The NEN – North Edinburgh News

A writer from Edinburgh has come one step closer to having his work published, after being named the recipient of a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award 2017.

Simon Brown (above) is one of the 10 recipients of the coveted award, run by Scottish Book Trust in association with Creative Scotland. The awards provide a selection of talented, unpublished writers with financial support to enable them to concentrate on developing their work, as well as professional guidance to help them move towards publication.

Each of the 10 recipients will receive a £2,000 cash award and support tailored to their needs including mentoring from writers and industry professionals, training in public relations, social media and performance and the opportunity to showcase their work to publishers and agents. The awards also include a week-long retreat at Moniack Mhor. The retreat provides time, space and the freedom to create new work in idyllic surroundings.

Simon, a Library Assistant from the Southside of Edinburgh, has received a New Writers Award in the Fiction & Narrative Non Fiction category.

Simon was born and raised in the Highlands but now lives in Edinburgh. He’s currently working on his third novel, a story about people who work at the Department of Karmic Affairs, while sprucing up his second.  He has one publishing credit to his name – a story that appeared in 404 Ink – but will be working hard to improve that this year.

When he’s not writing he can be found working for the city libraries, where he occasionally has to sing at children, or mucking about with a sampler trying to make hip hop. He wrote his first story, The Hair, when he was six years old.  It was about hair. 

Commenting on the award, Simon said: “I’ve run out of places to pinch myself.  Thank you to Scottish Book Trust for giving me this incredible opportunity – I’m going to work so hard to justify the belief that has been shown in me.”

The three judging panels reviewed over 400 entries in total before selecting the final 10. This year’s judges included Don Paterson, Amy Liptrot and Pamela Butchart.

The full list of the 2017 New Writers Awardees is:

Fiction & Narrative Non Fiction 

Anna Stewart (Dundee)

Elisabeth Ingram Wallace (Glasgow)

Laura Morgan (North Sutherland)

Sally Huband (Shetland)

Simon Brown (Edinburgh)

Poetry

Ciara MacLaverty (Glasgow)

Lydia Harris (Orkney)

Molly Vogel (Glasgow)

Children’s and Young Adult Fiction

Christine Laurenson (Shetland)

Helen MacKenzie (Linlithgow)

Caitrin Armstrong, Head of Writer Development at Scottish Book Trust, said: “The New Writers Awards exist to support and nurture the talent and spirit out there in Scotland. We’re here to help the writers who might be bowing under the weight of their commitments or who just need some breathing space and encouragement to keep going. Our 2017 awardees have already produced some fantastic writing, and I can’t wait to see what they create over the next year.” 

Aly Barr, Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing, Creative Scotland, said: “The New Writers Awards continue to be both a strong indicator of the next big name in Scottish writing and a vital rung on the ladder for authors taking their first steps as professionals.” 

Many New Writers Award recipients go on to secure publishing deals. Upcoming 2017 publications from previous awardees include the much-anticipated Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (HarperCollins) by Gail Honeyman. 2016 publications from previous awardees include Claire Askew with This Changes Things published by Bloodaxe Books, Lucy Ribchester with The Amber Shadows published by Simon and Schuster, Martin MacInnes with Infinite Ground published by Atlantic Books and Helen Sedgwick with The Comet Seekers published by Harvill Secker. 2012 recipient Graeme Macrae Burnet was shortlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize for his second novel, His Bloody Project.

Picture: Rob McDougall