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Applications open for Scottish Book Trust’s What’s Your Story? programme
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has announced that applications are now open for their What’s Your Story? programme.
Now in its fifth year, the scheme has so far assisted around 30 young people from across Scotland to develop writing, illustration and performance projects. Continue reading Search begins for young teen writers and illustrators
Starts Monday 23 September: 10am – 12 noon at Royston Wardieburn
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Scottish Book Trust announces new participants for What’s Your Story?
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the seven teenage writers and illustrators who will join the What’s Your Story? programme. Now in its fourth year, the scheme has so far assisted over 20 young people from across Scotland to develop writing, illustration and performance projects.
Beccie White, 14, is a performance poet from Edinburgh. She applied for the What’s Your Story? programme because she wants to create poetry which tackles themes that are important to her, such as feminism and other political issues. Beccie believes poetry is important, as it allows her to use her voice and express her opinions creatively. During the programme, she will be mentored by Jenny Lindsay, performance poet and director of Flint and Pitch.
Seven teens in total were selected by a judging team, which included one of the previous What’s Your Story? participants, and representatives from Creative Scotland, The National Library of Scotland, The Gaelic Books Council and Scottish Book Trust. Participants were selected on the enthusiasm and dedication they expressed for teenage participation in creative and literary culture.
The young people received an induction programme with The National Library of Scotland, where they had the opportunity to research their chosen subject and gain inspiration for their personal creative works. They have also recently taken part in a week-long retreat at Moniack Mhor, Scotland’s creative writing centre, where they had dedicated time with their mentors.
As part of the What’s Your Story?, the participants will plan and host StoryCon 2019, Scotland’s biggest creative writing and illustration conference for young people. Last year, this took place in Glasgow and was attended by over 100 young people.
The young people will have the opportunity to preview their creative projects at a showcase event, wrapping up the work they have completed during the What’s Your Story? programme. Industry experts will train the young people to express their work in front of a live audience, with the use of music and images.
Organised and run by Scottish Book Trust, What’s Your Story? was originally funded by Time to Shine, Creative Scotland’s national youth arts strategy and is the first nationwide programme of its kind in Scotland. This year it is funded by Badenoch Trust, Kiran’s Trust and The Hugh Fraser Foundation, as well as other trusts and private donors. What’s Your Story? is free to take part in and travel expenses will be covered for all participants. The Gaelic Books Council also funds a Gaelic-language place.
Beccie White said: “I am really excited to be starting my journey on the What’s Your Story? programme, as it is an incredible opportunity to develop as a young poet.
“I am also really looking forward to meeting all the other creative people on the course, as well as inspiring other young authors and creative people. I think being able to share tips and tricks as well as shared experiences with other young creative people with is really important and fun. Overall, I am just really excited to have this opportunity and to inspire other teens!”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Scottish Book Trust is pleased to launch the fourth year of the What’s Your Story? programme, highlighting new and upcoming talent in the Scottish literary scene.
“We are grateful to our funders, for making this programme possible, and also to our mentors for providing life-changing support and advice to the young people. We look forward to seeing the work they produce throughout the year.”
The full list of the What’s Your Story? participants is as follows:
Performance poet, Beccie White, from Edinburgh
Performance poet, Devin McRoberts from Paisley
Short story writer, Nicole Foreman, from Dornoch
Illustrator, Sara Oussaiden, from Isle of Skye
Author, Skye Ailun Peng, from Glasgow
Author, Andrew Pettigrew, from Hamilton
Gaelic writer, Ailbhe Murphy, from Glasgow
The event marks the end of their time in the What’s Your Story? programme
The teenagers from the What’s Your Story? programme presented their latest work last night at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh. Continue reading Three Edinburgh teens featured in creative showcase
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Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, is delighted to announce that Edinburgh-based writers Jenni Fagan (above) and Theresa Muñoz have been awarded the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowships for 2018. Continue reading Edinburgh writers named 2018 Robert Louis Stevenson Fellows
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has supported over 90 creative individuals through the New Writers Awards since 2009. Today, Scottish Book Trust announces the 10 new awardees for this prestigious prize, which is supported by Creative Scotland.
