Resources for writers

The selected terms in this glossary relate to the content of this Yearbook and cross-references are provided to guide readers to the relevant pages for more detail.

Money paid by a publisher to an author before a book is published which will be covered by future royalties. A publishing contract often allows an author an advance payment against future royalties; the author will not receive any further royalties until the amount paid in advance has been earned by sales of the book.

A document that is put together by a publishing company to provide sales and marketing information about a book before publication and can be sent several months before publication to sales representatives. It can incorporate details of the format and contents of the book, key selling points and information about intended readership, as well as information about promotions and reviews.

A pre-publication sales and marketing tool. It is often a printed booklet that contains sample pages, images and front and back covers, which acts as a preview for promotional use or for sales teams to show to potential retailers, customers or reviewers.

A short piece of writing or a paragraph that praises and promotes a book, which usually appears on the back or inside cover of the book and may be used in sales and marketing material.

An edition of a book specially printed and bound for a book club for sale to its members. See here.

A bound set of uncorrected reading proofs used by the sales team of a publishing house and as early review copies.

A term most often used to describe a paperback edition published simultaneously with, and in the same format as, the hardback original.

The publication of a book by two publishing companies in different countries, where the first company has originated the work and then sells sheets to the second publisher (or licenses the second publisher to reprint the book locally). See here.

The legal right, which the creator of an original work has, to only allow copying of the work with permission and sometimes on payment of royalties or a copyright fee. An amendment to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988) states that in the UK most works are protected for 70 years from the creator’s death. The ‘copyright page’ at the start of a book asserts copyright ownership and author identification. See here; here.

A quantity of books printed without changes to the content. A ‘new edition’ is a reprint of an existing title that incorporates substantial textual alterations. Originally one edition meant a single print run, though today an edition may consist of several separate printings, or impressions.

Material at the end of the main body of a book which may be useful to the reader, including references, appendices, indexes and bibliography. Also called back matter.

The first print run of a book. It can occasionally gain secondhand value if either the book or its author become collectable.

A large sheet of paper folded twice across the middle and trimmed to make four pages of a book. Also a page number.

New books just published (generally in their first year of publication) or about to be published by a publisher. Promotion of the frontlist is heavy, and the frontlist carries most of a publisher’s investment. On the other hand, a backlist which continues to sell is usually the most profitable part of a publisher’s list.

A single print run of a book; all books in an impression are manufactured at the same time and are identical. A ‘second impression’ would be the second batch of copies to be printed and bound. The impression number is usually marked on the copyright/imprint page. There can be several impressions in an edition, all sharing the same ISBN.

The publisher’s or printer’s name which appears on the title page of a book or in the bibliographical details; a brand name under which a book is published within a larger publishing company, usually representing a specialised subject area.

A copy of a publication sent or given with time allowed for a decision to purchase or return it. In academic publishing, lecturers can request inspection copies to decide whether to make a book/textbook recommended reading or adopt it as a core textbook for their course.

International Standard Serial Number. An international system used on periodicals, magazines, learned journals, etc. The ISSN is formed of eight digits, which refer to the country in which the magazine is published and the title of the publication. See here.

A fee paid to a freelance writer for material written on assignment but not used, typically a percentage of the total payment.

The pre-published version of an author’s work, now usually submitted in electronic form.

The right of people such as editors or illustrators to have some say in the publication of a work to which they have contributed, even if they do not own the copyright. See here; here.

A pseudonym or ‘pen-name’ under which a writer may choose to publish their work instead of their real name.

Relating to a book of which the publisher has no copies left and which is not going to be reprinted. Print-on-demand technology, however, means that a book can be kept ‘in print’ indefinitely.

A set of proofs of the pages in a book used to check the accuracy of typesetting and page layout, and also as an advance promotional tool. These are commonly provided in electronic form, rather than in physical form. See here.

Portable Document Format. A data file generated from PostScript that is platform-independent, application-independent and font-independent. Acrobat is Adobe’s suite of software used to generate, edit and view pdf files.

Merchandising display material provided by publishers to bookshops in order to promote particular titles.

The initial pages of a book, including the title page and table of contents, which precede the main text. Also called front matter.

The facility to print and bind a small number of books at short notice, without the need for a large print run, using digital technology. When an order comes through, a digital file of the book can be printed individually and automatically. See here.

A contract between a publisher and the copyright holder, author, agent or another publisher, which lays down the terms under which the publisher will publish the book for the copyright holder. See here.

