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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Looking for new and unpublished poems addressing issues related to the current situation.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
May
Wigtown Poetry Prize
Looking for poems of 40 lines or under across English, Scots and Gaelic categories.
Deadline: Friday 29 May
Entry fee: For most categories, see website for details.
The Hunterian: Edwin Morgan Centenary
The Hunterian are looking for people to respond to artworks in their digital Edwin Morgan exhibition via Twitter and email, with a view to these being crafted into one piece of poetry.
Deadline: Friday 29 May
Entry fee: Free
Jericho Writers: Summer of Writing Bursary
Four months of writing programmes with limited number of free tickets available to under-represented writers. Jericho Writers qualify under-represented writers as anyone who feels their opportunities are limited by health or social circumstance.
Deadline: Friday 29 May
Entry fee: Free. See link below for instructions (scroll down to bottom of page)
Lucent Dreaming
A contest looking for short stories and poetry.
Deadline: Friday 30 May, 5pm
Entry fee: £4/free for low-income writers
Neu! Reekie! Voices Commission
Looking for two new spoken word pieces for performances at Neu! Reekie! later in the year in Edinburgh.
Deadline: Sunday 31 May
Entry fee: None
June
Fly on the Wall Press
Looking for poetry, art and photography "which embodies the spirit of Manchester" for their Mancunian Ways Anthology.
Deadline: Saturday 06 June
Entry fee: None
The Writers' Cafe
Looking for poetry and fiction on the theme of "Secrets".
Deadline: Sunday 07 June
Entry fee: None
EX/POST
Looking for poetry, prose, drama, art and essays.
Deadline: Sunday 14 June
Entry fee: None
Verve Poetry Press
Looking for poetry pamphlet and collection submissions. Submissions window is open from Sunday 17 May.
Deadline: Saturday 20 June
Entry fee: None
We Only Want The Earth
Looking for poetry, provocations photography and art.
Deadline: Friday 26 June
Entry fee: None
Clydebuilt Apprenticeship scheme
A poetry apprenticeship run by St Mungo's Mirrorball in partnership with the Edwin Morgan Trust. You must live in the Greater Glasgow area.
Deadline: Sunday 28 June
Entry fee: Free
Ringwood Publishing
Short story competition open to all writers aged 18-29 either based in Scotland, or who have previously resided in Scotland.
Deadline: Tuesday 30 June
Entry fee: £2
Postbox Magazine
Looking for short stories between 1000 - 2000 words in length.
Deadline: Tuesday 30 June
Entry fee: None
The Willowherb Review
Looking for poetry and prose from BAME writers on nature, place and environment.
Deadline: Tuesday 30 June
Entry fee: None
Broken Sleep Books
Accepting submissions for full length poetry collections.
Deadline: Tuesday 30 June
Entry fee: None
July
inkandescent - MAINSTREAM
Looking for short prose pieces from outsider voices for an anthology.
Deadline: Friday 31 July
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