creative writing websites uk

• Lost Password
• Lost Username
• Online Writers
• Self-Publishers
• Literary Agents
• Literary Magazines

Writers to Watch

• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy

• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

• Anagram Game 1
• Anagram Game 2
• New! Guess The Word

Anagram Solver

• Scrabble Trainer
• New! Creative Writing First Steps
• Bite-size Writing Tips
• Plot Generator

Murder Plot Generator

• Fantasy Plot Generator

Quick Plot Generator

• Plot Structure

Character Generator

Character rounding, character exercises.

• Random Traits
• List of Character Traits
• Create A Setting
• Dialogue Prompts
• First Line Prompts

Famous Film Plots

• Image Generator
• Random Job/Occupation
• List of Jobs/Occupations
• Name Generators
• Random Exercises

Rhyming Dictionary

• Story Title Generator
• Subject Generator
• Take Three Nouns

Town Name Generator

• What If? Scenario

Random Words

Lottery generator.

• Writing Links

Children's Section

• Privacy Policy

Welcome to Writing Exercises and Prompts.

This site provides (completely free) creative writing prompts and exercises to help you get started with creative writing and break through writing blocks - as well as some fun anagram vocabulary games.

Generate random story ideas, plots, subjects, scenarios, characters, first lines for stories and more. Did I mention it's all free? Have fun :-)

- Update March 2024: Random First Line - lots of new prompts and you can now choose a genre Creative Writing - First Steps - dive right in with some practical tasks to get you started.

- Update November 2023: New 'Guess The Word' game

- Update August 2023: Bite-size Writing Tips and Tricks. 3-minute reads

Random List of Contents:

Random first line prompts.

Generate a random first line for a story.

Random Subject

Prompts to encourage freewriting.

Generate a plot-line at the click of a button.

Random Plot Generator

Generate two characters, a setting, a situation and a theme. Change the elements until you are happy with your plot.

Generate elements for a murder plot. Change the elements until you get an interesting mystery to solve.

'Take Three Nouns'

Another freewriting exercise. Make connections between random nouns.

Random First Line of Dialogue

Writing prompts to help with dialogue writing.

Random Scenario

Create a 'What If?' scenario to write about.

Random Writing Exercises

Browse my random list of writing exercises.

For poets and songwriters. Enter a word to find rhyming and similar-sounding words.

Generate a selection of words and use the suggestions to kick-start your writing.

Story Title Ideas

Create your own story title.

Create a character outline.

Create some interesting aspects to your character.

There's now a section dedicated to writing prompts for children of primary/elementary school age.

Generate a fictitious,'English-sounding' town name.

Get plot ideas for your own story-writing by looking at the plots of over 100 popular films.

Random Image Generator

Use images to help you write.

Random Character Traits

Generate random traits for your characters.

Random Jobs

Generate an occupation for your character.

Random Name Generator

Choose first and last names for characters.

Develop your character into a well-rounded person, quirky habits and all.

Anagram Puzzle Game

Exercise your brain and keep your vocabulary in good shape with this free anagram game.

Anagram Puzzle Game 2

Another anagram game - each word must contain the middle letter.

Enter a list of letters and discover all the words you can make with them.

Scrabble Trainer Game

Have fun improving your Scrabble vocabulary.

Because every aspiring author needs a back-up plan...

Quick Links:

TRY OUR FREE APP

Write your book in Reedsy Studio. Try the beloved writing app for free today.

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The 50+ Best Writing Websites of 2024

The Internet is full of writing websites and blogs to help people reach their creative goals . If you’ve always dreamt of writing your own book, but don’t know how to get there — or if you’re in the process of writing, but feel unsure about what to do next — then it’s your lucky day! Here we have all the best writing websites of 2024 in one single place for your convenience. They’re also organized by category, and alphabetically within each of those categories, to make each one easier to find. Enjoy!

Best writing websites for writing craft and inspiration

1. Almost an Author

Offering up new content every day, Almost an Author covers a grand scope of writing topics. From genre-specific advice to emotional support on your writing journey, there's tons of useful info here for beginner and veteran writers alike.

2. Association of Writer & Writing Programs

Having just marked their 50th anniversary, AWP is one of the premier authorities on writing. The AWP website provides resources and ample opportunities for authors, teachers, and students at every point in their career. Here you’ll be able to find information about writing programs, career options, and conferences all over the world. Keep in mind, though, that access to some of these features is restricted to members only.

3. Creativity Portal

This is a wonderful hub for creative resources that has been around for a whopping nineteen years! Here you can find writing prompts , creative coaching, printable writing templates, and interviews with authors that will help nourish the right side of your brain.

4. Daily Writing Tips

As the name suggests, this site offers daily writing tips ranging from open-ended prompts and exercises to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. It also covers all writing levels and professions, so it doesn't matter how far along you are in your writing career — DWT is sure to help you out.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a master’s degree, you can get your own "DIY MFA" right here! This site (founded by Gabriela Pereira ) aims to cover everything you would learn in a graduate program, while giving you the freedom to choose your own areas of concentration and allocate your time as you please. 

6. Electric Literature

While not exactly a craft-focused website — so no straight-up writing advice or prompts — this nonprofit digital publisher showcases literature-related essays, criticism, and recommended readings. If you're looking to brush up on both literary theory and recent literary trends, Electric Lit is the place for you.

7. Fiction University

This virtual university, run by award-winning author Janice Hardy, contains tons of advice and concrete examples to help authors build a strong writing foundation. It's full of blog posts by professionals who share their own processes and techniques, providing tips not just on what you should do as a writer, but on how  to make it happen.

8. Helping Writers Become Authors

Longtime author K.M. Weiland offers writing advice that ranges from outlining and structuring to characterization and dialogue — plus all the little details in between. She updates her blog faithfully with topical posts that would pique any writer's (or non-writer's) interest.

9. Insecure Writer's Support Group

Writing is intimidating for everyone , whether you're a multi-published author or you're just starting out. That's why getting support, guidance, and motivation throughout the process is vital! On IWSG, you'll discover a wealth of information on writing, publishing, marketing, and anything else you might need to ultimately overcome your insecurities.

10. Literary Hub

LitHub boasts a superb selection of content for all things literary. Here you can get all the latest book-related news, posts on design and the craft, your daily dose of fiction, and sparkling reviews of new works. One of this site's best features is its section on literature in translation — a great resource for those who want to read books and authors from around the world.

11. LitReactor

The LitReactor blog consists of writing classes, workshops, and a myriad of posts on writing and books ( some of which are even written by us! ). There’s also an online magazine that includes interviews, criticism and analysis, and seasonally appropriate reads and recommendations.

12. LitRejections

An unfortunate occupational hazard of with writing is rejection. This is where a site like LitRejections comes into play! It offers personal stories to help discouraged writers persevere through rejection, and maintain hope and motivation as they move forward in their careers.

13. Live Write Thrive

In this website by professional writer and editor C.S. Lakin, you’ll find plenty of nuanced writing anecdotes and tips. Lakin also supplies annotated critiques that can help you prep your book for publication.

14. NaNoWriMo

Besides serving as the official information hub for NaNoWriMo , this site also lends constant support for those struggling to "win" National Novel Writing Month. Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo forums, which are chock-full of other people's personal writing tips and strategies to get you through November — and every other month of the year — as a writer.

15. Now Novel

This comprehensive website, founded by author Bridget McNulty , is a go-to for just about every writing-related question you might have. Here you'll also find advice, courses, and even an author dashboard where you can keep track of your own writing progress.

16. Positive Writer

If you often feel uncertain about your creative abilities, this is the site for you. Bryan Hutchinson created Positive Writer to encourage and inspire all those who want to write, no matter how much experience or confidence they have.

17. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid offers a fantastic manuscript editing software that analyzes your writing and creates reports for you to learn from! This tool also includes a thesaurus, grammar checks, style suggestions, and more — you can learn all about it on the ProWritingAid blog, or in our review of the app !

18. She Writes

A well-established writing website with a feminist bent, She Writes is "the largest online community and content site for women writers... all around the world." The site features thoughtful posts and resources to help writers on their journeys, as well as a personal She Writes blog page for every user who signs up.

19. Well-Storied

Here you can find recent articles, workbooks, tutorials, and fascinating discussions on writing. Kristine Kieffer has an extensive archive of posts as well, where you can procure information on just about any topic related to books and writing.

20. The Write Practice

Fulfilling the promise of their name, every single post on this site emphasizes putting theory into practice! There's simply no better way to become a writer than by creating a routine, and that’s exactly what The Write Practice helps facilitate.

21. Writer’s Digest

Writer's Digest is one of the most encyclopedic writing websites out there — after all, the print magazine has been around for almost a century now! Here you’ll find genre and vocation-organized articles, events and competitions, webinars, templates, tutorials, and so much more.

22. Writer Unboxed

Writer Unboxed features articles by authors and industry professionals, focused specifically on the craft and business of fiction writing.

23. The Writing Cooperative

Plain and simple, this is a group of people who want to help each other become better writers. On Writing Cooperative, you will find articles that cover just about every aspect of the writing life. They also have monthly writing challenges to keep you incentivized, and there’s even a space where you can submit your own article to the blog!

24. Writing.com

This is an absolutely all-inclusive community for writers . It’s open to all levels and provides a creative, supportive environment for all members, as well as portfolios to store and display their writing. Like most writing websites, it also includes a plethora of writing tools , contests, and rewards.

25. Catapult: Don’t Write Alone

Don’t Write Alone is a blog written by the Catapult team dedicated to helping writers grow their skills. As a publisher and magazine founded in 2005, Catapult has seen a lot of works and now they’re spilling all the details. From interviews, to craft essays, to writer lifestyle essays, Catapult covers it all.

26. Kirkus Review’s Writers’ Center

Kirkus Review is known for its prestigious $50,000 dollar annual prize and its bi-monthly issues where they critique hundreds of recently published books. But, did you know they also have a section of their website devoted to helping emerging writers grow their skills and navigate the publishing industry? They’re always up to date on the latest trends — if they aren’t creating new trends themselves.

27. Writers Write

An invaluable resource for creative writers, business writers, or bloggers, Writers Write offers over 1400 articles, courses, and workbooks to help you take your writing practice to the next level. Alongside their educational content, they offer book reviews, trivia on famous authors, and prompts. Sign up for their inspirational newsletters for regular hits of motivation that will keep you writing.

28. The Narrative Arc

Beginning as a home to Andie R. Cranford’s writing journey, The Narrative Arc is now a treasure trove of practical tips and prompts to inspire your creativity. Breakdowns of popular books are particularly handy for the budding author — but whether exploring writing for the first time or tightening the bolts on your Franken-novel, the site's ideas on craft are elegant and inspiring.

Best writing websites in the publishing industry

29. Agent Query

This database allows authors to perform in-depth searches for literary agents . You can narrow your search by genre and keywords, view agents’ full profiles, and see if they are currently accepting queries — all for free!

30. The Creative Penn

Besides being a bestselling author on various topics, Joanna Penn is also a leading voice in self-publishing . On her punnily named site, you’ll find abundant information related to writing, self-publishing, marketing, and everything else you mind need to make a living as a writer.

31. Digital Pubbing

Digital Pubbing provides industry news, interviews with indie authors, and resources for learning all about ebooks and the publishing industry. In accordance with the name, this is the perfect site for any author hoping to absorb some serious digital knowledge.

32. The Independent Publishing Magazine

We know it might seem like we're repeating ourselves, but this website really is all about publishing (both independent and traditional, despite what the name indicates). Whatever info you need about self-publishing, trad pub, or hybrid publishing , you’ll definitely be able to find it here.

