Bringing Together Writers Working In Scotland

Added on Wednesday 17 Nov 2010

Photo: scottish writers centre. Scottish Writers' Centre at the CCA

Creative non-fiction writers' workshop with Linda Cracknell -'A fascinating excursion into new material and different forms' 7pm-Thursday18th November 2010

Causeway/Cabhsair Launch

A magazine of Irish-Scottish Writing Thursday 16th December 2010; 7-8.30pm-followed by our MIDWINTER CELEBRATION till late!

Scottish Writers' Centre News

Competition for short stories and poetry inspired by a song lyric

Competition - A Showcase for Writing Groups

Photo: unesco. The Scottish Writers' Centre in collaboration with the Let's Get Lyrical initiative between Glasgow and Edinburgh - UNESCO Cities of Music & Literature - invites submissions of short stories and poetry inspired by a song lyric for the Scottish Writers' Groups Showcase Competition.

Photo: logo. The best six submissions will be showcased at Glasgow's Aye Write Festival in March 2011 where writers' winning entries will be read. Winning entries will also be published on The Scottish Writers' Centre website.

Writers' Groups are invited to take part in our competition by including in their schedule a session at which members talk about their favourite song lyrics and why these are important to them. The lyrics can be from any era or style of music. As part of this session, we suggest that facilitators ask members to consider lyric writing's place as poetry. After this, group members are invited to write works of fiction or poetry which refer specifically to lyrics in their title or which feature a character who is grappling with his or her own lyric writing (in musical composition), or which grapple with a situation reflected in a song lyric. To avoid copyright infringement, please don't include the lyrics of published songs in the body of stories or poems.

Facilitators should then choose one single submission in each category as the best in their group and forward these two pieces of writing - By email
or by post to: Scottish Writers' Centre, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD

Deadline: 12pm on Thursday 16th December 2010

To find out about your nearest writers' group, ask in your local library or by email

This competition is open to members of Scottish writers' groups.

Submissions must be made through writing group facilitators only.

Writing group facilitators should choose the best submission in each category and send a copy of these to the Scottish Writers' Centre by the closing date, By email
or by post to: Scottish Writers' Centre, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD

Submission

Submissions should be inspired by a song lyric. The lyrics of published songs should not appear in the body of the poem or story though lyrics written by a character in the story or poem may be included in the body of the story or poem.

Closing date for receipt of entries - noon on Thursday 16 December 2010

Entries must be original and not previously published or accepted for publication.

Entrants must be aged 16 or over.

Maximum of 3000 words for each story.

Maximum of 40 lines for each poem.

The title is not included in the word count or line count.

There is no fee for entering this competition. Details of judges and prizes will be announced via the Scottish Writers' Centre website before the closing date.

The work of six winners will be showcased at the Aye Write Festival in Glasgow on 5 March 2011 and posted on the Scottish Writers' Centre website for a minimum of six months.

Entries must be in English or Scots, typed, single sided, with pages numbered and securely fastened with a staple. Each entry must be on a new sheet. We hope to be able to invite entries in Gaelic at a future date.

Short stories should be typed in double spacing and the word count should appear in brackets after the title on the first page. Poetry is preferred in single line spacing. Version to print
More information

(c) Copyright Scottish Writers' Centre. The Scottish Writers' Centre is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC040823. scottishwriterscentre.org.uk/

It has been said that the Scottish Writers' Centre is "my baby". I first had the idea for a centre, based in Glasgow but for the use of all national and international writers, in 2006. Unfortunately I had a stroke but, fortunately, was able to hand the reigns over to some wonderful people who worked tirelessly to build it up. All events are free (donations welcome) so do go along to some excellent events. I'll be reading on the 18th February 2010, but don't wait till then. Hope to see you there.

Maggie Graham

Comments are now closed on this page