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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.
![Two pens sitting on a notepad](/uploads/store/mediaupload/147/image/l_limit-plush-design-studio-555452-unsplash.jpg)
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).
No Deadline
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.
Primo Poetica
Looking for football poetry that will strike a chord across Europe.
Entry fee: None
Scottish Women's National Team Poets Society
Julie McNeill – the First Makar of the Scottish Women's National Team Poets Society - is looking for poetry inspired by the national women's team.
Entry fee: None
Find out more about Scottish Women's National Team Poets Society
Loud Coffee Press
Currently open to flash fiction, poetry and art submissions.
Entry fee: None
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.
Kalopsia Literary Journal
Looking for poetry, prose and visual art. Feedback will be offered where possible.
Entry fee: None
Bella Caledonia
Bella Caledonia is currently looking for essays, articles, reviews, analysis and features.
Entry fee: None
Creatives - Scottish Mountaineering Press
Looking for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and visual arts inspired by the Scottish landscape.
Entry fee: None
Find out more about Creatives - Scottish Mountaineering Press
Kelso Writers: Creative Writing for Well-being
Kelso Writers is offering an opportunity for people over the age of 16 who live in the Scottish Borders. As a result of funding from the Communities Mental Health and Well-being Fund, Kelso Writers is able to offer a series of twelve free online workshops and two in-person workshops designed to help people develop and improve their creative writing skills. The course will look at all kinds of writing including short stories, poetry, flash fiction and life writing. Topics covered will include the writing process; creating characters; use of dialogue; how to structure and plot a story; nature writing; and editing and presentation. To register interest and find out more please email [email protected]
Entry fee: None
Find out more about Kelso Writers: Creative Writing for Well-being
Interpret Magazine
Interpret are open to any genre or form of poem or short story. More details at the link below.
Entry fee: None
Leopard Arts
Looking for poetry, prose, non-fiction, visual arts and music from the North East of Scotland.
Entry fee: None
July
Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
Accpeting life writing, fiction, & poetry, the prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work. Entries should be a maximum of 3,000 words. The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri magazine.
Entry fee: £12 for a single entry, £16 for a double entry, and £6 for a single subsidised entry
Deadline: Monday 1 July
Find out more about the Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
Scotland’s Next Generation Young Makars
The Scottish Poetry Library seeks submissions to its talent development scheme for poetry writers aged 16 to 25 years. Five young makars will be selected: three writing in English or Scots, a writer in Scottish Gaelic and a Spoken Word performer. Each selected poet will be given a bursary of £500 and one-to-one mentoring. Applicants should submit two new poems of any length on the theme of ‘My Generation’.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Monday 1 July
James Berry Poetry Prize 2024
The James Berry Poetry Prize is now open for applications. The prize supports emerging writers of colour. Three equal winners will each receive a £1,000 prize, expert mentoring and have their debut collection published with Bloodaxe Books.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Wednesday 31 July
Push the Boat Out - Living Water - Call for new commissioned works
Push the Boat Out (PTBO), Edinburgh’s International Poetry Festival has called for applications for three new poetry-led performance pieces, responding to the prompt Living Water. In collaboration with the National Theatre of Scotland, PTBO will award three £1,500 commissions to Scotland-based artists or groups of artists working in poetry or a related art form. The commissions will be performed at the 2024 festival.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Monday 15 July
St. Mungo’s Mirrorball Verse Apprenticeship Scheme Clydebuilt
In partnership with the Edwin Morgan Trust, St Mungo's Mirroball have now opened applications for Clydebuilt 17. The scheme recruits up to four poets who have yet to have a first full collection published (not including pamphlet publication) and are not currently receiving any support with their development. Participants will develop a portfolio of poetry over the year long programme.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Wednesday 31 July
August
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival - writing competition
Entries are now open internationally for poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction writing. The theme for 2024 is 'In/Visible'. The shortlisted and winning pieces of writing will also be published in an illustrated print and digital book.
Entry fee: None
Deadline: Monday 19 August
Find out more about the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival writing competition
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is open to Poetry & Short Fiction submissions on any theme, but they are particularly interested in work that reflects on our ever-changing world. They're looking for exciting, innovative work that shows excellence in form and technique. A cash prize of £2,500 will be given to both the Poetry & Short Fiction winner, along with publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual & further writing development opportunities.
Entry Fee: Poetry £12 & Short Fiction £18
Deadline: Saturday 31 August
Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction
Scottish Arts Trust welcomes flash fiction entries across a range of genres: literary, historic, crime, romance, gritty realism, contemporary, humour and more.
The competition is open to writers worldwide. Entries should be no more than 250 words.
A range of cash prizes are available. Publication is offered to authors of the top twenty stories in their next anthology.
Entry fee: £10 per story
Deadline: Saturday 31 August
Edinburgh True Flash Award
Scottish Arts Council welcomes entries of creative non-fiction, auto-fiction, and memoir.
The competition is open to writers worldwide. Entries should be no more than 250 words.
First prize will receive £300.
Entry fee: £10 per story
Deadline: Saturday 31 August
Powercut Magazine
A new literary and arts magazine based in Glasgow with a focus on 20th century culture, Powercut Magazine would love to receive short stories, photography, artwork, flash, poetry, and essays that embrace this era.
Entry fee: Free
Deadline: Friday 16 August
October
Caledonia Novel Award 2025
The Caledonia Novel Award is now open for entries from unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres, across adult fiction & YA. Entries are open internationally. This year, the award will be judged by Alice Lutyens, literary agent at Curtis Brown.
The winner will receive £1,500; Highly Commended will receive £500. A free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre will be offered to the writer of the best novel from the UK and Ireland.
Entry fee: £28 per entry
Deadline: Tuesday 15 October
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
Call for Submissions
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.