33. Publishers Weekly

And if you have a specific question about the publishing world, you’ll most likely find the answer here. This weekly magazine is packed full of news, reviews, announcements, and many other resources on the industry. It has been dubbed as "the Bible of the book business" and with its extensive archive, it’s easy to see why.

34. Publishing Perspectives

Publishing Perspectives is another leading source of publishing info, specializing in industry news and topical articles. Aimed at publishers, agents , and authors alike, it features a variety of posts that cover book fairs, distribution, education, and much more.

35. Query Shark

Not sure where your query letter is up to snuff? Query Shark offers the opportunity to have your query critiqued, and to read detailed query critiques of other authors' letters, so you can get the best possible results for your book. Be warned, though, that this sharp-toothed feedback isn't for the weak of heart.

36. Writer Beware

This amazingly thorough site compiles information on schemes and scams that affect authors , especially those run through email and the Internet. It’s sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, but obviously applies to authors everywhere. If you're a fresh-faced author trying to get published, definitely check it out — it could save you from losing thousands of dollars in an elaborate scam.

37. The Darling Axe

When the industry professionals at The Darling Axe aren’t working on manuscripts, they flock to the internet to share their hot takes on the publishing industry. They also host writing contests throughout the year to build a writing community and give unpublished authors the chance to get feedback from professionals.

Best writing websites for marketing and design

38. David Gaughran

An experienced author of historical adventures, short stories, and popular books for writers , David Gaughran is one of the definitive writing experts out there. His eponymous blog contains plenty of info on marketing and self-publishing, plus workshops to help aspiring authors. And similar to Writer Beware, he's the noble opposition of online publishing scams and scammers — so if you're frustrated by these issues, you'll discover a blissfully sympathetic voice on his blog.

39. Kikolani

Focused specifically on marketing, Kikolani offers tips and strategies for bloggers who want to grow their presence and attract more readers. Here you’ll find information on brand development , social media, customer retention, and other useful tips that you can put to good use as a blogger. (If you're just getting started, though, we'd recommend this course .)

40. Kindlepreneur

Dave Chesson is — in his own words — a “digital marketing nut.” His blog has all the information you could ever need about Kindle book publishing , how to write to market, increasing your rankings on Amazon, and lots more practical tips and advice.

41. Storiad

Storiad is a marketing platform that helps authors and publishers sell books. Go here for essential information on writing apps , databases, tools, and budgeting to help you run your own publishing campaign from start to finish.

42. Writers & Artists

Part of the distinguished Bloomsbury, Writers & Artists has quite a few articles on writing and the self-publishing process. They also offer editorial services and events on many different topics, like genre-specific writing courses and how to get connected with agents .

43. Your Writer Platform

Naturally, this site is dedicated to building your very own writer platform. There are tons of tips, resources, tools, how-tos, and even individual consulting services to help you build the platform that works best for you and your marketing needs.

Best writing blogs by industry professionals

44. Goins, Writer

Bestselling author Jeff Goins created this blog to share his thoughts on writing and to inspire others to chase their creative dreams. He's especially good at breaking complex topics down into digestible bits — new writers, go here for your primers.

45. Jane Friedman

With copious experience in the publishing industry, Jane Friedman offers online classes and articles on the entire process of book publishing. She's a real goldmine of business knowledge, so keep her in mind for when you're ready to publish your book.

46. Nail Your Novel

As a bestselling former ghostwriter who now publishes under her own name, Roz Morris provides advice about writing, self-publishing, and of course, ghostwriting . If you're interested in becoming a ghostwriter, be sure to check out her courses!

47. Nathan Bransford

Nathan Bransford is a former literary agent who posts all about the inner workings of publishing, as well and information on agents and self-publishing. He also does consultations, edits, and critiques . 

48. Rachelle Gardner

Skillful agent Rachelle Gardner has negotiated over 200 contracts with over twenty publishers and helped more than 100 authors fulfill their dreams of publishing. On her blog, she offers writing, publishing, and social media coaching, along with general writing and publishing tips.

49. Kris Writes

For regular insights from a New York Times bestselling author, look no further than Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog. On Mondays, she posts free short stories for authors to find inspiration in, and Wednesdays she posts in her “Business Musings” collection where she breaks down news from the publishing industry and offers her inside opinions. 

50. The Marginalian  

Maria Popova describes her site as “a record of my own becoming as a person — intellectually, creatively, spiritually, poetically — drawn from my extended marginalia on the search for meaning across literature, science, art, philosophy, and the various other tendrils of human thought and feeling.” She sends out a Sunday newsletter with thoughtful deconstruction of the week’s best liberal arts goings-on to help broaden her readers’ appreciation of the creative world.

51. John August

For all the screenwriters out there, John August co-hosts a weekly podcast with fellow screenwriter Craig Mazin discussing both the craft and business of screenwriting while breaking down popular movies. To help screenwriters really get a feel for the process of working with a studio, John has posted multiple versions of scripts from different stages in the production process on films and series he’s written, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Big Fish , and Chernobyl .

What are some of your favorite writing websites? Let us know in the comments below!

Continue reading

Recommended posts from the Reedsy Blog

Man vs Nature: The Most Compelling Conflict in Writing

What is man vs nature? Learn all about this timeless conflict with examples of man vs nature in books, television, and film.

The Redemption Arc: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

Learn what it takes to redeem a character with these examples and writing tips.

How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph?

From fiction to nonfiction works, the length of a paragraph varies depending on its purpose. Here's everything you need to know.

Narrative Structure: Definition, Examples, and Writing Tips

What's the difference between story structure and narrative structure? And how do you choose the right narrative structure for you novel?

What is the Proust Questionnaire? 22 Questions to Write Better Characters

Inspired by Marcel Proust, check out the questionnaire that will help your characters remember things past.

What is Pathos? Definition and Examples in Literature

Pathos is a literary device that uses language to evoke an emotional response, typically to connect readers with the characters in a story.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Bring your stories to life

Our free writing app lets you set writing goals and track your progress, so you can finally write that book!

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

The Home of Creative Writing

Festival of writing.

Arvon is a charity that runs creative writing courses, events and retreats both in-person and online. Our courses are tutored by leading authors and include a powerful mix of workshops and individual tutorials, with time and space to write, free from distractions of everyday life. Grants and concessions are available to help with course fees.

ARVON COURSES & RETREATS

How i write: emma must.

Q&A and Reading

• Non-Fiction

Masterclass: Nature Writing

Writing the wild

• Totleigh Barton

Fiction , Non-Fiction

Residential Writing Week: Non-Fiction

Vital natures

Online Writing Week: Finishing Your Novel

Moving on with your work-in-progress

Fiction , Starting to Write

Residential Writing Week: Starting To Write Fiction

A way into writing

Masterclass: Using Social Media to Make Your Poems Fly

How to get your unique voice heard

How I Agent: Abi Fellows

Talk and Q&A

Residential Writing Week: Playwriting

Moving from ideas into scripts

“Every time I’ve taught at Arvon - going back over fifteen years now - I’ve seen how much difference just a handful of days can make in the life of writers. There’s a perfect mix of tutorials, writing time, socializing, and discussion - all those elements come together to create an atmosphere in which writing projects move in that longed-for but often unattainable direction: forward.”

— Kamila Shamsie

ARVON AT HOME

Our online programme of courses, events and writing support

Virtual versions of our famous Writing Weeks, plus Masterclasses, free How I Write events, Online Writing Weekends, Writing Days and more . . . all accessible from the comfort of your sofa.

SUPPORT ARVON NORTH

Arvon North is an ambitious capital project to adapt Lumb Bank into a beacon of creativity for the North

Help us transform Lumb Bank into an engine-house for creative writing development in the North of England, connecting the rich literary collateral of the region with a community of writers locally, regionally, nationally and globally.

CLOCKHOUSE WRITERS' RETREAT

Give your writing the time and space it deserves with Arvon’s dedicated Writers Retreat at The Clockhouse

The Clockhouse is specifically designed for writers on retreat. It has four apartments for writers, each with bedroom, study-lounge and bathroom. All food is provided for you, so you can spend your time as you please.

DONATE TO ARVON

Do you believe that everyone should have the opportunity to unlock their creative potential?

Arvon is a charity that believes everyone deserves the freedom to imagine, write and explore ideas regardless of their age or financial background.

OUR SCHOOLS & GROUPS WORK

We offer residential weeks for schools, young people and adult groups.

Our weeks for schools and groups follow the same pattern as our adult course programme – led by two professional writers, with tutorials, group workshops, and time and space to write.

ARVON BLOGS

My Arvon Week: Jessica Eve Watkins

15 Apr 2024 / My Arvon Week

A preview of Jessica Eve Watkin’s experience on a week-long writing retreat at Arvon’s writing house, The Hurst. “ ‘The…

SI Leeds Literary Prize 2024

07 Mar 2024 / General

A writing prize that helps discover exciting new talent from underrepresented groups will be accepting entries again next month. The SI…

Arvon and Creative Minds Calderdale to Develop Writing for Change Project

28 Feb 2024 / News

Arvon and Creative Minds Charity, hosted by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, are embarking on an exciting project aimed…

My Arvon Journey: Gráinne O’Hare

27 Feb 2024 / My Arvon Journey

When I logged on to my first online Arvon workshop, it was autumn 2022 and already chilly at my writing desk;…

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Want to know what's coming up in the next week? Arvon’s newsletter is the best way to avoid missing out on anything - from new and upcoming courses, to Arvon giveaways and writing and self-development opportunities.

FIND A COURSE OR RETREAT

• Inua Ellams' Spring Season
• Residential Writing Week
• Online Writing Week
• Masterclass
• Masterclass Recording
• How I Write
• Online Five Week Course
• Residential Tutored Retreat
• Online Writing Day
• Residential Retreat
• Children and Young People's Events
• Starting to Write
• Children & YA
• Screenwriting
• Short Story

Privacy Overview

• Courses Overview
• Online Courses
• Private Coaching
• All Courses Directory
• Member Publications
• Photo Gallery
• Video Gallery
• Accreditation
• Gift Vouchers

No products in the cart.

UK litmags great for new writers

Uk-based publishers for your poetry, flash fiction, short stories and creative nonfiction.

The UK is home to some great literary magazines and online journals. For this month’s list, we looked for publications that welcome new and unpublished writers from around the world, that are not restricted to a particular genre (for example, sci-fi), and that have reasonable response times.

Unless otherwise noted, the publishers on our list don’t charge fees. Some will even pay you! We’ve highlighted the forms accepted in bold – fiction means both flash fiction and short stories. After the first two entries, the list is ordered very roughly by acceptance rate – from high to low.

We didn’t include Litro , Riggwelter , Wildness and Literally Stories since they have appeared on some of our other lists, but they are also great and you should check them out.

Note:  We are a creative writing school and compile these lists for the benefit of our students. We’re happy to answer questions about  our courses  but please don’t send us your publishing queries or submissions :). Instead, click on the green links to go to the publication’s website and look for their submissions page. For more great places to submit as well as our best tips on getting published, check out our  other lists and resources .

Goatshed Press just launched in 2022 and the editors are keen to champion new writers. They plan to publish in print biannually and are currently looking for bold, exciting poetry , fiction , and creative nonfiction for their first issue (due out summer 2022). They will pay £60 for stories and personal essays over 1000 words and £25 for poems and flash fiction. The editors aim to respond in around a month. Since they reached out to us personally, we put them at the top of the list. You may want to clarify usage rights & copyrights before sending them your work.