An agreement between a publisher and an author by which the author grants the publisher the right to publish the work against payment of a fee, usually in the form of a royalty. See here.

Copies of a book made from the original, but with a note in the publication details of the date of reprinting and possibly a new title page and cover design.

An advance copy of a book sent to magazines, newspapers and/or other media for the purposes of review. A ‘book proof may be sent out before the book is printed. See here.

The legal right to publish something such as a book, picture or extract from a text. See here.

Money paid to a writer for the right to use his or her property, usually a percentage of sales or an agreed amount per sale. See here.

The way in which a royalty is divided between several authors or between author and illustrator.

A printed statement from a publisher showing how much royalty is due to an author. See here.

A style of printing letters with all lines of equal thickness and no serifs. Sans faces are less easy to read than seriffed faces and they are rarely used for continuous text, although some magazines use them for text matter.

A small decorative line added to letters in some fonts; a font that uses serifs, such as Times. The addition of serifs (1) keeps the letters apart while at the same time making it possible to link one letter to the next, and (2) makes the letters distinct, in particular the top parts which the reader recognises when reading.

Unsolicited manuscripts which are sent to publishers or agents, and which may never be read. See here.

The accepted abbreviation for the scientific, technical and medical publishing sectors.

A guide listing all the rules of house style for a publishing company which has to be followed by authors and editors. See here.

Sales of a title to booksellers in advance of publication, and orders taken from wholesalers and retailers to be supplied by the publisher shortly before the publication date.

Rights other than the right to publish a book in its first form, e.g. paperback rights; rights to adapt the book; rights to serialise it in a magazine; film and TV rights; audio, ebook, foreign and translation rights. See here.

A concise plot summary of a manuscript (usually one side of A4) that covers the major plot points, narrative arcs and characters. See here.

Areas of the world where the publisher has the rights to publish or can make foreign rights deals. See here.

A reduction in price given to a customer in the same trade, as by a publisher to another publisher or to a bookseller.

A paperback edition of a book that is superior in production quality to and larger than a mass-market paperback edition, size 198 x 129mm.

The measurements of a page of a book after it has been cut, or of a sheet of paper after it has been cut to size.

A brief created by the design department of a publishing house for how a book should be typeset.

A set of characters that share a distinctive and consistent design. Typefaces come in families of different weights, e.g. Helvetica Roman, Helvetica Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, etc. Hundreds of typefaces exist and new ones are still being designed. Today, ‘font is often used synonymously with ‘typeface though originally font meant the characters were all the same size, e.g. Helvetica italic 11 point.

The final draft of a book. This unedited text is usually an electronic Word file but may be typewritten. The term ‘typescript’ (abbreviated TS or ts) is now used more commonly than ‘manuscript’ (abbreviated MS or ms; pl. MSS or mss), though they are synonymous. See here.

An unpublished manuscript sent to a publisher without having been commissioned or requested.

Inserting tags into the text that can allow it to be converted for ebooks or for use in electronic formats.

Editing your work

If you are publishing, via a traditional publisher or independently, editing your work is an essential part of the process. This article outlines for authors what is involved.

What is editing?

Broadly speaking, editing involves refining your writing (‘copy’) to make it as readable as possible and thus ready to be published. There are four main editorial stages:

• Manuscript assessment/critique is an initial assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your work, with general suggestions for improvement.

• Developmental/structural editing gives more in-depth feedback on aspects of your work such as pace, writing style and appropriate language for your readership, and technical features such as characterisation (fiction) or reference styles (non-fiction).

• Copy-editing focuses on the detail, accuracy, completeness and consistency of your text, including grammar, spelling and punctuation.

• Proofreading is the final check of the layout and also picks up anything overlooked earlier.

Should I edit my work before submitting it to an agent or publisher?

Most fiction is not submitted direct to a publisher but will find its way to a commissioning or acquisitions editor via a literary agent (see the articles in this Yearbook in the Literary agents section, which starts on here). Some specialist non-fiction can be submitted directly to an appropriate publisher. The listings under Book publishers, starting on here, will indicate if a company accepts unsolicited scripts. In all cases it is important to follow the agent or publisher submission guidelines.

You should always check any submission for basic spelling and grammatical mistakes (‘typos’) and to ensure that there are no blatant inconsistencies or factual inaccuracies. It is up to you whether you pay a professional editor to do this for you, but you are unlikely to need a full copy-edit of your whole work at this stage. It may help, though, to have an outsider or beta-reader give you feedback.

