Supporting writers in Scotland
Between 2009 and 2016, NAWE supported the professional development of writers in Scotland, thanks to key investment from Creative Scotland.
Under the umbrella of Turning A New Page (2014-2016), Turning Another Page (2012-2014), Turning the Next Page (2011-2012) and Turning the Page (2009), NAWE has run a series of successful national and regional events supporting aspiring television writers, debut novelists, emerging poets and university creative writing graduates, as well as events focusing on creative collaboration, working as a poet in education and community settings, and developing your spoken voice.
These have been developed and delivered in collaboration with, and support from, a wide range of organisations including the Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Poetry Library and Glasgow Life, as well as CABN, CCA, Fife Cultural Trust, Freight Books, Hi-Arts Writing Development, Jenny Brown Associates, Literary Dundee, Moniack Mhor, St Mungo's Mirrorball, and the screenwriting programmes at Glasgow Caledonian University, Screen Academy Scotland/Napier University and the University of the West of Scotland. We are delighted to have received continuing investment from Creative Scotland to deliver this work.
NAWE has also commissioned the following free resources as pdfs:
Keeping the creative flame alive: a series of six articles by poets Ken Cockburn, Margot Henderson, Kate Hendry, Elspeth Murray, Liz Niven and J.L. Williams. These make for really thought-provoking reading, of interest to all writers wherever they are in their writing journey.
Making things happen: a series of pieces offering information, advice and inspiration on how you can make things happen for yourself as a writer. Topics include: the poet as producer (Harry Giles); setting up a pamphlet press (James T Harding and Rachel McCrum of Stewed Rhubarb); engaging new audiences for poetry (Gerry Loose); offering 'para-poetry' services such as mentoring (Kona Macphee); cross platform poetry (Ali Maloney); and setting up your own live events (Michael Pedersen).
Rich text: A guide for poets publishing their work in ezines by Chris McCabe
Self-publishing for poets by Gerry Cambridge
Support systems for writers: a series of pieces offering personal insights into the rich diversity of support available for writers from writers and other creative. These include: mentoring from the perspective of the mentor (Beatrice Colin) and the mentee (Linda Cracknell); the writing buddy (Moira McPartlin); collaborating with another writer (Michael Richardson); the writing class (Hugh McMillan); Borders Writers' Forum (Dorothy Bruce); Highland Literary Salon (Debbie Ruppenthal); and Creative Dundee (Peggy Hughes).
These are all available to download for free from The Writer's Compass Resources section. To find a particular article, click on the search tab and search by author.
Additional resources, commissioned from the 2011 event Turning the Next Page exploring ways of making a living as a writer and looking at the realities of being published and produced today, can be downloaded here as pdfs:
- Boosting your income with freelance journalism by Fiona Gibson
- Text Sells! Writing for Business by Jules Horne
- Writing in the Community: Making Workshops Work by Drew Campbell
- Your Book Needs You! Busting the Myths of Promotion by Sara Sheridan
- Yes I Can! (Powerpoint presentation) by Linda Cracknell