Founded in 2013, The Creative Future Writers’ Award is an annual development programme which celebrates talented, under-represented writers from a variety of backgrounds, who lack opportunities due to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance. As partners of the Award, along with other leading literary organisations, this is something The Writing Coach are passionate about and Jacqui Lofthouse is delighted to offer an annual prize of mentoring two writers, the Silver Award winners.
Kerry Hudson, Chair of Judges 
Mahsuda Snaith – Guest Author
On 25th October this year, Jacqui visited the 2019 Creative Futures Writers’ Awards Ceremony, a high profile event held at the Southbank Centre in London as part of the London Literature Festival – and had the pleasure of listening to readings given by many of this year’s prizewinners’ including one of the two winners who will go on to be mentored by Jacqui personally.
Jacqui said:
Once again, I was blown away by the quality of the readings at the ceremony. It was the kind of evening that deepens one’s connection with the act of writing, reminds us of the importance of the spoken word and the necessity of hearing diverse voices. So many of the voices moved me on a very profound level and I felt extremely privileged to be in the room amongst emerging writers of such talent.
Winners are chosen by a panel of industry experts and given the chance 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, alongside work by guest authors, which is available as a hard copy and e-book.
Can you help keep the awards free to enter?
Creative Future are currently running a campaign to raise £2,000 to keep the competition free to enter – something that’s vital for writers in secure mental health units, prisons, without reliable IT access, or even lacking the confidence to stake an entry fee on their own work. Do take the time to watch the video below to find out more about how you could support this fantastic cause. The crowdfunding campaign closes this Friday 29th so do watch today to find out more about the Awards and the wonderful work the organisation do for writers who might otherwise be unable to access mentorship.
To find out more about this campaign, please click here.
And if you are interested in entering next year’s awards to win mentoring from The Writing Coach or another leading organisation, do sign up to the Creative Futures newsletter to keep informed about entry dates here.
Creativity and Leadership – A Guest Post by Trevor Waldock
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