If your manuscript is accepted for publication, it is usually the publisher who will arrange and pay for the editing of your complete work (see What do publishers do? on here). However, in academic publishing some authors are now asked to arrange and/or pay for their own copy-editing (and index). Beware of companies who ask you to pay for publishing your novel or non-fiction book – this is not traditional publishing. There are legitimate companies who do offer paid-for self-publishing packages (see below and What do self-publishing providers offer? on here), but tread carefully. A publisher who asks you to contribute to the publishing costs is a ‘vanity’ publisher and should be avoided (see Vanity publishing on here).

What if I am self-publishing?

Independent authors do not have to obtain or pay for editorial advice, but if you want to sell a book that looks as good and reads as well as a professionally produced one, you are unlikely to achieve this on your own. There are a host of individuals and companies available to review and edit your work at all stages in the writing process, and to guide you through design and layout to publication and marketing.

When engaging a professional editor, be cautious and read the small print about what services are being offered and what qualifications the provider has to do the job. Decide what type of help you require and employ people with a track record and recommendations. Importantly, agree a fair price for the work. If you seek out the cheapest offering you are unlikely to get the best result. Writers & Artists offer editorial services for authors. Look also at the advice, rates and directory of editorial professionals provided by the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (www.sfep.org.uk).

What happens during editing?

While processes differ from publisher to publisher, the sequence of events from draft manuscript to published copy is roughly similar. If you are self-publishing and working direct with an editor the sequence of events will be determined by which services you buy.

• If your work needs structural or developmental editing the publisher or freelance editor will make suggestions and you will need to revise your work accordingly.

• You will then submit the finished work for copy-editing. You should make sure you follow your publisher’s style and formatting guidelines or ask your freelance editor to devise a style guide for you. This will save time in the detailed copy-edit, and therefore save you money.

• The editor or publisher may ask you to answer queries that arise during copy-editing.

• When the text is finalised it will be sent for typesetting or layout. If you are publishing independently, unless you are very experienced, you should find a reputable professional to do your interior page layout for print and ebook and commission a professional cover designer.

• You may be sent one or more sets of proofs of the layout, or your publisher may handle this stage. Again, if you are self-publishing then checking the proofs carefully is up to you. See the handy checklist in the ‘Common mistakes to look out for’ box.

• Your work is now ready for publication – and the all-important marketing.

What are the differences between copy-editing and proofreading?

Copy-editing and proofreading are crucial stages of the publishing process and, while the two can often be confused or referred to interchangeably, there are important differences. The copy-editing function normally takes place when your work is complete but before typesetting or design, allowing substantial revisions to be made at minimal cost. Proofreading, on the other hand, typically takes place after your work has been copy-edited and typeset/designed and serves to ‘fine-polish’ the text to ensure that it is free from editorial and layout inaccuracies.

Copy-editing

This is the essential stage for all writers and should be done after you are happy with the general structure and content of your work. As this is the detailed, line-by-line edit, if you rewrite or add material after this stage your work will need to be edited again. The aim of copy-editing is to ensure that whatever appears in public is accurate, easy to follow, fit for purpose and free of error, omission, inconsistency and repetition. This process picks up embarrassing mistakes, ambiguities and anomalies, alerts you to possible legal problems and marks up your work for the typesetter/designer. Typically, copy-editing involves:

• checking for mistakes in spelling, grammar and punctuation;

• creating a style sheet and applying consistency in spelling, punctuation, capitalisation etc;

• making sure the text flows well, is logically ordered and is appropriate for your target audience;

• marking up or formatting the structure for the designer – e.g. headings, tables, lists, boxed items, quotes;

• checking any illustrations and figures correspond with what’s written in the text;

• checking that any bibliographical references and notes are correctly ordered and styled and that none are missing;

• making sure you have any necessary introductory pages (prelims);

• querying obvious errors of fact, misleading information or parts that are unclear.

How much editing your copy will require (and therefore how long it will take) depends on a number of factors, including:

• the complexity of the subject matter;

• how consistent you have been;

• whether you have correctly followed a publisher’s house style (or your own);

• the quality of your writing.

In the past, manuscripts were copy-edited on paper, which was labour-intensive and time-consuming. These days, nearly all copy-editing is carried out electronically, usually using Microsoft Word (or sometimes a bespoke publishing system). Suggested changes are usually made using the Track Changes function; queries for the author or publisher are often inserted using Comments. Copy-editors and publishers work in different ways. You may be asked to work through the changes and comments accepting, rejecting or answering each one; you may be sent a ‘clean’ edited version to approve; or you may just be sent queries to answer.

