In October, we were delighted to represent The Writing Coach at the Creative Future Writers’ Award Ceremony and Writers’ Day. Held at the Southbank Centre as part of the London Literature Festival, The Creative Future Writers’ Award was founded in 2013. As an annual development programme, it celebrates talented, under-represented writers from a variety of backgrounds, who lack opportunities due to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance. Winners are chosen by a panel of industry experts and given the opportunity to develop their writing through mentoring, training, coaching and assessment. Prizes are awarded for short fiction and poetry and winning submissions are also published in an anthology, available as a hard copy and e-book.
As partners of the Award, this is something we at The Writing Coach are passionate about! We are proud to be an official partner of the Awards each year, and our founder Jacqui Lofthouse is delighted to offer two annual prizes. For the past three years, we have mentored two winning writers. This year, our prizes were for the Silver Award winners. We so enjoyed attending the award evening in October. This was hosted by writer Dorothy Koomson and poet Joelle Taylor and our prizes went to writer Karrish Devan and to poet Karen Downs-Barton. We are excited to be working with them.
It was a real pleasure to listen to the readings given by this year’s prizewinners and wonderful to be in the presence of such talent, a hugely moving experience.
Jacqui says:
It’s always our absolute pleasure to work with Creative Future. We are proud of the work we do with the winners, such as Natalia Theodoridou. This is one of the ways we continue to support under-represented writers. We also have annual scholarships for our membership ‘Inside Story’ which will be launching in January. We can’t wait to see what this year’s winners will achieve in their future writing careers.
On Sunday 23rd October, we returned to the Southbank Centre for the Creative Future Writers’ Day. This fantastic event brought together writers, publishers and literary professionals to share advice and initiatives in a day of talks and panel events.
If you would like to enter next year’s prizes, do sign up for the Creative Future Mailing list to be kept informed.
On Motivation for Writers – Why do you write?
Hi Jacqui,
I hope this message finds you well. (Jane in Shetland/nee Hewer)
I have been studying film at the Uni. Highlands & Islands. The Shetland Space Centre funded me to study for 4 months in Denmark (new tech AR & VR) and in return, I am writing a children’s book about the usefulness of satellite technology for working on climate change. Well, this is a theme embedded in a children’s story.
I have just about finished the first draft and would be interested to know whether you actually work with children’s writers?
I’m a bit skint- but would be interested to know the possibilities
Hi Jane, Lovely to hear from you and your Denmark stay sounds exciting… Wonderful to hear about your children’s book. And yes indeed, if you take a look under people/team on the website, we do indeed have Nikki Sheehan on the team who knows that market very well. She and I worked on a book for children together with a group of clients (https://www.sustainableplaceshaping.net/once-upon-the-future-everyday-adventures-that-change-the-world/). Do drop us a line via the contact page and look forward to being in touch again, Jane…