Makarelle publishes attractive digital issues quarterly. They are looking for poetry (up to 3 poems, maximum 40 lines each) and fiction and creative nonfiction (up to 2000 words). They do charge a small submissions fee of £3 to cover their operating costs. The fee also enables them to reward the authors selected as the featured entry for each form (poetry, flash fiction, short story and creative nonfiction) with an honorarium of £10. They have four submissions windows, and their next runs from 28 February to 18 March 2022. They aim to respond in around a month. Like Goatshed, they are quite new (2021) and reached out to us, so we’ve also given them a spot at the top of the list.

Impspired , which was founded in 2019, publishes 6 online issues and 3 print anthologies per year. They’re looking for work that “shows care and attention to style,  language and form, and material that has been self-edited so that every word counts”. They prefer unpublished work but will consider previously published pieces. Send in your poetry and fiction (up to 4000 words). The editors tend to respond quickly – often in under a week!

Fiction on the Web is a one-man show and has been publishing short stories online since 1996! The publisher values quirky stories that have “strong plots, strong characters, and an evocative atmosphere” and prefers work that is between 1000 to 10,000 words long. He will consider previously published work. Genre fiction – sci-fi, fantasy, horror, crime – is welcomed.  The publisher aims to respond within a month (and usually succeeds) and will prioritise submissions from patrons and regular commenters.

Idle Ink reveals in the “strange and questionable”. Established in 2017, the magazine features poetry , fiction and essays (as well as art, articles, and reviews) in monthly online issues. Send in your prose of up to 5000 words or up to 3 poems. The editors try to make a decision within 30 days and usually do.

Fairlight Shorts is a weekly online series published by Fairlight Books. They’re looking to showcase fiction characterised by “originality, contemporary themes and superb writing”. They accept everything from flash to long-form fiction (up to 10,000 words). The editors will try to make a decision within 3 months and sometimes take a little longer.

Bandit Fiction publishes poetry (up to 50 lines per poem) and fiction and narrative non-fiction (between 250 and 3500 words) online as a part of their Read More Project. They will consider previously published work. The editors try to make a decision within 30 days but sometimes take a little longer.

En Bloc , established in 2021, publishes quarterly in print and digital formats. They’re looking for great  poetry and fiction and don’t have any particular style or word count limitations. They pay £35 per printed page as the work appears in the magazine. They don’t respond to all submissions so if you haven’t heard anything within a couple of months, assume your work was rejected.

Truffle is looking for “clever, happy, funny and entertaining fiction ” of up to 2000 words for their online magazine. The editors typically respond within a couple of months and tend to accept faster than they reject. If you’re in a hurry, you can pay £5 to hear back within 3 days.

Fictive Dream has been publishing stories online since 2016. They’re looking for fiction of between 500 and 2,500 words with “a contemporary feel that gives an insight into the human condition” to feature on their website. They aim to respond within a month and usually do.

Sepia was established in 2020 and publishes attractive online editions several times per year. You can send in your poetry (maximum 5 poems), fiction and creative nonfiction of up to 8,000 words. They’re open to submissions year-round and most of the time are able to get back to you within their target response time of 3 months.

Shooter has been publishing two themed print issues per year as well as running regular contests since 2017. You can send in poetry (up to 3 poems), short stories and creative non-fiction of between 2,000 to 6,000 words (so no flash). They pay £25 per story and £5 per poem upon publication. The submission deadline for their next issue on the theme of Out West (anything to do with western places and westward migration) is 9 May 2022. They generally send acceptances within a couple of weeks after the deadline; rejections may take longer.

Popshot Quarterly has been turning out high-quality print and digital editions since 2008. They accept poetry (between 12 and 40 lines) and fiction (between 100 and 3,000 words). All of their issues are themed. The deadline for their next issue on the theme of Joy is 1 March 2022. They don’t respond to all submissions – if you haven’t heard within 2 or 3 months, then you should assume it was a no.

0 responses on "UK litmags great for new writers"

Leave a message cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Sign up to our new blog notification list

• Recent Posts

List by Interest

Subscribe to our monthly update.

You’ll receive special discounts and invitations, plus writing tips, publishing opportunities and more.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

You are agreeing to our Privacy Policy

of helping writers tell their stories

former students with major publishing deals

The creative writing school led by literary agents

Start your story with expert teaching from acclaimed writers and top literary and talent agents. Courses online and in London.

Writing Your Novel

Take your writing seriously on our flagship course, hone your novel and learn how to pitch to agents. Choose to study with us in London or online, no matter what stage of writing or editing you're currently at.

Editorial Services

Get detailed feedback on your work from our team of leading writers and professional editors. You can sign up for one-to-one mentoring or manuscript editorial services at any time.

Breakthrough

Our exciting programme of free scholarships, courses and mentoring opportunities for under-represented writers. Fully funded by the Curtis Brown literary agency and our partners.

Our students

We foster communities of writers who stay closely in touch long after our courses end.

• Our Patron of Writing
• Tutors & team
• What to expect
• Feedback guidelines
• Timetable at a glance

Introduction to Creative Writing

• Introduction 12 Week Course

Writing Poetry

• Life Writing & Memoir Writing

Writing Short Stories

• Writing for Children and Young Adults
• Flash Fiction

Novella Writing

Fiction Workshop Course

• Writing about Nature

Prioritise Your Writing

Editing Your Own Work

Publishing Talk Series

• Your Course Idea
• Lunchtime workshops
• Immersive Summer School
• Drop-in groups
• Talks & Events
• Summer School Showcase
• Student blog

A welcoming online home for all creative writers

Writing Room is all about helping you make space for creative writing in your week. Join us live online for small-group writing courses, friendly discussions and quiet work sessions from Monday to Friday in term times. Check in as often or as little as suits your schedule. Enjoy finding support and inspiration to become the writer you want to be. Read more...

View our timetable at a glance!

BRAND NEW COURSE: Publishing Perspectives Talk Series - read more...

STOP PRESS! HANNAH LOWE & LIZ BERRY LAUNCH OUR NEW LUNCHTIME WRITING WORKSHOPS!

Short creative writing courses, hosted live online

Life Writing & Memoir

Writing for Children & YA

Writing Flash Fiction

Immersive Summer Schools

Weekly drop-ins for students, hosted live online

Monday Start Your Week

Thursday Writing Hour

Feedback Friday

Events, talks, masterclasses & bursaries

Events & talks

Masterclasses

Steve Thompson Bursaries

I WAS TRULY AMAZED

“ An amazing resource for anyone who loves writing at any level. I was truly amazed to discover so much going on. ”

POSITIVE ENCOURAGEMENT

“ What was particularly useful was the positive encouragement from people who could dissect writing in a meaningful way. ”

COMMUNITY THAT BUILDS

“ It's a community that builds as you move from one course to another. You'd be hard put to find that on a Creative Writing MA at 100x the price. ”

DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS

“ I love the incredible generosity of the teachers and the high level of the input from them. I also love the diversity of the students, such a different and interesting profile compared to when I have done other courses. ”

Anon from student survey

NO SNOBBERY!

“ Great, informative, reasonably priced courses. Friendly. No snobbery! It's a very open community, open to all levels of experience, yet it seems to attract writers who are keen to be professionally minded. ”

Writing Room is a registered Community Interest Company: a non-profit arts organisation committed to serving the interests of our diverse community of creative writers.

Email us at, [email protected], or get in touch using the form, about our courses.

© Writing Room CIC Photography © Ruth Guthrie unless stated

Online writing courses for writers of all ages, levels and interests

Improve your writing skills through our online creative writing courses.

We have developed a series of online creative writing courses where you can improve your writing skills through exercises, notes and critique.

Why study with us?

One to one Feedback

Your tutor will provide private written feedback on your weekly assignments, helping you to become a better writer.

Accessible & Flexible

An online creative writing course gives you the flexibility to study and write at any place, at any time.

Experienced Tutors

All of our tutors are highly qualified and experienced writers.

Upcoming Courses

Writing Courses For All

We have developed our creative writing courses to suit every stage of a writer’s journey. To participate, all you need is a love of writing and building stories! Our tutors provide practical feedback and guidance to help you on your way.

If you’re looking to get started or returning to writing after some time away, our Beginners Creative Writing Course explores the foundations of storytelling.

Or perhaps you’ve got an idea ready to go, but don’t know where to start? Our Begin Your Novel Course will give you the confidence to put pen to paper.

For young writers who can’t stop scribbling stories, explore our Creative Writing Course for Children and Creative Writing Course for Teenagers.

There’s no linear path when it comes to getting ideas on the page, or getting your first story published! Our online writing courses put you on track for believable characters, compelling stories and a writing plan you can stick to.

Latest Competitions

Our list of Writing Competitions is updated weekly by our team. You’ll find a range of writing submissions to choose from, whatever your style, genre or preference.

The Europe Challenge Writing Competition

The Bedford Competition

The Moth Short Story Prize 2024

New Voices Award

Cheshire Novel Prize 2024

PICK OF THE POPS RADIO SHORT STORY COMPETITION 

Scratch A4 short story competition 

21 Futures Anthology Series

Southport Writers’ Circle Annual International Poetry Competition 2024

Winchester Poetry Prize 2024

Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year

The Letter Review Prizes

The Bath Novel Awards 2024

The Channel Islands LGBTQ+ Writing Competition 2024

Dorothy Dunnett Society / Historical Writers’ Association Short Story Competition

Hastings Book Festival Writing Competitions

 Britain vs The World: Flash Battle 2024

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Inspiring Fiction’s Special Edition Short Story Contest

FFF Competition Twenty One

New Writers 1000-Word Short Story Competition 2024

Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize

F(r)iction Contests 2024

The Bath Short Story Award 2024

WELLS FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE’S INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS

2024 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

Ironclad Short Story Competition

The Creative Writing NZ Short Story Prize 2024

The Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize 2024

Sapere Books Writing Competition

Creative Future Writers’ Award 2024

Mairtín Crawford Awards for Poetry and Short Story 2024

Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2024

Goldfinch Novel Award 2024

Northern Life’s Short Story Competition 2024

BBC Young Writers’ Award

The Caterpillar Poetry Prize 2024

Bournemouth Writing Festival – 2024 Writing Competition for Flash Fiction and Poetry

Nature and Place Poetry Competition 2024

Minds Shine Bright Seasons Writing Competition

The Rubery Prize 2024

Conversations on Conflict Competition

Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest

Competition Listings – Please Read

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2023

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2022 Results

7 Day Story Writing Challenges

Anansi Archive Writing Awards

Shooter Literary Magazine Flash Competition

Fusilli Writing Flash Fiction Competition

Chorus Voice Writing Competition

Unsure where to start.

In the first instance, we recommend the Beginners Creative Writing Course if you have never completed an online writing course with feedback before. No writing experience is required, as you’ll learn how to produce ideas, create characters and start writing from scratch.

For any questions or queries about our online writing courses, visit our FAQ page to find out more.

You can also drop us a message at [email protected]

Think writing,

Think pobble.

We help teachers inspire their young writers, foster a love for writing across schools, and reach accurate assessment judgments.  

Award winning

Featured in

What brings you to Pobble?

We're here to support teachers with writing and assessment. Where would you like to start?

I want to inspire and motivate my young writers

• Inspire even your most reluctant young writers.
• A calendar of 365 incredible images, e ach with ready-made writing activities.
• Easy to edit and share writing prompts, a new one free, every day!