Common mistakes to look out for when editing and proofreading

•Punctuation mistakes, especially with direct speech and quotations.

•Inadvertently repeated words, e.g. ‘and and …’.

•Phrases used inappropriately, e.g. ‘should of’ instead of ‘should have’ or ‘compare to’ instead of ‘compare with’.

•Apostrophe misuse, e.g. its/it’s and plurals (not banana’s).

•Words with similar spelling or pronunciation but with different meanings used incorrectly, e.g. their/they’re/there and effect/affect.

•Mixed use of past and present tenses.

•Use of plural verbs with single subjects (or vice versa), e.g. ‘one in five children are…’ instead of‘one in five children is…’ or ‘[the company] has 100 employees and [the company] provide free childcare’ instead of ‘provides’ (or ‘have’ and ‘provide’).

•Obvious factual errors, e.g. ‘the Battle of Hastings in 1766’.

•Inconsistent use of abbreviations and acronyms.

•Abbreviations/acronyms that have not been defined at least once in full.

•Missing bullet points or numbers in a sequenced list.

•Typing errors, e.g. ‘3’ instead of ‘£’.

•Inconsistent layout of names, addresses, telephone numbers and email/web addresses.

•Incorrect or no use of trademarks, e.g. ‘blackberry’ instead of ‘BlackBerry™’.

•References in the text that do not correspond to footnotes.

•Inaccurate or inadequate cross-referencing.

•Index listings not found on the page given in the index.

•Text inadvertently reordered or cut during the typesetting process.

•Headings wrongly formatted as body text.

•Running heads (at the top of pages) that do not correspond to chapter headings.

•Fonts and font sizes used incorrectly.

•Formatting inconsistencies such as poorly aligned margins or uneven columns.

•Captions/headings omitted from illustrations, photographs or diagrams.

•Illustrations/photographs/diagrams without appropriate copyright references.

•Widows and orphans, i.e. text which runs over page breaks and leaves a word or a line stranded.

Proofreading

As this is the final check for errors and layout problems, you should not make major changes at this stage. These days you will normally receive proofs as PDF documents, which should be marked up using in-built commenting tools or the correct proof correction marks (see below) – check with your publisher or editor which method you are expected to use. Some publishers still work with hard copy paper proofs, or you may prefer to work this way yourself, in which case you should learn to use the main proof correction marks.

What are proofreading symbols and why do I need to know them?

Proofreading symbols (proof correction marks) are the ‘shorthand’ that copy-editors and proofreaders use for correcting written material and they are set by the British Standards Institution (BSi). Typesetters, designers and printers also require this knowledge as part of correcting page layout, style and format.

If you are sent a set of page proofs it is important that you have at least a basic understanding of the main marks so that you can interpret corrections that have been made or add your own corrections quickly, uniformly and without any ambiguity. The main proof correction marks you need to know are shown in the tables which follow.

Using the marks

• When proofreading, make a mark in the text to show exactly where the correction needs to be made. The marginal mark is used to specify what needs to be done.

• If there is more than one mark in a line, mark from left to right and use both margins if you need to.

• Every marginal mark should be followed by an oblique stroke, unless it is already followed by the insert mark or the amendment is a delete symbol.

• Circle any comments or notes you write in the margins to distinguish them from the corrections.

• For copy-editing (on hard copy), marks are made in the text only.

Handy proofreading tips

Effective proofreading takes time and practice but by following these tips you’ll be able to spot mistakes more quickly and accurately.

• Set aside adequate time for proofreading. It requires concentration and should not be rushed.

• Before starting on a proofreading task, make sure you have easy access to a dictionary and thesaurus, and ensure that you have any relevant style guides for spellings, use of capitals and format/design.

• If possible, proofread the document several times and concentrate on different aspects each time, e.g. sense/tone, format, grammar/punctuation/use of language.

• Always double-check scientific, mathematical or medical symbols as they can often be corrupted during the typesetting process. Accented characters and currency symbols can also cause problems.

• If possible, have a version of the copy-edited text to refer to while you proofread – it might help solve minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies more quickly.

Proof-correction marks

These marks conform to BS 5261C: 2005. In the tables below, ‘character’ means a letter or individual mark in the text; ‘matter’ means the content and could be text, a table or a picture.

