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Writing retreats, workshops, classes and funding
Discover a range of writing and poetry retreats, workshops, classes and funding opportunities forwriters based in Scotland.
Sometimes we need a helping hand with our writing, be it a structured writing retreat or financial assistance. Here you can find information about programmes and one-off classes for professionals and novices alike.
We curate this list but don't run the opportunities listed. This is not a complete list of all the retreats, workshops and classes in Scotland. You can also find a variety of online writing workshops(this link will open in a new window) for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and more.
You might also want to look into our support programmes for writers; the New Writers Award and Ignite Fellowship.
Writing retreats and residencies in Scotland
Regular retreats/residencies
Cove Park - Argyll and Bute
Cove Park offers an annual programme of residencies enables national and international artists, working in all art forms, to undertake research and develop new projects.
Telephone: 01436 850123
Email: [email protected]
Find out more about Cove Park
Writers' HQ - Edinburgh and Glasgow - monthly
Spend the day in a room with a bunch of writers, limitless caffeine and no internet. A scoreboard, gold stars, general silliness and supportive competitiveness will help you reach your targets and break you out of your bad habits.
Date: Second Sunday of every month (Edinburgh) or TBC (Glasgow)
Angela Locke - Iona
An annual writing retreat is held on Iona, usually in the Argyll Hotel. The course is led by Angela Locke, a writer, poet and Creative Writing tutor. She also occasionally runs creative writing retreats elsewhere in Scotland, visit her website for more details.
Telephone: 017687 79901
Email: [email protected]
Find out more about Angela Locke
Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre - Highlands
Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre is located in the Scottish Highlands, just fourteen miles from the city of Inverness. Since 1993 Moniack Mhor has been running creative writing courses tutored by some of the finest authors in the UK and beyond. The centre offers a variety of courses and retreats.
Telephone: +44 (0)1463 741675
Email: [email protected]
Find out more about Moniack Mhor
Liminal Residency - rolling deadline
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
Find out more about Liminal Residency
WordPath Scotland
Regular online creative writing programmes and courses from novelists Meaghan Delahunt and Kirsty Gunn.
Email: [email protected] Find out more about WordPath Scotland
Write South West Scotland
Writing courses and accommodation for retreat available in Bridge of Dee (Dumfries and Galloway).
Dalnaglar - near Blairgowrie
A series of writing retreats throughout the year taking place at Dalnaglar Castle near Blairgowrie.
Telephone: 01250 882 303 Email: Find out more about Dalnaglar
Blackhouse Forest Estate
Accomodation for a writing retreat. Based in the Yarrow Valley, Scottish Borders, Blackhouse Forest Estate is easily accessible from Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Lodge sleeps 10 people with areas both inside and outside for coming together.
Email: [email protected] Telephone: 07867434885
Kalewater Cottage Creative Retreat
Kalewater Cottage Creative Retreat is a purpose-built residency for creative practitioners. It is based in the Scottish Borders and welcomes all writers, translators, academics and creative folks.
One off writing retreats and workshops
Victoria Mackenzie - online masterclass
Join writer Victoria MacKenzie, author of Saltire-winning novel For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain, on two eight-week online writing courses this autumn:
First Steps in Creative Non-Fiction (personal essays, memoir, life writing, book reviews): every Tuesday from 22 October to 17 December (excluding 29 October), 6.30 to 8.30pm
What Can A Short Story Do?: every Thursday from 24 October to 19 December (excluding 31 October), 6.30 to 8.30pm
The masterclasses will be fun, informal and enthusiastic. For writers of all levels, and beginners are extremely welcome!
Fee: £250 per course
Find out more about Victoria Mackenzie's online masterclasses
Dy Bennod Nesaf – Your Next Chapter
Literature Wales is running over 30 creative writing courses and retreats in Tŷ Newydd for 2024. Courses are available in English, Welsh, or bilingually; running across a range of discplines over a day, weekend, and Monday to Friday.
Cost: various Deadline: courses run throughout 2024
The Novel Writing Course 2024 - Janis Mackay
Janis Mackay's new course focuses on editing manuscripts & completing novels. It consists of eight one-day workshops, plus eight evening readings/sharing/constructive critiquing, plus a one-to-one tutorial for each student.
WordPath 2024
WordPath are running a number of courses throughout 2024.
She Writes: Women & The Short Story - Friday 13 September to Sunday 15 September
Focus: One Day Mentoring Courses - Saturday 6 July
1-1 Online Mentoring Sessions - until Decemeber 2024
Cost: £120 to £450
Words Hold Us Together - Facilitator training in Words for Wellbeing
Lapidus Scotland offers a full day workshop for storytellers, writers and readers who already work within community and education settings and would like to develop their facilitation skills within health and social care.
Date & time: Saturday 7 September, 10am to 5pm
Cost: £75 (£55 concessions)
Writing workshops and classes
Regular events
Writing Groups across Scotland
Scottish Book Trust maintains a list of writing groups throughout Scotland.
Third Thursday Writers - Edinburgh - monthly
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.
Entry fee: £12 per session
More information: contact [email protected]
Fundamental Conduit - Paisley - fortnightly
Free workshops for all experience levels offering workshops on creative writing, performance and music, encouraging performance of writing backed by live music.
Scottish BPOC Writers Network
A link to the events page of the Scottish BPOC Writers Network, who hold frequent workshops. Please be mindful when booking. These are sessions for Black writers & writers of colour based in Scotland (or who, pre-COVID, would normally be resident in Scotland).
Beyond Form
Offering a mix of workshops and courses in experimental writing.
Entry fee: Various. See website.
thi wurd
Writing courses scheduled throughout the year.
Entry fee: Various. See website.
Kelso Writers' Workshop
Writers of various genres and experiences come together to improve their writing skills and reduce social isolation.
Fee: £3 (£2.50 for members)
Other events
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 demystifying their industry.
Funding opportunities for writers in Scotland
Ongoing funding
Creative Scotland
Creative Scotland is a public body that supports the arts in Scotland. Individuals, groups or organisations can apply for funding.
The Gaelic Books 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.
Find out more about The Gaelic Books Council commission grants
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
Find out more about Scottish Books International: travel fund
Society of Authors: Grants
The Society of Authors administers a number of grants for writers. Their grants help fund works in progress and support authors in financial difficulty. You have to be a member to apply for some grants.
Royal Literary Fund
The Royal Literary Fund is a benevolent fund for professional published authors; it is funded exclusively by bequests and donations from writers and others who wish to help writers.
ALCS
While not strictly funding, you can join the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society for a one-off fee to earn money from published books, contributions (both written and illustrated) to published books, and contributions to regular journals and magazines with an ISSN number.
Find out more about the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society
Poet's Hardship Fund
You can apply for one off payments of up to £50 for poets from this volunteer-run fund.
The Touring Network
The Touring Network is a community of promoters and performers. Funding and information is available. Please see website for eligibility criteria.