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April 2021  |   Issue 10

Scottish BAME Writers Network
Newsletter

About SBWN

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.
Open Call: Online workshop and blog pitches. Deadline 9th May 2021. For Black writers & writers of colour based in Scotland (or normally based in Scotland outside of COVID-19)

 

Open Call For Online Workshop and Blog Pitches 


COVID-19 has presented many challenges for arts organisations throughout Scotland. But it has also afforded new ways of thinking and engaging with creative communities. The Scottish BAME Writers Network has witnessed great success with our online programming. As such, we’re pleased to re-open our calls for our online blog series and digital workshops to continue on through the end of 2021. Read on for more information and visit our site for full details.

 

Online Workshops


Do you have ideas about certain writing topics that you think people could benefit from?

Whether you've led writing workshops in the past or whether you're completely new to facilitating a workshop session, we want to hear from you!

Your pitch (300 words maximum) should include:

  • A description of the writing topic you want to cover in your workshop; 
  • A simple outline of the possible workshop activities; and
  • Why you are interested in this opportunity.

If your workshop is selected, you will be paid an artist fee of £175. If you're new to leading workshops, we'll provide you with a mentor to advise you on your plan and provide extra support during the workshop.

You can download a PDF of our pitching guidelines here: SBWN – Workshop Pitch 2021
 

How to apply

Apply using this Google Form by the closing date (9th May 2021) if you are interested in leading a workshop between June and September 2021. Please only apply if you identify as a writer of colour based in Scotland (or normally based in Scotland outside of COVID-19). If for any reason you are unable to use the Google Form, send your pitch (300 words max) to ScotBAMEWriters@gmail.com

 

 

Blog Posts


We're looking for guest bloggers in order to maintain and develop a dynamic blog that reflects the experiences and thoughts of writers of colour in Scotland.

Writers are invited to pitch a blog post on any topic of their choosing. While all applicants must identify as writers of colour, there is absolutely no obligation to pitch ideas about race and diversity – although these topics are welcome! You can read previous posts here to get an idea of the range of topics we cover.

If you have been previously published on our blog, please wait 6 months since you were published before submitting to us again.

Please send us a brief pitch (100 words maximum) on what your blog post will be about. If you have links to previous work online, send those along too (up to 3 links)! Blog post writers will be provided with an editor, and will be paid an artist fee of £135 for a blog post of at least 700 words. Additionally, if writers are willing, we would like to post an audio recording of your blog on our SoundCloud to make your blog more accessible.

You can download a PDF of our pitching guidelines here: SBWN – Blog Pitch 2021
 

How to apply

Apply using this Google Form by the closing date (9th May 2021) if you are interested in publishing a blog post between June and September 2021. Please only apply if you identify as a writer of colour based in Scotland (or normally based in Scotland outside of COVID-19). If for any reason you are unable to use the Google Form, send your pitch (100 words) to ScotBAMEWriters@gmail.com

 

The deadline for all pitches is 9th May 2021.


 

Coming Up: Scottish Black Writers Group

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!

Scottish Black Writers Group (May) with Dorothy Koomson

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.

Scottish Black Writers Group (in association with Scottish PEN). Guest: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Thu 17th June, 7-9pm. Online,

In June we'll be joined by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, 22, is a writer from South London who has dreamt of writing books about Black kids saving (or destroying) the world all her life. Her debut novel ACE OF SPADES is an unputdownable thriller that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism. Billed as ‘Get Out meets Gossip Girl with a shocking twist’, gal-dem has called it ‘one of 2021’s biggest books’. The novel was acquired by Usborne Publishing in 2018 and then pre-empted by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group US in 2020. ACE OF SPADES will publish simultaneously in the UK and US in June 2021. 

Faridah established and runs a mentorship scheme for unagented writers of colour, helping them on their journey to get published. She has also written for NME, The Bookseller, Reader’s Digest and gal-dem, and currently studies English Literature at a university in the Scottish Highlands.

Book All Events Now

Submission and Job Opportunities

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!

30th April, 5pm BST
The Royal Society of Literature is accepting applications from emerging writers of colour for the Sky RSL Awards. Awardees will be mentored by RSL Fellows in non fiction, screenwriting, fiction, poetry and playwriting. Details and application form here.
7th May
Are you interested in putting together an event for Book Week Scotland? Scottish Book Trust's Emerging Programmers fund could be for you! Details and application here.
30th April
Writers of colour are invited to submit their short fiction for the 4thWrite Short Story Prize. The winner will receive £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website. Find out more and apply here
12th May
Literature Alliance Scotland's Next Level programme is open! They're looking for arts professionals in the literature, languages & publishing sector for tailored mentoring, training & industry connections. Read more about it here.
24th May
Writers from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora are invited to submit short stories for the 2021 edition of BlackInk’s New Writing Competition. Winners will be published in BlackInk Magazine and will receive £500 each. Find out more here.
31st May, 5pm BST
The 2021 Queen Mary Wasafiri Prize is open for submissions! They 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.
31st May
Are you an unpublished children's book writer without an agent? All Stories is a free mentorship programme for children's book authors from underrepresented backgrounds. Learn more and apply here.
30th June
Something for the wee ones: BBC Radio Scotland's Climate Tales competition is looking for 500-word pieces on climate change from young writers aged 5-16. Entries can be in the form of a short story, poem, monologue, or rap. Find out more and enter here.
No date
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
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. :)

Thanks for reading!

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