Marks/symbols for general instructions

Marks/symbols for inserting, deleting and replacing text

Marks/symbols for grammar and punctuation

Marks/symbols for altering the look/style/layout of text

Further resources

Butcher, Judith; Drake, Caroline and Leach, Maureen, Butcher’s Copy-editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-editors and Proofreaders, Cambridge University Press, 4th edn, 2006

Burchfield, R.W., Fowler’s Modern English Usage, Oxford University Press, 4th edn, 2015

Ritter, R.M., New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors: The Essential A-Z Guide to the Written Word, Oxford University Press, 2nd revised edn, 2014

The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers, University of Chicago Press, 16th edn, 2010, www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

Waddingham, A. (ed.), New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide, Oxford University Press, 2nd edn 2014

The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP), offers training, mentoring, support and advice for editors and proofreaders and a freely searchable directory of editorial professionals, www.sfep.org.uk (see here)

The Publishing Training Centre (PTC) offers courses on editing, proofreading and all aspects of publishing, www.train4publishing.co.uk.

This article has been written by three professional editors. Lauren Simpson (lauren_simpson73@gmail.com) is a freelance editor, writer, publishing consultant and proofreader with over 20 years’ experience. Lauren offers an extensive range of editorial, writing and project management services to businesses and individuals. Margaret Hunter (daisyeditorial.co.uk) offers copy-editing, proofreading and layout services to businesses, organisations and independent authors. She joined the SfEP council in 2015 as marketing and PR director. Gerard M-F Hill (much-better-text.com) served on the SfEP council from 2007 to 2016 He has worked as a copy-editor, indexer, proofreader, consultant, and ghostwriter.

Indexing

A good index is essential to the user of a non-fiction book; a bad index will let down an otherwise excellent book. The functions of indexes, and the skills needed to compile them, are explained here by the Society of Indexers.

An index is a detailed key to the contents of a document, unlike a contents list, which shows only the sections into which the document is divided (e.g. chapters). An index guides readers to information by providing a systematic arrangement of entries (single words, phrases, acronyms, names and so on) in a suitably organised list (usually alphabetical) that refers them to specific locations using page, column, section, frame, figure, table, paragraph, line or other appropriate numbers or hyperlinks.

Professional indexing

A well-crafted analytical index produced by a skilled professional with appropriate subject expertise is an essential feature of almost every non-fiction book. A professional indexer not only has subject knowledge, but also analyses the document from the readers’ perspectives, anticipating how they will approach the subject and what language they will use. The indexer analyses the content of the text and provides a carefully structured index to guide readers efficiently into the main text of the book.

A detailed, comprehensive and regularly updated directory of freelance professional indexers, Indexers Available, is on the Society of Indexers’ website (see box). Professional competence is recognised in three stages by the Society. Professional Members (MSocInd) have successfully completed initial training (see below) or have many years’ continuous experience. Advanced Professional Members (MSoclnd(Adv)) have demonstrated skills and experience gained since their initial training, while Fellows of the Society of Indexers (FSI) have been through a rigorous assessment procedure to demonstrate the quality of their work.

Indexing fees depend on many factors, particularly the complexity of the text, but for an index to a straightforward text the Society recommends £24.00 an hour, £2.66 a page or £6.95 1,000 words (2017).

Indexing should normally be organised by the publisher, but may be left to the author to do or to arrange. It is rarely a popular task with authors, and they are often not well suited to the task, which takes objectivity, perspective, speed, patience, attention to detail and, above all, training, experience and specialist software. Moreover, authors are generally too close to the text by this stage. Authors who do need to construct their own indexes for whatever reason should consult the further reading list at the end of this article.

Ebooks and other electronic material

An index is necessary for ebooks and other electronic material. It is a complete myth that users of ebooks can rely solely on keyword-based retrieval systems; these pick out far too much information to be usable and far too little to be reliable. Only careful analysis by the human brain creates suitable index terms for non-fiction ebooks. There are no shortcuts for judging relevance, for extracting meaning and significance from the text, for identifying complex concepts, or for recognising different ways of expressing similar ideas. Index entries must also be properly linked to the text when a printed book is converted into an ebook.

The Society of Indexers

The Society of Indexers was founded in 1957 and is the only autonomous professional body for indexers in the UK. The main objectives of the Society are to promote high standards in all types of indexing and highlight the role of indexers in the organisation of knowledge; to provide, promote and recognise facilities for both the initial and the further training of indexers; to establish criteria for assessing conformity to indexing standards; and to conduct research and publish guidance, ideas and information about indexing. It seeks to establish good relationships between indexers, librarians, publishers and authors, both to advance good indexing and to ensure that the contribution of indexers to the organisation and retrieval of knowledge is properly recognised.