I want to improve my writing assessment judgements

• Improve your school's moderation processes.
• Online tools to increase the accuracy of writing judgements.
• High-quality training from writing and assessment experts.  

A worldwide community of over a million members

Pobble is used by teachers in over 150 countries

91% of teachers would recommend Pobble

Trusted by educators

Pobble is loved by pupils, teachers, schools and groups around the world...

Inspire, motivate and learn with us

At Pobble, we're passionate about supporting you and your students to get the most out of writing. Discover how else we can help...

Join a webinar

Learn valuable insights from experienced educators and discover how Pobble can improve writing outcomes across your school with our free CPD for teachers. Book now.

Visit the Blog

Be inspired by our teaching community and learn something new! You'll find free resources, expert tips, lesson ideas and more, over on the Pobble blog. Check it out.

Join a live lesson

Bring your class to join Team Pobble, expert guests and classrooms from around the world for one of our exclusive, free, live lessons and watch the writing flow! Get involved.

Where do you want to start?

If writing is an area of focus in your school, we can help. Where will you begin?

Team Member Name

Team member bio information.

Become a better writer and meet beta readers in our online writing group

Scribophile is one of the largest and most award-winning online writing communities.

Make your writing shine with feedback from other writers

You’ve spent a lot of time writing your story. But how can you make it perfect before you start thinking about publishing?

Scribophile is a writing group focused on getting you feedback on your manuscript. — in fact, we’re one of the largest online writing groups out there. Our points-based peer critique system guarantees you’ll get feedback from writers from all walks of life. You can then use that feedback to polish your writing before you take the next step in your publishing journey.

How Scribophile works

1 earn points by giving feedback.

Earn karma points by critiquing writing. Giving feedback to group members is fast, easy, fun, and helps improve your own writing, too!

2 Get feedback on your own writing

Spend karma points to post your own writing for critique from our writing community — anything from flash fiction to novels. Our writer’s group will give you detailed feedback on how to improve it, regardless of your specific genre, and all in a supportive environment.

3 Make friends and meet beta readers

As you participate in our writing group, you’ll meet and form relationships with many different kinds writers. They’ll become your inspiration, your encouragement, and even your beta readers, ready to help with your current manuscript, and your next ones too!

Scribophile was the first place I stopped when I went from being an I-wanna-be-a-writer to I-am-an-author. Now I have four international bestselling novels with major publishers, and when authors come to me I always send them to Scribophile. Genevieve Graham Tides of Honour and others published with Simon & Schuster

Join writing workshops and level up your writing

Our writing workshops are taught by bestselling authors, expert teachers, and industry insiders. We have workshops for writers of any skill level, where we cover everything from beginning topics to advanced techniques.

Our writing workshops are designed to be both comprehensive and transformational — they’re your fast track to leveling up your writing.

Some of our upcoming writing workshops

Writing Query Letters That Work with D.J. Butler

May 4, 2024 • 2 hour workshop, with instructor feedback on your query letter

Join author and Baen editor D.J. (Dave) Butler as he teaches you how to write hard-punching query letters you can use to sell your manuscripts to agents and editors.

Crafting Compelling Nonfiction with Jennifer Silva Redmond

May 11, 2024 • 2 hour webinar

Join author and editor Jennifer Silva Redmond as she shows you the nuts and bolts of crafting gripping nonfiction.

Our writing group welcomes writers of any skill level

Our writing group welcomes writers of all skill levels — from beginners to published authors, and every writer in between.

Each critique you receive on your manuscript is a fresh perspective for you to incorporate. Our bustling writing forums feature writers discussing the craft twenty-four hours a day — share inspiration, ignite your creativity, get support, and connect with others no matter your genre. Plus, our extensive Writing Academy is full of insightful articles on the art — and business — of writing.

Scribophile played a major part in helping me polish my novel for submission. I learnt a huge amount from critiquing other people’s work, as well as from reading critiques of mine. I now have a wonderful agent and have signed a three-book deal in the UK, a two-book deal in Germany, and a TV option. The book was also shortlisted for The Debut Dagger! Roz Watkins The Devil’s Dice and others published with HarperCollins

Giving and receiving critiques on Scribophile made a big difference to the quality of my writing. I learned how to write a query letter here and that led to an agent and a book deal. Ruth Lauren Prisoner of Ice and Snow and others published with Bloomsbury

No more writing alone — meet your new community

Sometimes, the hardest part of the writing process is how lonely it can get.

That’s why the most important part of Scribophile is our community of hundreds of thousands of writers from all over the world. No matter what genre you work in, or how far along you are in your manuscript, the friends you make at Scribophile will give encouragement, accountability, and will finally take the loneliness out of our solitary craft.

My years on Scribophile have given me a master’s level education in writing. The critiques are great, but I’ve learned as much from reading and analyzing other writers on Scribophile. I don’t think I could have polished my novel to a publishable level without this site. I’m an addict. Laura Creedle The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily published with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Ready to take the next step in your writing journey?

It’s easy and free.

Get the latest publishers and contests eager to read your writing

Our newsletter delivers a list of the latest publishers, writing markets, and writing contests directly to your inbox once per week, totally free. Unsubscribe at any time.

• Creative Writing Programme (In-person)
• Creative Writing Programme (Online)
• The Life Writing Programme (In-person)
• Advanced Writing Workshops (In-person)
• Advanced Poetry Workshops (In-person)
• Advanced Poetry Workshops (Online)
• Creative Writing Programme (Blended)

The Creative Writing Programme UK

Uk and international in-person and online creative and life writing courses, university-level courses from £700 per year.

The Creative Writing Programme is one of the leading centres for creative writing in the UK. After moving out of the University of Sussex it has established a reputation for excellence in Brighton and the south east.

Our approach to teaching creative writing

At a time when the cost of higher education has made university study an expensive luxury, our programmes offer a practical course of study, taught at university level, at an affordable price.

Our innovative approach to teaching focuses on individual creativity and on teaching writing skills within the context of the creative process. Through a practical course of study designed to teach you how to build and structure narrative, our team of experienced writing tutors will help you develop your creative potential.

Our creative writing courses

We offer a mix of courses: in-person and online. Our in-person classes are taught from the Friends Meeting House in central Brighton and in Kemptown Bookshop in east Brighton and are perfect for writers who live along the south coast within travelling distance of Brighton.

Online creative writing courses

Our online teaching uses the Zoom video conferencing platform and our online creative writing courses bring together writing students from across the UK and the world. We have experience of teaching distance learning courses and have spent time researching and developing new approaches to teaching creative writing online. We’re excited about the potential of video conferencing as a teaching tool. Video conferencing allows us to maintain the interactive element we feel is crucial to successful teaching and have discovered that in many areas it offers effective approaches to teaching beyond those available in the traditional classroom. In an ever-shrinking world we believe our online writing groups offer a rich cultural and creative experience for developing writers.

On one of our online courses you will be able to stay in touch with other writers in your group, communicating through a dedicated course page on our website and meeting up outside seminar times on Zoom to get to know each other. You will click on a link on your online course page to access your online classroom where you’ll meet as a group once a week for virtual, face to face sessions led by your creative writing tutor. We also offer one-day masterclasses online and online student and alumni readings so you can be assured of a full experience. 

If you’d like to know more about how we work, you can find out more on the Creative Writing Courses page and on our Blog

If you would like to receive information and updates from the Creative Writing Programme you can subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page.

OUR 2024-6 COURSES ARE NOW OPEN FOR ENROLMENT. 

From October 2024 we are offering our two-year, part-time Creative Writing Programmes and the Life Writing Programme;  a range of Advanced Poetry courses and our popular Advanced Writing Workshops . Full details are on our Creative Writing Courses tab. You can book your place on the booking tabs at the bottom of the course description page. If you would like to make any enquiries about our courses, contact [email protected]

In the meantime, why not sign up for our taster sessions in July and September? Join one of our writing tutors for a practical writing session to explore our unique approach to teaching, meet other writers and find out more about our courses. Sessions last for two hours and are held either  online or in-person at the Friends Meeting House or Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton. Visit our Eventbrite page to find out more and book.

To find out more about how we work on the Creative Writing Programme and creative writing courses in general visit Creative Writing FAQs

 Creative writing course for teenagers 

From 29th July to 2nd August 2024, join other young adult writers at the Friends Meeting House, Brighton to spend a week understanding the craft of writing and producing your own short story.

Over the five days, you will spark your imagination and empower your inner storyteller with our interactive and fun workshops. Your tutor for the week is Beth Miller , the author of six novels including the bestselling  The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright . She will help you to develop your characters, plot and setting,  hone your voice, story structure and editing skills so that by the end of the week you have a finished short story or the start of a longer piece of work.

Embark on your creative odyssey and sign up today.

This course runs from 10.30pm-4.30pm every day and is aimed at young adults aged 13-16.

Click here to book a place

Writing Otherness 

On 20th and 21st June, we’re running a short course in Brighton on how to write different perspectives from our own. This thought-provoking course led by writer Sharlene Teo explores ways of navigating and presenting characters in fiction by confronting our biases, privileges and stereotyped perceptions.  For more details, click here . 

Books by students and tutors

Panic Response

Panic Response: John McCullough, Penned In the Margins, 2022. Published earlier this year, Panic Response is John's...

Magnetism: Ruth Figgest, Myriad Books. Magnetism is Ruth Figgest's sharply observed and darkly comic tale that tells...

Sleeping under Clouds

Sleeping Under Clouds: Sue Wallace-Shaddad and Sula Rubens Sue first met the artist Sula Rubens in late 2019. This led...

The Call - an unputdownable thriller. PD Viner, Canelo Hero 2022. The Call is a high octane read, an unputdownable...

She Clown and other stories

Hannah Vincent's short story collection, She Clown and other stories, was published by Myriad in March 2020. Captured...

Enter your email to subscribe to the Creative Writing Programme mailing list

Log in or Sign up

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser .

Announcements

Quick start guide, new member introductions, writing contests, contest archives, "i never believed in hell", strong character contest, "consequences" short story contest, 2012 science fiction contest, 10th anniversary contest, image story contest, 2013 science fiction writing contest, monthly short story contest, monthly short story contest archives, monthly poetry contest, monthly poetry contest archives, monthly flash fiction contest, monthly flash fiction contest archives, private submissions, the writer's showcase, success stories, the writing workshop.

The Writing Workshop is the place to give and receive constructive critiques to help improve everyone's writing. It is not meant as a venue to display your finished work.

Workshop Rules and Guidance

Novels and short stories, 3 sentences, crime and thriller, science fiction, fan fiction, young adult, horror and paranormal, history , war, and western, comedy, humor, and satire, children's fiction, general fiction, flash fiction, song lyrics, non-fiction, autobiography & memoir, scripts and screenplays, the writing process, plot development, character development, setting development, dialogue development, descriptive development, point of view, and voice, word mechanics, revision and editing, genre discussions, crime, thriller & action, comedy and humour, children's & young adult, history and alternate history, scripts and screenplays, writing software and hardware, ai writing tools, general writing, poets' corner, the craft of writing poetry, the philosophy of writing poetry, traditional publishing, agent discussion, publisher discussion, query & cover letter critique, self-publishing, electronic publishing, cover design, blurb critique, print on demand, community interaction.

Category Description

Entertainment

Collaboration, discussion of published works, site information, support & feedback, currently active members, members who have visited in the last 24 hours.

