting on the John Byrne Award website and 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)
Luna Press Publishing
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy publisher who accept submissions on specific days each year.
Speculative Scotland (all writers born in Scotland): 25 January, 30 November Speculative Scottish Diversity (writers who identify as BAME (Black, Asian, minority ethnic), mixed-race or POC (people of colour) with a connection to Scotland either by birth or residency): 18 July, 02 October Speculative Novella: (all writers): 15 April
Entry Fee: None
Call for Submissions
Speculative Books
Speculative Books is currently accepting unsolicited submissions of poetry. Send in a maximum of two poems.
Entry fee: None
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
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
Product Magazine
Product Magazine is currently looking for fiction, art and photography.
Entry fee: None
Shoreline of Infinity
Shoreline of Infinity is looking for science-fiction poetry and book reviewers.
Entry fee: None
Thi Wurd
Thi Wurd is a fiction magazine based in Glasgow. Submissions of short fiction and illustrations are welcome.
Entry fee: None