Further information

Society of Indexers

Woodbourn Business Centre, 10 Jessell Street, Sheffield S9 3HY

tel 0114 244 9561

email admin@indexers.org.uk

website www.indexers.org.uk

Membership (2016) £126 p.a. UK/Europe, £157.50 overseas; for corporate rates see website

Publishers and authors seeking to commission an indexer should consult Indexers Available on the website.

The Society holds an annual conference and publishes a learned journal, the Indexer (quarterly), a newsletter and Occasional Papers on Indexing. Additional resources are published on its website.

Indexing as a career

Indexing is often taken up as a second career, frequently drawing on expertise developed in some other field. Both intellectually demanding and creative, it requires considerable and sustained mental effort. Indexers need to be well-organised, flexible, disciplined and self-motivated, and resilient enough to cope with the uncertainties of freelance work. The Society of Indexers long-established training course, which has received the CILIP Seal of Recognition, gives a thorough grounding in indexing principles and plenty of practice on real documents. Based on the principle of open learning, it enables students to learn in their own way and at their own pace. A web-based platform offers access to study materials, practice exercises and quizzes, and links to a wide range of useful resources. Online tutorials are undertaken at various stages during the course. After completing the four assessed modules, which cover the core indexing skills, students undertake a book-length practical indexing assignment. Successful completion of the course leads to Accreditation, designation as a Professional Indexer (MSoc-Ind), and entry in the Society’s online directory, Indexers Available.

Further reading

Booth, P.F., Indexing: The Manual of Good Practice, K.G. Saur, 2001

British Standards Institution, British Standard Recommendations for Examining Documents, Determining their Subjects and Selecting Indexing Terms (BS6529:1984)

‘Indexes’ (chapter from The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edn), University of Chicago Press, 2010

International Standards Organisation, Information and Documentation – Guidelines for the Content, Organization and Presentation of Indexes (ISO 999:1996)

Mulvany, N.C., Indexing Books, University of Chicago Press, 2nd edn 2005

Stauber, D.M., Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing, Cedar Row Press, 2004

Libraries

Libraries are no longer just repositories for books and a source of reference. They provide an increasing range of different services, using a multitude of media to reach a more diverse audience.

TYPES OF LIBRARIES

• Public libraries are accessible to the general population and are usually funded by a local or district council. They typically offer a mix of lending and reference facilities. Public libraries are distinct from research libraries, subscription libraries and other specialist libraries in terms of their funding and access, but may offer some of the same facilities to visitors. Public library services are facing financial challenges and cuts to funding so many library authorities are looking towards new approaches to working with communities in order to build sustainable library services for the future.

• A list of community libraries in the UK can be found at www.publiclibrariesnews.com.

• An academic library is usually affiliated to an educational institution and primarily serves the students and faculty of that institution. Some are accessible to the public.

• A subscription library is one that is funded via membership or endowments. Access is often restricted to members but membership is sometimes extended to groups who are non-members, such as students.

• Many libraries belong to the Association of Independent Libraries and a list of members can be found on the Association’s website (see below).

TEN OF THE BEST

Britain has such a wealth of comprehensive and historic libraries that a full list of them is not possible in this publication. Here are just ten of the best.

Barbican Library

Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

tel 020-7638 0569

email barbicanlib@cityoflondon.gov.uk

website www.barbican.org.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/Barbicanlibrary

Twitter @barbicanlib

The largest of the City of London’s lending libraries with a strong arts and music section, a London collection, literature events programme and reading groups.

Belfast Central Library

Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EA

tel 028-9050 9150

email belfast.central@librariesni.org.uk

website https://www.librariesni.org.uk/Libraries/Pages/Belfast-Central-Library.aspx

Facebook www.facebook.com/BelfastCentralLibrary

Twitter @BelfastCentLib

The library’s reference library is the largest in stock terms in Northern Ireland. The library houses a number of special collections including a digital film archive and the Northern Ireland Music Archive.

Library of Birmingham

Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2ND

tel 0121 242 4242

email enquiries@libraryofbirmingham.com

website www.libraryofbirmingham.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/libraryofbirmingham

Twitter @LibraryofBham

The Library of Birmingham replaced Birmingham Central Library in September 2013 and is the largest public library in the UK and the largest regional library in Europe.

Cardiff Central Library

The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1FL

tel 029-2038 2116

email centrallibrary@cardiff.gov.uk

website www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Libraries-and-archives/Find-a-library/Pages/Central-Library.aspx

The largest public library in Wales, opened in 2009, houses 90,000 books, 10,000 of which are in Welsh.