• CarrolElse ,
• Starcatcher ,
• Phoenix Knight ,
• B.E. Nugent ,
• love to read ,
• X Equestris ,
• Beloved of Assur ,
• theadoreavon ,
• hirundine ,
• Bruce Johnson ,
• Woodstock Writer ,
• GuardianWynn ,
• GrahamLewis ,
• Oscar Leigh ,
• Link the Writer ,
• HalleyBrus ,
• Dr. Mambo ,
• T.R. Infanger ,
• Amontillado ,
• Naomasa298 ,
• big soft moose ,
• Native Ink ,
• Daniel559 ,
• Louanne Learning ,
• WritingInTheDark ,
• MementoMalva ,
• ReeceFalk7 ,
• Edozack95 ,
• pyroglyphian ,
• Le Panda Du Mal ,
• psychotick ,
• NigeTheHat ,
• Vjiupsswolo ,
• Tim learn ,
• RuthWarbur ,
• West Angel ,
• NEPLeticia ,
• DebbraKely ,
• Storysmith ,
• newjerseyrunner ,
• N.T.MacLaughlan ,
• Malcolm loebs ,
• The Bishop ,
• scintilla ,
• thirdwind ,
• Luis Roding ,
• Jenny Fee ,
• NevilleGla ,
• thesilentassassin007 ,
• Rath Darkblade ,
• Damage718 ,
• Bakkerbaard ,
• Dante Dases ,
• GeorgiaMcl ,
• frondgirl ,
• seobohe65 ,
• ErnestoNaigo

Forum Stats

• Log in with Facebook
• Log in with Twitter
• Log in with Google
• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

• Search titles only

Separate names with a comma.

Useful Searches

• Recent Posts
• This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn More... Dismiss Notice

• Young Writers Programme
• Connect events
• Young Writers Festival
• Young Ambassadors
• Summer residential
• Folio mentorships
• Philip Pyke Memorial Prize
• National Writing Day
• Our ambassadors

Our writers

• Become a First Story writer
• Partner schools HUB
• Resources for partner schools
• Become a partner school
• Sample writing by participants
• Free Festival Toolkit
• Free writing resources
• Free copyright education resources
• BBC Teach x First Story resources
• North of England
• East Midlands
• Greater London
• About First Story
• News archive
• Impact Report 2022/23
• Impact stories
• Staff and trustees
• Ways to support
• Newsletter sign-up
• Make a donation
• Skip to left header navigation
• Skip to right header navigation
• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Creative writing charity for young people

Everyone has a voice.

First Story helps students find theirs.

We’re England’s leading creative writing charity for young people.

Our talented professional writers equip students in underserved communities with the confidence and skills to tell their own stories.

Watch Miles’ Story to learn more.

Our flagship Young Writers Programme places an inspiring professional writer in residence in a partner school for an academic year. Writers work intensively with a consistent group towards the publication of a printed anthology.

First Story writers are acclaimed and award-winning authors, poets and playwrights, with the skills to transform students’ creativity, confidence and ability.

The Young Writers Programme

Our flagship provision includes a professional writer in residence, sixteen weeks of extracurricular creative writing workshops, a published anthology, support and resources for teachers, plus exclusive access to year-round activities and opportunities.

Our anthologies

Since 2008, we’ve published thousands of poems and stories by young writers, in hundreds of beautifully produced anthologies—all of which are in the collection of the British Library.

We are committed to amplifying emerging voices from underrepresented communities and to providing platforms for our young writers to be read and heard.

First Story bursary opportunities for PGCert Teaching Creative Writing at University of Cambridge

11 March 2024 //  by  First Story

For the sixth year running, First Story are collaborating with the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education to offer…

First Story bursary opportunities for PGCert Teaching Creative Writing at University of Cambridge Read More

A day of creative collaboration – First Story Writers at the Courtauld Gallery

30 January 2024 //  by  First Story

We recently reignited our partnership with London’s Courtauld Gallery, which had previously hosted Schools Connect Events before the pandemic. 10 of…

A day of creative collaboration – First Story Writers at the Courtauld Gallery Read More

Six Word Story Competition Winners 2023/24 

24 January 2024 //  by  First Story

Our annual Six Word Story competition is a challenge in concise storytelling. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s famous six word story “For…

Six Word Story Competition Winners 2023/24  Read More

Six Word Stories auction raises over £16,000

14 November 2023 //  by  First Story

As part of activities during 2023 to celebrate First Story’s milestone 15th birthday, we launched a unique literary auction on…

Six Word Stories auction raises over £16,000 Read More

‘First Story is 15’ party highlights

10 November 2023 //  by  First Story

On 2 November 2023 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, First Story celebrated reaching a milestone birthday. Our…

‘First Story is 15’ party highlights Read More

Announcing: Folio Prize Mentorships 2023/24

9 November 2023 //  by  First Story

We are now in the seventh year of our partnership with the prestigious Folio Prize, through which talented First Story…

Announcing: Folio Prize Mentorships 2023/24 Read More

Why six words?

23 October 2023 //  by  First Story

First Story recently challenged best-selling and prize-winning authors, including Michael Morpurgo, Neil Gaiman, Elif Shafak, our Ambassador, Tracy Chevalier and…

Why six words? Read More

All of life in six words

16 October 2023 //  by  Antonia Byatt

My friend said, if your young writers can do it, then why wouldn’t you ask professionals?  Like all good things,…

All of life in six words Read More

Six Word Stories auction to raise vital funds for First Story

9 October 2023 //  by  First Story

A collection of acclaimed and best-selling authors have written original six word stories to be auctioned in aid of First…

Six Word Stories auction to raise vital funds for First Story Read More

Summer Residential 2023 highlights

5 October 2023 //  by  First Story

The Summer Residential is an opportunity for students who have shown great potential during the First Story Young Writers Programme…

Summer Residential 2023 highlights Read More

It All Started in the Library at The Bulwell Academy

28 September 2023 //  by  First Story

Joel Hunt, school librarian at The Bulwell Academy in Nottingham, has come to the end of his first year as…

It All Started in the Library at The Bulwell Academy Read More

Writers-in-Residence Skills Share Day 2023

13 September 2023 //  by  First Story

On Tuesday 5th September, 25 First Story writers attended our annual Skills Share Day at our Webber Street office in…

Writers-in-Residence Skills Share Day 2023 Read More

Keep in touch

Join our mailing list for regular updates on our work and impact.

Above Footer

First story's funders include.

44 Webber Street London SE1 8QW

020 7481 7777

[email protected]

• First Story North
• First Story East Midlands
• First Story London
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Safeguarding
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Notice

• Latest News
• Learning News
• Advertising in Third Age Matters
• Submit your stories
• u3a matters Spring 2024 - Screenreader Edition
• Third Age Matters February 2024 - Screenreader Edition
• Third Age Matters November 2023 - Screenreader Edition
• Third Age Matters Autumn 2023 - Screenreader Edition
• Third Age Matters Summer 2023 - Screenreader Edition
• u3a Radio Podcast
• u3a Blog - Sources
• Learning Activities
• Interest Groups Online Groups
• Interest Groups Online Noticeboard
• IGO Help and Information

Subject Advice

• Subject Networks
• Current and Recent Projects
• Research Database
• Online Learning Events
• Festival 2024
• u3a week Resources and FAQs
• u3a Day Blog 2021
• u3a 40th Anniversary Blog
• Future Lives
• Push Back Ageism
• Influencing and Social Change
• Board of Directors
• Press Office
• News Archive
• Members Area
• Find your local u3a
• u3a Friends
• Legacy Giving
• Fundraising

Creative Writing

Contact the adviser

My aim is to help those setting up new groups and to encourage and support existing group leaders. Contact me if you encounter problems. Let me know too, when something has gone well. If you find a book, a method or a one-off exercise that works for you, it is likely to work for other groups too. So tell me about it please, so I can share your ideas with others, perhaps in a newsletter.

Marcia Humphries,

Subject Adviser for Creative Writing.

Starting a New Creative Writing Group.

1. Check with your U3A Committee that they agree to the starting of a new group. They may  be able to help with publicity for it, a venue & advise on timing to fit-in with other interest groups. They may already have a note of people who would like such a group.

2. Try to limit the group size to 10 or less. At this stage, you may be looking for members. Approach existing groups within your U3A like the book club, poetry, literature or storytelling for likely writers if this is the case.

3. The usual format for groups is that at the end of a session a topic/writing prompt is given to be written on by next time. Good not to lay down rules, especially at first, so a poem or story or an article are all acceptable. At the next session, people read out their work for comments from the others. Go easy on this until the group start to feel comfortable with each other, but say something or people feel their efforts have been wasted. Keeping numbers down allows time for everyone to read, but make clear it’s fine to come along if you haven’t been able to write this time. Try to allow time for a writing exercise during the meeting (lots of ideas in the Handbook...see point 5).

4. Download the current newsletter at the bottom of this page full of ideas, reports, competitions, news from other groups.

5. Download a copy of the Creative Writing Handbook, mentioned later on this page.

6. If you have questions about starting-up which are not answered by this page, e-mail me about them and I will try to help.

7. Let me know that you've set up a group so I can add you to the mailing list to receive future Newsletters This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

January newsletter .nodisplay { display:none; } Creative_WritingNL_Jan_2024.pdf (405.49 KB)

    , how to get published; some practical advice with alysoun owen.

Alysoun Owen , Editor of the bestselling Writers' & Artists' Yearbook, has commissioned several books on writing and publishing for Bloomsbury. She has worked in publishing and literature in the UK and overseas for over 30 years.

In this special talk exclusively for u3a members, Alysoun shares her experiences and knowledge of the publishing process by providing advice about the options available to authors. 

Your Unique Creative Writing

Writer Anne Ludlow, author of The Gentleness of Steel, outlines the basic tools needed for creative writing and how to use them, in a workshop for u3a members. 

u3a Across Scotland Poetry Group

It is a lovely example of how well Zoom can work for writers. The  members are comfortable with each other, despite the group never having met in  person. There is critique of the work read out, all given in a supportive way.

This Is Fictional

The Big List of UK Writing Competitions & Awards 2024 (Part 1)

This one's a biggie.

Hello writery pals!

*Fanfare music* Welcome to the big list of 50 writing competitions and awards for UK writers in 2024.

Whether you write novels, short stories, flash fiction, poetry, prose poetry or anything in between , whether you’re unpublished or published, there’s something for everyone.

The opportunities below come along with some impressive prizes. From free places on writing retreats (I’m dying to go on one of these!) and mentoring with industry experts, to tens of thousands of pounds in cash prizes.

Disclaimers — sounds boring but, trust me, they’re worth reading

If you’re a new writer, I’d recommend going only with the free entry opportunities in the first instance. Tip: search this page for the word ‘free’ to find them quicker.

The more prestigious awards on this list are highly competitive and some have more expensive entry fees than others, so only go with what you can afford.

Most of the bigger competitions also offer a number of free or sponsored entries for writers on low incomes.

For any opportunities you’re particularly interested in, I’d recommend signing up to the organisation’s mailing list (most of them have one) and following them on social media for updates. I say this because some deadlines or competition details may change as organisations gear up for the 2024 round.

Always make sure you read the full T&Cs for any opportunity you enter.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are tons of other amazing opportunities out there, some still to be announced. If there are any you think should be added to this list, let me know in the comments.

Happy writing!

The Big List of UK Writing Competitions & Awards 2024 — Part 1

New Writers - Flash Fiction Competition

This flash competition is open to writers from around the world. Entries should be 300 words maximum. New Writers is offering a top prize of £1,000, a second prize of £300 and a third prize of £200. The deadline is midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 31st January 2024 and £1.00 from each entry will be donated to First Story.

