Applications for the 2027 New Writers Awards are now open. The deadline for all applications is Wednesday 29 July at noon.

The awards are free to apply to, all travel expenses are covered and awardees are chosen by a panel of judges. We have an Access Fund to help support our awardees with any barriers they may face. The programme is flexible, and we work closely with awardees to help them participate as fully as possible.

How it works

The Awards will run from January 2027–January 2028. During the programme, awardees receive:

• A £2,500 cash award, allowing them to focus on their work (the bursary will be paid in two instalments)
• Tailored personal development opportunities, which can include mentoring from writers and industry professionals
• PR, performance, social media and presentation training 
• The opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents 
• A week-long retreat offering time, space and the freedom to create new work in idyllic surroundings (subject to circumstances)
• A year's free membership to Society of Authors as well as an SoA training session

All mentoring, training and performances include an option for remote attendance as needed. We're very happy to discuss anyone's individual access requirements prior to applying.

Entries are invited in English, Scots and a combination of both.

There are also two awards for Gaelic writers, run in association with the Gaelic Books Council. There is a separate application form for writers interested in applying for a Gaelic award.

Apply for the Gaelic New Writers Awards

In 2027, there will be a place awarded for The Kavya Prize, an award supporting emerging writers of colour. This award is open to writers entering any of the five categories. If you would like to be considered for The Kayva Prize, you’ll be able to opt in as part of the New Writers Awards application form.

The Callan Gordon Award, an award set up to celebrate the life of young Scottish writer Callan Gordon, will also open in 2027. This award is for writers aged between 18 and 35 who are writing either poetry or short stories. If you’d like to be considered, you can opt in as part of the application form.

We welcome applications from carers, people who are unemployed or who are unable to work for health reasons. Find out more about our access fund below.

Please note: The New Writers Awards will only go ahead in 2027 if Scottish Book Trust secure the funding required to run the programme. The retreat is also subject to circumstances and dependent on any applicable travel restrictions.

How do I apply?

First, check out our category guidelines for help preparing your submission. There are five categories:

• Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction (also known as creative non-fiction)
• Poetry
• Children's and Young Adult Fiction
• Spoken Word
• Scots

You can only apply to one category per year. 

Submit your application to the relevant category by noon on 29 July 2026.

Explore the category guidelines and apply

Still stuck? Read our five top tips for applying to the New Writers Awards.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you:

• Are aged 18 or over
• Are based in Scotland full-time. This means you have a Scottish postcode and are living in Scotland
• Are committed to developing your writing, whether that's fiction, narrative non-fiction, poetry, spoken word, YA, picture books or graphic novels (although the panel will only consider your writing, not any associated images)