Liverpool Central Library

William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EW

tel 0151 233 3069

email refbt.central.library@liverpool.gov.uk

website https://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries/find-a-library/central-library/

Liverpool Central Library has undergone major refurbishment and reopened in May 2013. The collection includes 15,000 rare books.

London Library

14 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LG

tel 020-7766 4700

email reception@londonlibrary.co.uk

website www.londonlibrary.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/thelondonlibrary

Twitter @thelondonlib

A subscription lending library containing more than one million books and periodicals in over 50 languages, the collection includes works from the 16th century to the latest publications in print and electronic form. Membership is open to all.

Manchester Central Library

St Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 5PD

tel 0161 234 1983

email libraries@manchester.gov.uk

website www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500138/central_library

Manchester’s main library, the second biggest public lending library in the UK, reopened in March 2014 after major refurbishment.

Mitchell Library

North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN

tel 0141 287 2999

email libraries@glasgowlife.org.uk

website www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries/the-mitchell-library/pages/home.aspx

Facebook www.facebook.com/GlasgowLibraries

Twitter @GlasgowLib

The largest public reference library in Europe housing almost two million volumes. Holds an unrivalled collection of material relating to the city of Glasgow.

Newcastle City Library

Charles Avison Building, 33 Newbridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX

tel 0191 277 4100

email information@newcastle.gov.uk

website www.newcastle.gov.uk/leisure-libraries-and-tourism/libraries/branch-libraries-and-opening-hours/city-library

Newcastle’s main public library includes a café, exhibition spaces, a rare books and watercolours collection, a viewing deck and six floors of books.

Westminster Reference Library

35 St Martin’s Street, London WC2H 7HP

tel 020-7641 6200 (press 2)

email referencelibrarywc2@westminster.gov.uk

website www.westminster.gov.uk/westminster-reference-library

Specialist public reference library with collections in performing arts and art & design. Hosts regular and varied events, includes an exhibition space and a Business Information Point. Also has a range of business resources including market research, company and legal databases.

LIBRARIES OF LEGAL DEPOSIT IN THE UK AND IRELAND

A library of legal deposit is a library that has the power to request (at no charge) a copy of anything published in the UK. There are six legal deposit libraries in the UK and Ireland. To obtain a copy of a book, five out of the six legal deposit libraries must make a request in writing to a publisher within one year of publication of a book, newspaper or journal. Different rules apply to the British Library in that all UK libraries and Republic of Ireland publishers have a legal responsibility to send a copy of each of their publications to the library, without a written request being made. The British Library is the only legal deposit library with its own Legal Deposit Office. Since April 2013, legal deposit also covers material published digitally and online, so that the legal deposit libraries can provide a national archive of the UK’s non-print published material, such as websites, blogs, e-journals and CD-ROMs.

Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries (ALDL)

161 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PH

tel 0131 623 4680

email publisher.enquiries@legaldeposit.org.uk

website www.legaldeposit.org.uk

The Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries requests and receives copies of publications for distribution to five major libraries (not the British Library). It is maintained by five legal deposit libraries and ensures that they receive legal deposit copies of British and Irish publications. The legal deposit libraries belong to the agency, which sends out written requests on behalf of member libraries and acts as a depot for books received. The agency must request copies on behalf of the libraries within 12 months of the date of publication. On receiving such a request from the agency, a publisher must supply a copy for each of the requesting libraries under the terms of the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 (UK) and the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 (Ireland).

Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford

Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG

tel (01865) 277162

email reader.services@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

website www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/bodleianlibraries

Twitter @bodleianlibs

With over 12 million printed volumes and over 80,000 e-journals and vast quantities of materials in many other formats, the Bodleian Libraries together form the second-largest library in the UK after the British Library, and is the main reference library of Oxford University. It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe.

The British Library

St Pancras Building, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB

tel 0330 333 1144 (switchboard), 020-7412 7676 (reader information, St Pancras), (01937) 546070 (reader information, enquiries, Boston Spa), 020-7412 7831 (humanities & sound archive), 020-7412 7702 (maps), 020-7412 7513 (manuscripts)

Legal Deposit Office: The British Library, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ

tel (01937) 546268 (books), (01937) 546267 (serials)

email legal-deposit-books@bl.uk

website www.bl.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/britishlibrary

Twitter @britishlibrary

The British Library holds books, journals, newspapers, sound recordings, patents, original MSS, maps, online images and texts, plays, digital books, and poet and author recordings. With a holding of over 14 million UK books, over 150 million published items from around the globe, around a million journals and newspapers, and three million sound recordings, it is the largest library in the world in terms of number of items held. Three million new items are added each year.