Entry fee: from £10

Deadline: 31st January 2024

Story Unlikely - Short Story Contest

There are no restrictions on genre for this contest. Story Unlikely says, “we don't care as long as it's written and told with quality and care.” The word limit is 4,500. The competition is open to writers of any age and location. 

A prize package of $1,000- $1,500 will be divided up into: $750 first place, $500 second place, $250 third place. The winning story will be featured on Story Unlikely’s website and will be strongly considered for their annual print sample magazine.

Entry fee: unknown but looks like it’s free

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Submit your best flash fiction to this industry favourite award at 300 words or less. 50 longlisted writers will be offered publication in the end of year print and digital anthology. Longlistees will also receive a free print copy. £1,000 prize for the winner, £300 second and £100 third. Two commendations will receive £30 each.

Entry fee: from £7.50

Deadline: 4th February 2023

Curtis Brown Creative - Gillian McAllister Novel-Writing Scholarship for Disabled Writers

The Gillian McAllister Novel-Writing Scholarship for Disabled Writers awards one disabled writer a free place on their online Writing Your Novel – Three Months course. With weekly teaching and workshopping from author Christopher Wakling on CBC’s interactive platform, the winner will also receive one-to-one tutorials and advice from authors and literary agents. 

The course will help the winning writer hone your craft and develop their novel. 

Entry fee: free

Deadline: 11th February 2024

Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition 2024

W&A’s free annual short story competition offers the winner a place on an Arvon Residential Writing Week (worth £850) as well as publication on our site.

To enter, all you have to do is submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of risk via our online competition form. Make sure you have a (free) account on their website. 

Deadline: 12th February 2024

The Watson, Little x Indie Novella Prize

Founded in 1971, Watson, Little Ltd is a long-established literary agency offering a full service to its clients across all aspects of media. 

Indie Novella is an online hub providing free advisory services to aspiring writers and a free online forum to help make novel writing and publishing more transparent and accessible. In celebration of this commitment, they are jointly launching a Fiction Prize for emerging writers.

The Prize is for fiction of all lengths (novels, novellas or stories), open to all unpublished (self-published also accepted) UK-based authors aged 16 and over. Writers are invited to write to fit one of three themes.

Deadline: 14th February 2024

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition is a distinguished national writing competition for writers born or living in Wales. The first prize is £1,000 and publication in a short story anthology to be published by Parthian Books. 11 x finalists will win £100 each and publication in the anthology.

Entry fee: £8

Deadline: 15th February 2024

Next Generation Short Story Awards

The 2024 Next Generation Short Story Awards is open to all authors, even first time authors, in the USA, Canada or internationally, who have an original short story of 5,000 words or less. Entries should be previously unpublished and written in English.

Entry fee: from $20

Deadline: 28th February 2024

The London Library - Emerging Writers Programme

The London Library Emerging Writers Programme is a unique opportunity which offers writers, in all genres and disciplines, one year’s free membership of The London Library and includes writing development masterclasses, networking opportunities, peer support, access to and guidance in using all the Library’s resources and publication in the cohort anthology. 

The Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

Every year since 2014, the CWA and the Margery Allingham Society have jointly held an international short story competition. The word limit on this one is 3,500.

The goal of this competition is to find the best unpublished short mystery, one which fits into Golden Age crime writer Margery Allingham’s definition of what makes a great mystery story.

Entries are welcomed from published and unpublished writers, written in English. The prize for the winner is £500. 

Entry fee: £18

Deadline: 29th February 2024

Scottish Arts Trust - Edinburgh Short Story Award 2024

The Edinburgh Short Story Award is open to writers everywhere with stories on any topic up to 2,000 words. The first prize is £3,000 and there’s a £750 prize for the top entry by an unpublished writer living in Scotland. 

Entry fee: £10 per story

Deadline: 29th February 2024 

P.S. Check out the other awards from the Scottish Arts Trust including the Write Mango Award and Isobel Lodge Award. Entries for these close at the same time as the Short Story Award.

The Kelpies Prize for Writing 2024

The Kelpies Prize for Writing is for writers in Scotland who are keen to start a career in children’s books. The prize package includes a mentorship with an experienced editorial team, consideration for a publishing deal and £500 cash, “which we hope will help our winner take their first steps as a children’s author.”

Anthology Poetry Competition

Established to recognise excellence in the craft of poetry writing and provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Poetry Competition is open to original and previously unpublished poems written in English. Entries are welcomed from poets of all nationalities, living anywhere in the world. 

There is no restriction on theme or style. Poems submitted should be 40 lines or less. There is no limit on the number of entries per person. Each submission requires a separate entry form and will be subject to a separate entry fee.

The winner will receive a €1,000 cash prize and the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology. The winner will also receive a one-year subscription to Anthology. Second place: €250. Third place: €150.

Entry fee: €10

Deadline: 27th February 2024 for very early bird entry fee

BBC National Short Story Award

This is one of the most significant short story competitions in the UK. The prize is awarded yearly by the BBC. Writers entering this award must have a prior record of publishing creative work in the UK (so this one is for established writers only). Stories up to 8,000 words are accepted and may be submitted by the author or by their agent. First place: £15,000.

Deadline: estimated March 2024

Tempest Prize

The Tempest Prize will award one unpublished LGBTQ+ writer based in the North of England a £1000 bursary, mentoring from Andrew McMillan and access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Talent Network. It will be open between February and March 2024 to submissions of poetry, fiction and narrative non-fiction. The prize will be judged by Andrew and a co-judge still to be announced.

Andrew McMillan is the writer of award-winning poetry collections physical, pandemonium and playtime and his highly anticipated debut novel, Pity, is due for publication by Canongate in 2024. The Tempest Prize is the second to be set up and funded by a previous award-winner, after author Benjamin Myers inaugurated the Finchale Prize for Short Fiction in 2022.

Entry fee: unknown

P.S. It looks like there’s no website yet so follow Andrew on social media and keep an eye out for this one. 

Forward Prizes for Poetry

This is the largest annual poetry competition in the UK. The prize recognises the best collection, best first collection and best single poem in the UK each year. All works put forward for the prize will also be considered for publication in The Forward Book Of Poetry, an annual anthology. Entries must be published works and individual poets cannot enter their own work. There’s up to £5,000 to be won depending on the category you enter.

The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2024

The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction (The Smokey) is a biennial competition celebrating excellence in flash.

The grand prize winner of The Smokey is automatically nominated for The Best Small Fictions, The Pushcart, Best of the Net and any other prize deemed appropriate. They’ll also pay the grand prize winner $2,500. Second place: $1,000. Third place: $500. Finalists: $100.

Entry fee: $14

Deadline: 1st March 2024

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize 2024

This prize is awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of the Alpine Fellowship 2024 – to be announced. The winner will receive a cash prize and the runners up will receive travel expense support to attend the 2024 symposium. First place: £3,000. Second place: £1,000. Third place: £1,000

Entry fee: unknown 

PFD Queer Fiction Prize

PFD (Peters, Fraser and Dunlop) runs a Queer Fiction Prize for new LGBTQIA+ writers to find emerging talent. Winners will be signed to PFD and supported in completing their novels. There are two separate categories: Adult and YA & Children’s Fiction.

Any un-agented LGBTQIA+ writer who is in the process of writing a piece of fiction is eligible to enter. Submissions do not necessarily have to be about LGBTQIA+ experiences, though they do especially want stories with LGBTQIA+ characters or themes.

Works do not need to be complete as the prize will provide representation and support in writing to the end of your novel.

The 2024 International Book & Pamphlet Competition

Poets with a collection drafted, this one is for you! This is The Poetry Business’s 38th International Book & Pamphlet Competition, judged by Jane Clarke.

The two winning collections will be beautifully produced and promoted widely and entered for all eligible awards and prizes. They will also be sold in bookshops throughout the UK and through online stockists of The Poetry Business publications.

Entrants should submit a collection of 20 pages of poetry. The two winners will receive £500 each, publication in The North magazine, a reading at The Wordsworth Trust and a place on a residential writing course. Two runners-up will receive publication in East of The North plus an online reading and an honorarium of £100 each.

Entry fee: £29

Deadline: 6th March 2024

Neil Gunn Writing Competition

Poetry and short story entries are welcome for the Neil Gunn Writing Competition. In their entry, writers should respond to this line from Bloodhunt by Neil Gunn: “Mystery. That was the last word, the word you came to at the end. No corner of its coverlet could you lift.”

Entry fee: £10 per single entry or £18 for both a poem and short story

Deadline: 8th March 2023

The Plaza Prose Poetry Prize

A rare one for all you prose poets! The Plaza Prose Poetry Prize aims to shine a light on this exciting hybrid form. They welcome prose poems, up to 50 lines, and encourage writers to be experimental and play with readers' expectations. First prize: £750. Second prize: £200. Third prize: £50

Entry fee: £11 (£5 per additional entry) 

Deadline: 31st March 2024

P.S. The Plaza Prizes has a host of other awards including crime, memoir, microfiction, audio poetry and much more. Check out the website for more information. 

Anthology Short Story Competition

The Anthology Short Story Competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories, written in English, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. 

There are no restrictions on theme or style. There is a maximum word count of 1,500 words. Writers can submit as many entries as they like. Each submission will require a separate entry form and entry fee.

The winner will receive €1,000 and the winning story will be published in a future issue of Anthology. Second place: €250. Third place: €150.

Entry fee: €15

Deadline: 31st March 2024 for early bird entry fee

Anne Brown Essay Prize 2024

The Anne Brown Essay Prize awards £1500 for the best literary essay by a writer in or from Scotland. Essays can be on any topic, with a maximum word count of 4,000. Unpublished essays are especially welcome.

The Deborah Rogers Foundation – The Writers Award

This writer’s award was the first initiative of the Deborah Rogers Foundation. It was set up in 2015 in memory of the much loved and respected literary agent, Deborah Rogers. 

In keeping with Deborah’s special talent for nurturing emerging writers, the Award offers a substantial prize. £10,000 will go to a previously unpublished writer whose submission of 15,000- 20,000 words demonstrates literary talent and who needs financial support to complete their first book. The submitted work can be fiction, non-fiction, children’s or short stories. Applicants must reside in the British Commonwealth or Eire. Two shortlisted authors will win £1,000 each.

Entry fee: estimated £6

Deadline: estimated 31st March 2024

Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize

The Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize was established in 2019 as a celebration of the short story form and the resilience of independent booksellers. Funded by Brick Lane Bookshop, the competition is open to all UK residents and seeks to discover, publish and promote new, exciting and diverse voices in fiction. The prize is run by former Brick Lane Bookseller, Kate Ellis.

Each year, they invite a writer, a publisher and a literary agent to judge the competition. From a longlist of 12, they select a shortlist of six and three prize winners. The first prize is £1,000.

The 12 longlisted stories are published in their anthology which is available to buy from their website, Brick Lane Bookshop and many other good bookshops.

Deadline: estimated April 2024 (check Brick Lane Bookshop to confirm)

Bristol Short Story Prize 2024

The Bristol Short Story Prize is an international writing competition based in Bristol, UK which aims to publish great short stories and promote writers as much as possible. Discovering previously unpublished writers is central to their mission. They are committed to celebrating the short story form and making it accessible and available to as wide an audience as possible.

First prize: £1,000.

Entry fee: £9

Deadline: estimated 26th April 2024 (check Bristol Short Story Prize to confirm)

Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Short Story Competition

The Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Short Story Writing Competition is an international competition for new and experienced writers.

