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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 (including workshops, retreats and advice), you might also want to look into our resources for writers, and our writing programmes; the New Writers Award and Ignite Fellowship. If you're under 18, why not check out our offering for Young Writers.
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 link will open in a new window)advice page.
Always read the organiser's submission criteria.
Want to share an opportunity with us? Email [email protected](this link will open in a new window).
Submission calls and opportunities with upcoming deadlines
March
SPAM Plaza: Submissions for Digital Dreamland
SPAM Plaza is now open for submissions for a new series titled Digital Dreamland. They are currently looking for essays, theory fictions, verse essays, visual essays and audio/video essays on the topic of dreams and the internet
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Saturday 15 March
Folkloric submissions open
Submissions will be open for Folkloric magazine between 24-28 March. They are interested in short stories and artwork that have a definite and striking speculative element.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Friday 28 March
April
The Oxford/42 New Writing Prize
42 are delighted to announce the launch of a multi-disciplinary storytelling competition in conjunction with The Faculty of English at the University of Oxford. The Oxford/42 New Writing Prize is open to anyone aged 18 or over living, working or studying in the UK at the closing date for submissions. The winner will receive £1500 along with professional representation by 42.
Entry fee: Free
Deadline: Wednesday 30 April
Wet Grain Issue Six - Open Call for Submissions of Poetry
Wet Grain is a magazine for new poetry based in Edinburgh that's looking for submissions of poetry and prose (essays and reviews) for Issue Six, edited by Eloise Birtwhistle, Charles Lang, Nasim Luczaj, and Patrick Romero McCafferty.
Deadline: Friday 4 April 2025
Publishing Fantasy for Younger Readers: A Symposium
Join us and Frances Hardinge for a conversation on how fantasy has and continues to be written and published for younger readers.
Entry fee: None
Event: Thursday 3 April
Best Bad Poetry Competition
In honour of famed Scottish poet William McGonagall, the International Ghost Society is running a Best Bad Poetry Competition. They’re looking for the most artfully terrible poem they can find; a verse that is technically awful but nonetheless remains entertaining or profound. The competition is free to enter, and the first prize is £100 cash and a plate of peas.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Thursday 10 April.
Federation Of Writers Scotland Vernal Equinox Competition 2025
Poetry (in English, Scots or Scottish Gaelic), short stories, flash fiction/mini-story. Prizes: 1st prize £100, 2nd prize £25, 3rd prize £10. Brian Whittingham Memorial Prize £50.
Entry fee: £4 per entry in any category or £10 for three entries in any one category
Deadline: Tuesday 15 April
Causeway/Cabhsair call for submissions
Causeway/Cabhsair publishes new writing by Irish and Scottish writers in all the languages of both countries. The editors seek to publish both new and established writers, and the magazine so far has published work by Paul Muldoon, James Kelman, Alan Spence, and Gerald Dawe, as well as many others. There is a current call out for fiction and poetry for issue 14.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Friday 25 April
June
Heroines Anthology - Volume 6 & Writing Prize
Submissions are open for the volume 6 of the Heroines Anthology and the 2025 Heroines Women's writing prize. Volume 6 is a special witchcraft-themed edition. The anthology is accepting poems and short fiction from women across the globe.
All submisssions will be considered for the prize; the winner will receive $500.
Entry fee: $15 per entry
Deadline: Monday 30 June 2025
IHRAM Press call for submissions
The second issue of the IHRAM literary magazine aims to reflect on modern slavery practices and forced migration, dealing with personal challenges faced by migrants, such as mental-health, discrimination, and culture-shock. They're accepting poetry, short-stories, essays, and visual art.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Sunday 1 June (earlier submissions much appreciated)
Submission calls and opportunities with no deadline
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
Thi Wurd
Thi Wurd is a fiction magazine based in Glasgow. Submissions of short fiction and illustrations are welcome.
Entry fee: None
Eemis Stane
Published digitally three times a year, Eemis Stane furthsets poetry, fiction, essays and polemics in Scots o ony and ilka variety, frae ilka airt and pairt. Poetry submissions can consist o up tae three poems, totallin up tae 75 lines. Prose submissions, o baith fiction and non-fiction, should be nae langer than 2000 wirds.
Entry fee: None
Glasgow Review of Books
Glasgow Review of Books is looking for translations and poetry.
Entry fee: None
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
SNACK Magazine
SNACK Magazine are regularly seeking poetry submissions.
Autumn Voices
Autumn Voices seeks submissions by those aged over 60 years for their monthly newsletter.
The White Pube Creatives Grant
A one-off £500 grant to be given out to a different working class creative practitioner based in the UK once every month. It is run by The White Pube and funded by Creative Debuts. Open to those working on writing, art, performance, sound, music, craft, comedy and games.
Bella Caledonia
Bella Caledonia welcomes submissions of essays, articles, reviews, analysis and features.
Creatives - Scottish Mountaineering Press
Creatives is a digital platform for anyone who has found meaning in Scotland’s natural wonders to collaborate, share their artwork and find inspiration. They welcome works of poetry, prose and visual art from unpublished, emerging and established artists of all backgrounds.
Find out more about Creatives - Scottish Mountaineering Press