Bold Types is an annual event by Glasgow Women's Library. It is designed as a supportive and encouraging creative writing competition

Be bold and submit your short stories and poems to our annual writing competition. We’re following Book Week Scotland’s theme – FRIENDSHIP. Feel free to interpret the theme in any way you like. We can’t wait to be enthralled by your entries!

Email your short stories and poems of up to 1000 words (either in a Word Document or typed in the body of the email) to info@womenslibrary.org.uk with “Bold Types Competition Entry” in the subject line. You can enter once in each category, with a new piece of writing that hasn’t been submitted elsewhere. The closing date for entries is 5pm on Monday 15th September. Shortlisted entrants will be notified by 5pm on Thursday 16th October. Four poems and four short stories will be shortlisted.

Shortlisted writers will read their stories and poems on the evening of Thursday 20th November at our online Bold Types Creative Writing Showcase. We have three supportive and encouraging judges lined up (details to be announced shortly). Winners will be announced on the night and prizes include a one-to-one mentoring session with one of our judges.

Bold Types is supported by Book Week Scotland 2025.

Terms and Conditions

1. Entries received after 5pm on Monday 15th September 2025 will not be eligible for the Bold Types competition.
2. Writers may submit only once to each category (one story and one poem), with a new piece of writing that hasn’t been submitted elsewhere.
3. Writers retain full copyright of their work and we will only publish work on womenslibrary.org.uk with the permission of each winning writer.
4. Our Bold Types competition is targeted at women who were born in Scotland or live or have lived in Scotland at any time. 
5. There is no entry fee, no purchase necessary.