Three winning stories, selected by a panel including Jane Austen’s family, will be recorded as an audiobook by multi-award-winning narrator, Alison Larkin, and published worldwide to raise money for literacy projects in developing communities.

Deadline: 28th April 2024

Belfast Book Festival - Mairtín Crawford Award

The Mairtín Crawford Award invites writers working towards their first full collection of poetry, short stories or a novel. Both published and unpublished writers are welcome to submit between 3-5 poems for the poetry award and a short story of up to 2,500 words for the short story award. The only stipulation is you can’t already have a published collection of poetry, short stories or a novel.

The winner of each award will receive a £500 cash prize. Each winner will also receive a ‘Time to Write’ package which includes a 3-night stay at Bullitt Hotel Belfast and 4 days of dedicated writing space in The Crescent. Two finalists for each category will receive a £250 cash prize.

Deadline: estimated 1st May 2024

The Creative Future Writers’ Award

The Creative Future Writers’ Award (CFWA) is a national writing development programme celebrating talented, underrepresented writers who lack opportunities due to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance.

The prizes sound amazing! They include £20,000 and top writing development prizes supplied by publishers and development agencies. 

Deadline: estimated 14th May 2024

SI Leeds Literary Prize

The SI Leeds Literary Prize is for unpublished fiction by UK-based Black and Asian women, aged 18 and above. The aim of the prize is to act as a loudspeaker for fresh literary voices from under-represented groups and to help them reach new audiences in the mainstream.

The writer of the winning entry in 2022 was awarded of £4,000 and a range of additional valuable benefits through the prize’s unique writer development scheme, including: a free place at an Arvon creative writing course, free manuscript assessment of their work from The Literary Consultancy, an invitation to New Writing North’s London summer salon event for publishers and agents, workshops and support, speaking engagements and serious consideration for publication by Peepal Tree Press.

Entry fee: £10 but they do have a number of free entry bursaries for writers on a low income

Deadline: estimated 25th April 2024

Bridport Prizes - Short Story Competition

One of the largest short story prizes. The winning story will features in the Bridport Prize anthology, so you will see your words in print, maybe for the first time. The first place prize is £5,000. You will be invited to the awards celebration and get feedback from the judges and professional partners. Bridport will also champion you and your work. Second place: £1,000. Third place: £500. 

Entry fee: from £11

Deadline: May 31st 2024

BPA First Novel Award 2024

This award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre.

The winner receives £1,000 and an introduction with an agent. The runner up will get £500 and an introduction with an agent. And the highly commended writer will receive £150 and an introduction with an agent.

Entry fee: £24

Deadline: estimated 31st May 2024

Bath Novel Award 2024

The Bath Novel Award is an international writing competition based in Bath, UK for writers of novels in every genre. Now in its 10th year, the prize celebrates emerging authors who may be unpublished, self-published or independently-published. 

First prize: £5,000 with full manuscript feedback for shortlistees and extract feedback for all listees. Additional longlist prize of a £1,800 course with the Professional Writing Academy & Cornerstones Literary Consultancy 

Entry fee: £29.99 with sponsored places available for writers on a low income

Deadline: 31 May 2024

Jenny Brown Associates – Over 50 Award

Open to all writers over 50, this award was created to address the lack of literary opportunities available to older writers eager to break into the publishing industry. The award also aims to celebrate and value the collected, distilled wisdom and a lifetime of reading and experience of writers over 50. 

Debut novelists are invited to submit the first 5,000 words of their novels. The prize will consist of £1,000 and a week’s residential placement at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre (the dream!) for the winner. The runners up will receive mentoring sessions with experienced writers, editors and agents as appropriate.

Deadline: estimated 31st May 2024 (check the Jenny Brown Associates website for more details) 

As well as compiling this list, I’ve also created a deadline calendar for you, populated with all 50 opportunities! This will make it even easier to keep up to date with writing competitions and awards throughout the year and never miss a deadline.

Read Part 2 and get the deadline calendar link

Ready for more?

Warners Group Publications Plc

Specialist magazine publishers | magazine publishing services, writing magazine.

• apss_content_flag: 0

Writing Magazine is the UK’s biggest and bestselling magazine for writers.

The monthly magazine is for every writer, from beginner to advanced, whether you write for pleasure or publication, and whatever your writing preferences, Writing Magazine has something to help you.

Written by writers, for writers, Writing Magazine features star interviews, work opportunities in Writers’ News, writing masterclasses, ideas, inspiration and hundreds of competitions to enter every year!

Post navigation

Poetry competition: The Plaza Audio Poetry Prize 2024

Common misconceptions about creative writing

We highlight the benefits of developing your creative writing skills

Building your first story from scratch

Finding your unique voice: Strategies for distinctive storytelling

Our successful students celebrate their recent achievements

The British Academy of Creative Writing is a leading provider of accredited, industry recognised creative writing qualifications in UK.

0161 5246 537

0121 3121 661

0131 3221 081

0289 6943 706

029 2271 2268

0117 463 5237

British Academy of Creative Writing ©2024

• home study Courses
• Certificate
• Postgraduate Diploma
• live online Courses
• classroom Courses
• Accreditation
• Work Placement
• Enrol Online
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

Request Brochure

Forgotten password.

To recover your student number or password please enter your email address below and we will send it to you.

• Online Writing Clubs
• Online Book Clubs
• Face-to-Face Writing Clubs
• Face to Face Holiday Workshops
• Online Holiday Workshops
• 11-Plus Workshops – Weekly
• 11-plus (Saturdays)
• 11-Plus Sunday Course
• 11-Plus Holiday Workshops

Creative Writing Workshops

Inspirational workshops for children

Book clubs for children

Get your children reading...

11-plus courses

Workshops and courses

" Creative writing workshops for children "

Whether your child is a confident writer or struggles to get their ideas down on the page, The Story Room has something for everyone. Our relaxed workshop approach nurtures and inspires young writers, enabling them to think creatively and to develop their writing skills. Our tutors and workshop leaders are writers who passionately believe in the benefits of writing for all. We understand the difficulties that a writer faces in communicating their creative thoughts effectively and this enables us to work with children of all writing levels.

We love what we do and are forever on the hunt for new story-writing ideas for our writers!

Our broad range of activities are for children aged 5-16 years old. We run holiday workshops, term-time writing clubs, bespoke writing workshops, children’s birthday parties, author workshops and book clubs.

The Story Room is currently in Winchmore Hill N21 and online.

Poetic Voices Live

We are proud to have been asked to contribute to Poetic Voices Live.

Click here to listen to poetry written by our young writers in their Story Room workshops.

Latest from the Blog

Dear Parents, This is the time of year that you might be thinking of mocks for your child. I work with a team of experts in this field and this week we launch our new-look Succeed website which now includes online mocks as well as the physical mocks that we have provided for  years now. Many of you have asked  …

Milo And His Magic Skateboard by Kristina Tanso Clap clap clap and off we go! Meet Milo, an adventurous bulldog who can travel anywhere in the world on his magic skateboard. All he has to do is think of the destination of his dreams and clap his paws, and Milo can visit all his favourite places in the blink of  …

Today saw the end of our workshops in Friends House and it was a very fitting end to a wonderful week. I can’t tell you how much Michelle and I have enjoyed working with the children this week. Today we learnt about bees and how important they are to our eco-system. We got lots of information from The Woodland Trust  …

When we have a little spare time at the end of a workshop we like to write class poems and we just had to share this one with you because it is sooooooo good! We had spent the class writing discussing Michael Rosen’s Sun Sounds poem and decided to have fun writing a poem about Moon senses, so an acrostic  …

What happens in one of our creative writing sessions? The format of our sessions is pretty much the same whether we are online or in person. We always start with some inspiration for the children – whether it be listening to some music, studying a piece of art, or reading poetry or short stories/extracts from books. For example if our  …

These are our clubs in the beautiful building and gardens of Friends Meeting House, Church Hill, London N21 1LE.

Let your imagination fly!

Join us on facebook, join us on twitter, sign up to our newsletter.

The Story Room

@ 2021 Story Room | www.lucyswebdesigns.co.uk

The Creative Writing Breakfast Club Sunday 28th April 2024

Follow this organiser to stay informed on future events, events you might like, the creative writing breakfast club sunday 5th may 2024 the creative writing breakfast club sunday 5th may 2024, the creative writing supper club monday 20th may 2024 the creative writing supper club monday 20th may 2024, creative writing: world building creative writing: world building, virtual creative writing workshop virtual creative writing workshop, creative writing friday lunch - distance creative writing friday lunch - distance, creative writing 111 creative writing 111, creative writing: editing creative writing: editing, hydrate - online creative writing workshop to rehydrate your writing life hydrate - online creative writing workshop to rehydrate your writing life, pen to print: creative writing classes (online) pen to print: creative writing classes (online), melanated women write creative writing workshop melanated women write creative writing workshop.

About Cambridge Judge

• Overview of the Business School
• History and today
• External recognition
• Diversity and inclusion
• Virtual tours
• Jobs at Cambridge Judge
• Giving overview
• Fundraising priorities
• How to give
• Impact and recognition
• Recruiters and organisations overview
• Recruit from Cambridge Judge
• Student consultancy projects
• Develop your talent
• Corporate speaker opportunities
• Special interest groups and societies
• News overview
• Announcements

Programme news

• Student and alumni news
• Faculty news

Research centre news

• Fundraising news
• Media coverage
• News room (for journalists)

FT Responsible Business Education Awards: 2 wins for Cambridge Judge

Purpose of Finance course wins top Teaching award and a study on paedophile hunters wins Academic Research award, while Cambridge Judge is Highly Commended for School-wide activities in the Financial Times awards for business education responsibility and impact.

Degree programmes

• Masters degrees overview
• Executive MBA
• Executive Master of Accounting
• Master of Finance (MFin)
• MSt in Entrepreneurship
• MSt in Social Innovation
• MPhil in Management
• MPhil in Technology Policy
• PhD and research masters overview
• PhD pathways
• Business Doctorate
• Master of Research in Management
• MPhil in Finance
• MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation
• MPhil in Strategy, Marketing and Operations
• Management Studies (Tripos)
• Virtual tours of the Business School
• Cambridge life
• Entrepreneurship at Cambridge Judge
• Financial aid
• Admission events

Non-degree programmes

• Entrepreneurship programmes overview
• Accelerate Cambridge
• Enterprise Tuesday
• Venture Creation
• EnterpriseTECH
• EnterpriseWOMEN
• Social Venture Weekend
• First Certificate in Business overview
• For learners
• For organisations
• Executive Education overview
• Online ExecEd programmes
• Open programmes for individuals
• Custom programmes for organisations

Need help funding your degree programme studies at Cambridge Judge?

Explore our scholarship and loan opportunities.

Executive Education

• Open programmes for individuals overview
• Programme finder
• New programmes
• Online programmes
• Managing People
• Managing Organisations
• Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
• Strategy and Growth
• Innovation and Technology
• Professional Service Firms
• Custom programmes for organisations overview
• Open programmes for organisations
• Clients and case studies
• Psychometric services
• Professional service firms
• Certificate of Achievement
• B Corp certification
• Digital certificates
• Visa information
• Meet the team

Not sure which programme is for you?

Search our portfolio of over 40 well-crafted programmes that will expand your skills and understanding in service of your organisational, personal development and career objectives.