The New Writers Awards provide a selection of talented writers who have not yet published a full length book or collection with financial support, to enable them to concentrate on developing their work, as well as professional guidance to help them move towards publication. Former awardees include Graeme Macrae Burnet, who was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016, and authors Ciara MacLaverty, Olga Wojtas, Juliette Forrest, Kirsty Logan, Malachy Tallack and Claire Askew, who have publications out this year.
Four authors from Edinburgh have been nominated for the 2018 New Writers Awards: Aileen Ballantyne, a tutor at Edinburgh University; Nadine Aisha Jassat, a gender-based violence professional; Beth Cochrane, programme and events coordinator at Scottish Poetry Library and Anne Hughes, a software developer.
Aileen Ballantyne (above) said:
“I feel very lucky indeed to win this award – it’s a terrific opportunity. I hope to use it wisely.”
Nadine Aisha Jassat (above) said: “I am really thrilled to receive this award and have my work recognised, supported, and invested in by Scottish Book Trust. It’s an incredible honour to be selected and I would encourage future applicants to apply, apply, apply!”
Beth Cochrane said: “I cannot wait to get fully immersed in the New Writers’ programme. I’m seeing the award as a turning point: I’m finally going to get The Novel completed and sharpened, no excuses.”
Anne Hughes (above) said: “I’m thrilled, honoured and a little stunned to be a New Writers awardee this year. Heartfelt thanks to Scottish Book Trust for this opportunity, and for the enormous encouragement it has given me as a writer.”
Each of the 10 recipients of the New Writers Award 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 the offer of a week-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor. The retreat provides time, space and the freedom to create new work in idyllic surroundings.
The three judging panels reviewed over 450 submissions which included fiction and narrative non-fiction, poetry and children’s/young adult entries, before selecting the final 10. This year’s judges included Asif Khan, Director of the Scottish Poetry Library, and writers Chitra Ramaswamy, Kevin MacNeil, Cheryl Follon, Matthew Fitt, Peter MacKay and Julie Bertagna.
Sasha Thanisch, also from Edinburgh, has been granted the Callan Gordon Award, which was set up to celebrate the life of Callan Gordon, a young Scottish writer, by his family. The Callan Gordon Award generously supports an extra place for the New Writers Awards, and is open to short story writers and poets between the ages of 18 and 35.
Sasha Thanisch said: “I’m utterly overwhelmed to have this opportunity, it’s such an encouragement and I hope to use it well. I’m really grateful to Scottish Book Trust and the Gordon family and everyone who’s supported me in this.”
The Gaelic Books Council provides two additional places on the programme which will support two New Gaelic Writers each year.
The full list of the 2018 New Writers Awardees is as follows:
Poetry
Aileen Ballantyne
Rhona Warwick
Duncan Stewart Muir
Children’s and Young Adult
Anne Hughes
Fiona McKeracher
Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction
Samantha Clark
Beth Cochrane
Mary Fitzpatrick
Nadine Aisha Jassat
Eilidh McCabe
Gaelic
Alistair Paul
Calum MacKinnon
Callan Gordon Award
Sasha Thanisch
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the next batch of New Writers Awardees. Writing can be a challenging process, and the New Writers Awards provides one-on-one support for current projects, as well as guidance for the future. All of us at Scottish Book Trust look forward to the fruits of the New Writers’ efforts and the expansion of the Scottish literary scene.”
Alan Bett, Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing, Creative Scotland, said: “The New Writers Awards develop our emerging literacy talent through tailored mentoring and training at this crucial stage in their career, and in doing so contributes to the strength of Literature in Scotland. Through winning the award, winners have often grown ever more recognisable and have taken their place amongst the ranks of Scotland’s established and celebrated authors- a list that now includes previous winners; Graeme Macrae Burnet, Kirsty Logan and Helen Sedgwick.”
The New Writers Showcase, a celebration of work by the New Writers Awardees of 2017, will be held tomorrow (18 January 2018) at The Jam House in Edinburgh. The event is an opportunity to hear some of the most exciting new talent in Scotland perform their work, as last year’s awardees mark the end of their year. More details and ticket information can be found here.
