New writer 2025: SE Holland

SE Holland is a writer from Glasgow. She holds an MA in Screenwriting from the Screen Academy Scotland and has previously worked as a producer for the animated TV series LEGO Friends and LEGO Elves. She has also worked with children as an Early Years Practitioner at a nature kindergarten. Her work explores themes of belonging, climate change and nature – tackled with heart and humour.

Holland is currently working on her first novel for children aged 9–11, a sci-fi fantasy adventure that fulfils her childhood dreams of jumping in a spaceship and visiting alien worlds. It also realises her adult vision of providing a place where children who were told they daydream too much, talk too much, distract too much, or are simply too much – can find understanding.

See more on SE Holland's website(this link will open in a new window)

Writing sample

As she stomped downhill, following the river, Livvy slipped in the mud and landed hard on her bum. ‘OW! Yeesh!’ She dragged herself up from the mud, hmphing at the audacity of the ground. Something was strange - normally in her daydreams of Calasott she was a hero with a teflon sheen, moving swiftly and cleanly through the environment, never putting a foot wrong. Now though, she just felt like…herself. Her usual, clumsy, awkward 11-year-old self. Just as she was trying to scrape mud from the seat of her shorts and backs of her legs with an oversized leaf, she felt an incredible pain in the back of her thigh. ‘AAAAAHHHH!’ she shouted, jumping in agony. She flailed around like a dying giraffe before spotting an ant the size of a rat with what could only be described as immense fangs sunk into her flesh. ‘AAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEE’ she escalated, ineffectively swatting at the beast’s hard body with her hand. Realising her efforts were useless, she grabbed a nearby stick and shoved it between the creature’s face and her skin, prying it from her leg until it finally broke off with a sickening crunch, leaving two huge red welts where it had dined. She leaned forward with her hands on her thighs, sweating and panting. When had Calasott become so inhospitable?! Just as she regained her composure, her leg burning like a hundred thousand midge bites, she looked down. On the ground was a marching corridor of the giant, fanged, ants. A menacing catwalk of huge black eyes, armoured abdomens and red bulbous behinds headed straight for her. ‘Oh no. Nope. Not today. No thank you!’ exclaimed Livvy as she extricated herself from the path of the march.

SE says:

'I am amazed and honoured to be a recipient of the Next Chapter Award! Hosting an award specifically for new writers aged over 40 is a vote of confidence for those of us coming late to the party, and I’m hugely grateful to both Scottish Book Trust and the inspiring judges for this incredible opportunity.'

Photo credit: ©JohnNeed.co.uk(this link will open in a new window)