• Research and teaching staff
• Honorary appointments
• Subject groups overview
• Economics and Policy
• Operations and Technology Management
• Organisational Behaviour
• Organisational Theory and Information Systems
• Strategy and International Business
• Research centre finder
• Alternative Finance
• Behavioural Economics and Policy
• Business Research
• Chinese Management
• Circular Economy
• Digital Innovation
• Endowment Asset Management
• Energy Policy Research Group
• Entrepreneurship
• Experimental & Behavioural Economics Group
• Finance, Technology and Regulation
• Financial Reporting and Accountability
• Health Leadership and Enterprise
• India and Global Business
• International Human Resource Management
• Process Excellence and Innovation
• Psychometrics
• Regulatory Genome Project
• Risk Studies
• Social Innovation
• Wo+Men’s Leadership
• Impact and practitioner engagement overview
• Collaborate with our faculty
• Publications overview
• The Cadbury Archive
• Information and Library Services overview
• Research seminars

Faculty and research

• AI and technology
• Behavioural economics
• Career and personal development
• Entrepreneurship and innovation
• ESG and sustainability
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Finance and accounting
• Future of work
• Global strategy and international business
• Governance, economics, and policy
• Leadership and organisational behaviour
• Operations management
• Philanthropy
• Social impact

Exploring the rise of the global B Corp movement

The B Corp movement is helping to shift the focus of capitalism from shareholders to all stakeholders: find out how Cambridge fits in.

Find an expert

We have faculty, who can speak on many current UK and global issues, and are happy to be contacted by journalists.

• All insights
• Alumni council
• Regional Alumni groups
• Alumni Special Interest Groups (ASIGs)
• Alumni toolkit
• Alumni profiles
• Get involved
• CJBS network
• CJBS Connects: Worldwide

Leave your mark in LT1

The iconic Lecture Theatre 1 (LT1) is due for a refurbishment, and with it comes the opportunity for alumni, friends and other supporters of Cambridge Judge Business School to claim their seat in LT1.

What does it me…

What does it mean to be a scholar in an age of AI?

The article at a glance.

Academic publishing has long been based on the premise of elite scarcity. With generative AI promising to lower barriers for producing exceptional articles, Professor Matthew Grimes asks how this will change the scholarly profession.

Category: AI and technology Insight

The academic profession, including in business schools, is like an exclusive members club. Faculty members seek tenure, promotions and greater prestige among peers based on a well-understood set of elite rules. A scholar whose article is published in the most prestigious journal, with the highest standards for acceptance and rejection, will achieve rewards in a way publication in a less-lauded journal may not. 

But this long-established code of the academic professor is based on a pivotal understanding: scarcity. The underlying premise is that there is a very limited number of truly exceptional journal articles competing for the career-advancing spots in the very best journals.  

AI can speed up article creation and more

So what happens when generative artificial intelligence (AI) upends this understanding by allowing the creation – all within ethical academic bounds and peer-acknowledged excellence – of far more than a limited number of exceptional articles, perhaps even a virtually limitless supply of them? 

That’s the focus of an editorial, ‘From scarcity to abundance’, in the Academy of Management Journal (AMJ) – one of the most elite journals in the field of business management, co-authored by Matthew Grimes, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Futures at Cambridge Judge Business School. 

Elite academic articles often take many years to reach publication stage, but the authors say “generative AI tools now increasingly offer capabilities aimed to increase those efficiencies and the pace at which those efficiencies are realised by scholars” – a very polite way of saying that AI may seriously disrupt the entire supply chain for academic articles, which currently assumes a molasses-like speed. 

Then there’s another key question: can AI surface interesting research questions as well as the minds of human scholars? “The extent to which generative AI will augment or replace academics in the creative tasks associated with scholarship is a matter of debate (indeed, the authors of this editorial have internally expressed such debate), yet the potential should be taken seriously,” the editorial says. 

What does it now mean to be a scholar or academic journal? 

“We pose 2 questions, given the potential promise of generative AI to increase both the quantity and quality of scholarship,” says the editorial:

• What does it mean to be a scholar when the know-what’and know-how barriers to becoming one are minimised (anyone who wants to can participate in scholarship)?
• practical importance
• theoretical intrigue
• methodological rigor?

The editorial makes clear that the journal’s editors don’t have all the answers at this still-young point in the evolution of generative AI, but makes equally clear that these difficult questions need urgently to be asked. 

Asking awkward questions and prompting deep thinking of academics 

“The future of academic publishing in the age of AI poses very awkward questions for academics to be asking about ourselves, our colleagues and our profession,” says editorial co-author Professor Grimes. “We are all academics trained and working in an era where the scarcity of truly first-class research was the guiding principle, but we are looking at a rapidly advancing new era of generative AI in which the scarcity of knowledge production can no longer be assumed. 

“The editorial doesn’t attempt to curb the use of generative AI in producing scholarship: there are clearly some hazards such as well-documented ‘AI hallucinations’ (relevant but false information) and ‘deep research fakes’ (data manipulation to deceive the academic community), but there is also truly great research potential in AI in areas ranging from the creation of academic articles, to bridging the gap between academic theory and practice, to the ability to improve the peer-review system of evaluating the merits of academic literature. 

“Our purpose in writing this editorial is to prompt some deep thinking and soul searching amongst ourselves and our peers about what we want our profession to look like given the rapid advances in AI,” says Matthew. 

The authors say they don’t seek to codify the academic profession’s response to AI, but rather to examine different uncertainties that will affect scholarship. “We are merely at the beginning of a conversation we expect to be having for many years to come,” they say. 

Our purpose in writing this editorial is to prompt some deep thinking and soul searching amongst ourselves and our peers about what we want our profession to look like given the rapid advances in AI.

AI in academic journals: good faith should not be assumed 

The editorial also looks at how journals currently deal with generative AI, noting that the Academy of Management will soon publish guidelines on AI use for its suite of journals and conference submissions. 

“At the moment, however, many existing journal policies surrounding generative AI appear to be operating on the assumption that authors, reviewers, and editors will act in good faith,” the authors say. Given the risks such as “hallucinations” coupled with rapid advances in AI, “we believe such an assumption is inadequate” and that governance rules are needed such as specialised review protocols for papers that employ generative AI. 

The editorial then returns to what generative AI means for the academic profession. 

At the moment, however, many existing journal policies surrounding generative AI appear to be operating on the assumption that authors, reviewers, and editors will act in good faith … we believe such an assumption is inadequate.

Generative AI challenges the distinctive value of management scholarship 

“Our investigation of the implications of generative AI for management scholarship and for our profession is not meant as a call to arms to defend the profession and its current boundaries,” the editorial concludes. 

“Instead, in the short-term, we view this as a call to prepare ourselves, as well as our current and future PhD students, with the appropriate knowledge not only to use but, more critically, to evaluate algorithmic knowledge production.” 

“In the long term, we view this editorial as a call to rethink the distinctive value of our profession in a world of abundant management scholarship. In other words, we suspect that a plausible generative AI-led shift from scarce academic knowledge production to abundant academic knowledge production will inevitably increase the urgency around answering a fundamental question: To what problems in society is management scholarship the (unique) solution?” 

The editorial is co-authored by Professor Matthew Grimes of Cambridge Judge Business School, an editor of the AMJ, along with four of the journal’s other editors: Georg von Krogh of ETH Zurich, Stefan Feuerriegel LMU Munich, Floor Rink of the University of Groningen, and Marc Gruber of Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. 

In the long term, we view this editorial as a call to rethink the distinctive value of our profession in a world of abundant management scholarship.

Featured faculty

Matthew grimes.

Professor of Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Futures

View Matthew's profile

Featured research

Grimes, M., von Krogh, G., Feuerriegel, S., Rink, F. and Gruber, M. (2023)  “From scarcity to abundance: scholars and scholarship in an age of generative artificial intelligence.”   Academy of Management Journal , 66(6): 1617-1624 (DOI: 10.5465/amj.2023.4006)

Related articles

Creative writing prize breaks new ground with AI

The Cambridge Creative Writing Competition organised by the Psychometrics Centre at Cambridge Judge allowed AI (artificial intelligence) to be used for the first time.

The power of AI – and how it’s set to revolutionise the finance industry

With all eyes on AI following the release of ChatGPT early last year, we spoke to Alejandro Reynoso, External Lecturer in Algorithmic Trading and former Research Fellow at Cambridge Judge to get his take on the impact on the finance industry, and the key opportunities to look out for.

Staying on trend: AI, big data and blockchain on the Master of Finance

As AI, big data, blockchain and other areas continue to grow apace, how is the Cambridge Master of Finance keeping up? We spoke to 2 MFin alumni to find out how the programme helped in these areas, and what impact it’s had on their careers.

academia artificial intelligence (AI) Matthew Grimes technology

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Foreign states targeting sensitive research at UK universities, MI5 warns

Ministers considering more funding to protect important research sites, with China seen as a particular concern

MI5 has warned universities that hostile foreign states are targeting sensitive research, as ministers consider measures to bolster protections.

Vice-chancellors from 24 leading institutions, including Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London , were briefed on the threat by the domestic security service’s director general, Ken McCallum, and National Cybersecurity Centre (NCSC) chief, Felicity Oswald.

In addition, the UK government is looking at increased funding to improve security at sensitive sites. Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, announced plans for a consultation on a package of measures that could include looking at key university personnel being given security clearance and a strengthened process to improve the transparency of funding, particularly with foreign institutions.

The measures will be focused on a small proportion of academic work, with a particular focus on research with potential dual uses in civilian and military life.

McCallum told the vice-chancellors that hostile states are targeting universities to steal technology that can “deliver their authoritarian, military and commercial priorities”, the Times reported.

The government ordered a review of protections for higher education in its refreshed foreign and security policy last year amid concerns that hostile states – and particularly China – were gaining undue influence over the sector.

Dowden has previously warned that some universities’ reliance on overseas funding could leave them open to being “influenced, exploited, or even coerced” by a foreign power.

After the security briefing, Dowden said: “For a millennium, our universities have thrived on being open – open to ideas, open to innovation, open to being independent of government.

“This is not about erecting fences, this is about balancing evolving threats and protecting the integrity and security of our great institutions.”

The consultation will explore proposals to protect cutting-edge technology under development in sensitive sectors that are being targeted by states intent on stealing intellectual property to enhance their own economic and military capabilities.

The NCSC and the National Protective Security Authority have also launched a tool to help universities assess their research security.

Michelle Donelan, the science and technology secretary, said: “I believe that universities are on the frontlines of a battle for information.

“Maintaining the UK’s world-leading reputation as an academic superpower relies on having strong safeguards to protect research from those who wish to do us harm.”

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group of leading research universities, said: “Russell Group universities take their national security responsibilities incredibly seriously and already work closely with government and the intelligence community to help protect UK breakthroughs in fields like AI, which are important to our national interest.

“But we also recognise security is a dynamic and evolving challenge which means we need the right expertise and intelligence to keep pace with this.”

Universities UK chief executive Vivienne Stern said: “For several years, Universities UK has worked with government to ensure that universities are supported and equipped to recognise and mitigate risks to national security.

“This is important and necessary, and we welcome the government’s approach to working hand in hand with us to get the mechanisms right.”

• Universities
• University of Oxford
• University of Cambridge
• Imperial College London

More on this story

Bernardine Evaristo joins calls to save Goldsmiths’ Black British literature MA

How the dung queen of Dublin was swept from history

German university rescinds Jewish American’s job offer over pro-Palestinian letter

Creative arts courses at English universities face funding cut

Tory immigration policies risk over-reliance on Chinese students, ex-universities minister warns

Sunak’s student visas clampdown continues boom-and-bust pattern

Sadiq Khan pledges new Erasmus-style overseas study scheme for London youngsters

Britain’s universities are in freefall – and saving them will take more than funding

Most viewed.