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Scottish BAME Writers Network provides advocacy, literary events, and development opportunities for BAME writers based in or from Scotland. You can visit our website for more info, contact us through e-mail, or catch us on Twitter. We also have an online Facebook group for Black and POC writers.
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As part of LGBT History Month 2021, SBWN commissioned five writers to reflect on their own personal histories as part of the larger QTBIPOC community. Some reflected through poetic verse, others through song, and still others through short experimental essay.
All five writers share some of the challenges and joys of being both queer and people of colour. They do so with great care and generosity, offering hope both for the future but also for the past.
–Andrés N Ordorica, Programme Manager (Community & Events)
These writers include:
- Sanjay Lago
- Sarya Wu
- Mae Diansangu
- Etzali Hernández
- Clementine E Burnley
You can read their reflections here or listen to them on Soundcloud here.
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The first SBWN Spoken Word Night of 2021 took place in February and we heard the beautiful works of writers and spoken word artists, new and emerging, mentored by Courtney Stoddart. Watch it here, and if you're anything like us, you might want to watch it again.
You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
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Scottish Black Writers Group is a new, free writers group and peer support and social space facilitated by our Co-Director Dean Atta and in association with Scottish PEN. It is a space to meet, chat, network and talk about the writing life - writers both published and unpublished are welcome to join us.
This is a monthly event open to writers across the UK and Ireland who are Black/from the African diaspora, including people of mixed heritage. Please be mindful while booking!
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In March we’ll be joined by Patrice Lawrence. Patrice Lawrence is an award-winning writer for children, teenagers and adults. Her books include Orangeboy, (shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award and winner of the Bookseller YA Prize and Waterstones Prize for Older Children’s Fiction), Indigo Donut (winner of Bristol Crimefest YA Prize), Rose, Interrupted and Eight Pieces of Silva (Winner of Woman and Home Teen YA). Her adult short stories have been published in anthologies by Peepal Tree Press and Hamish Hamilton. She is a 2021 Costa Book Awards judge.
Book here.
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Also coming up in April and May are guest speakers Nick Makoha and Dorothy Koomson.
Nick Makoha is the Founder of Obsidian Nick Makoha is a Ugandan poet and playwright and based in London. His debut Kingdom of Gravity was shortlisted for the Felix Dennis Prize and nominated by The Guardian as one of the best books of 2017. A Cave Canem Graduate Fellow and Complete Works Alumni. He won the 2015 Brunel prize and 2016 Derricotte & Eady Prize for his pamphlet Resurrection Man. He was the 2019 Writer-in-Residence for The Wordsworth Trust and Wasafiri. His poems appeared in The New York Times, Poetry Review, Rialto, Poetry London, Triquarterly Review, Boston Review, Callaloo, and Wasafiri.
In May we’ll be joined by Dorothy Koomson. Dorothy Koomson is an award-winning, global bestselling author whose novels have sold over two million copies in the UK alone. Dorothy is also an Honorary Fellow of Leeds Trinity University and was awarded the prestigious IMAGE Award at the Black British Business Awards in 2019 in recognition of her achievements. Now the biggest selling Black author of adult fiction, Dorothy continues to use her platform to support new writers and recently launched The Happy Author podcast. She was also featured on the 2021 Powerlist, as one of the most influential Black people in Britain and recently appeared in GQ Style as a Black British trailblazer. Dorothy’s seventeenth novel, I Know What You’ve Done, is published by Headline in July 2021.
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Here are some projects that have reached out to SBWN. Here you'll find places to submit work, as well as various events, like webinars, workshops and mentorships. This is not an exhaustive list. Apologies for what we miss!
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Being around books doesn't sound like a bad job, does it? National Library of Scotland is looking for maternity cover for a full-time Events & Learning Coordinator. The role will involve home-working in the initial period, transitioning to on-site working when restrictions allow. Apply here.
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The Edinburgh International Book Festival is now looking for an Intern for up to 6 months (from April to September). The salary for this 6-month internship will be £19,760 pro rata (Real Living Wage 2021). If you're hoping to gain an overview to the events/publishing/arts industries in the UK, this is for you.
Open only to BAME candidates. Apply here.
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The fantastic Gutter magazine of new Scottish and international writing is open for submissions for Issue 24 - fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and in some cases, drama scripts too are welcome. Details here.
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Epoch literary journal, a journal for creative nonfiction writing and artwork is seeking submissions for their Summer issue, themed ‘Roots’. Artists will be paid £15 for each piece.
Submission guidelines are here. |
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| Poets, Verve Poetry Press is opening its submissions for the month of March 2021 to full-length poetry collections. Read more about the guidelines and what they're looking for here. |
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The Gutter x #EdwinMorgan100 Prize is open to poets over the age of 40. Applications open here.
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Arachne Press is planning an anthology of fiction and poetry from UK resident writers of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic heritage. The theme is 'maps and mapping', which they're encouraging writers to interpret as far and wide as possible. Writers will be paid royalties, if selected. More here.
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The 2021 Queen Mary Wasafiri Prize is open for submissions! The will be judged by Tishani Doshi (Poetry), Hirsh Sawhney (Fiction), Christie Watson (Life Writing), and Andrew Cowan (Chair). £10 for a single entry, £16 for a double entry. Details here.
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Love science fiction? Shoreline of Infinity are looking for book reviewers who have a good knowledge of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Reviewers get a copy of the book (if a printed book is reviewed), a copy of the Shoreline of Infinity issue that their review is published in, and 10% off at their online shop. Apply to be a reviewer here.
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We're also on Instagram! If you aren't already, do consider following us on our Instagram platform here where we share the latest about our events, showcase our amazing network members and keep you in the loop. :)
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