Cambridge University Library

West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR

tel (01223) 333000

email library@lib.cam.ac.uk

website www.lib.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge University Library houses its own collection and also comprises four other libraries within the university. The library dates back to the 15th century and now has a collection of over eight million books. It is the only legal deposit library that keeps a large percentage of its books on open access.

National Library of Scotland

George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW

tel 0131 623 3700

email enquiries@nls.uk

website www.nls.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/NationalLibraryOfScotland

Twitter @natlibscot

The National Library of Scotland holds over 15 million printed items including seven million books and more than two million maps. It is the world’s central source for research relating to Scotland and the Scots. The library also holds a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, a First Folio of Shakespeare, and the last letter written by Mary Queen of Scots. In 2005 the library bought the John Murray Archive for £31 million and it contains important items relating to Jane Austen, Lord Byron and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

National Library of Wales

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU

tel (01970) 632800

email gofyn@llgc.org.uk

website www.llgc.org.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/llgcymrunlwales

Twitter @NLWales

The National Library of Wales was established in 1907 and holds over five million books, including many important works such as the first book printed in Welsh and the first Welsh translation of the Bible.

Trinity College Library Dublin

College Green, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland

tel +353 (0)1 896 1127

email dutylibrarian@tcd.ie

website www.tcd.ie/library

Facebook www.facebook.com/tcdlibrary

Twitter @tcdlibrary

Trinity College Library is the largest library in Ireland and is home to the Book of Kells – two of the four volumes are on permanent public display. The library houses sound recordings, maps, databases, and a digital collection. Currently it has over six million printed volumes with extensive collections of journals, manuscripts, maps and music reflecting over 400 years of academic development

DESIGNATED OUTSTANDING COLLECTIONS

The Designated Outstanding Collections scheme was established in 1997 by the Museums and Galleries Commission to identify collections of national and international importance in non-national museums and galleries. In 2005 the scheme was extended to include libraries and archives. The scheme is now administered by Arts Council England and there are 140 Designated Outstanding Collections in England. To find out if there is a Designated Outstanding Collection library near you, visit the Designation section of the Arts Council website (www.artscouncil.org.uk).

SPECIALIST LIBRARIES IN THE UK

Writers often need access to specialised information sources in order to research their work. The following are a sample of specialist libraries in the UK.

BBC Written Archives Centre

Peppard Road, Caversham Park, Reading RG4 8TZ

tel 0118 948 6281

email heritage@bbc.co.uk

Home of the BBC’s written records. Holds thousands of files, scripts and working papers, dating from the BBC’s formation in 1922 to the 1980s together with information about past programmes and the history of broadcasting. Does not have recordings or information about current programmes.

BFI National Archive and Reuben Library

21 Stephen Street, London W1T 1LN

tel 020-7255 1444

website www.bfi.org.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/BritishFilmInstitute

Twitter @BFI

Established in 1935, the BFI National Archive is one of the largest film and television collections anywhere. Dating from the earliest days of film to the 21st century, it contains nearly a million titles. The archive contains over 50,000 fiction films, over 100,000 non-fiction titles and approx. 625,000 television programmes. The majority of the collection is British material but it also features internationally significant holdings from around the world. The Archive also collects films which feature key British actors and the work of British directors. Using the latest preservation methods, the BFI cares for a variety of often obsolete formats. The BFI Reuben Library at BFI Southbank is home to a huge collection of books, journals, documents and audio recordings about the world of film and television.

British Library for Development Studies (BLDS)

Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RE

tel (01273) 915659

email blds@ids.ac.uk

website www.blds.ids.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/ChatLiteracy

Twitter @blds_library

Europe’s largest research collection on economic and social change in developing countries.

British Newspaper Archive

tel (01382) 210100

website www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/TheBritishNewspaperArchive

Twitter @BNArchive

The British Newspaper Archive gives access to over three million historical local, national and regional newspaper pages from across the UK and Ireland. The Archive is a partnership between the British Library and findmypast to digitise up to 40 million newspaper pages from the British Library’s vast collection over the next ten years

Catholic National Library

Centre for Catholic Studies, University of Durham, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE

tel (01732) 761830

email ccs.admin@durham.ac.uk

website www.dur.ac.uk/theology.religion/ccs

The Catholic National Library is housed by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. It holds over 70,000 books, pamphlets and periodicals on theology, spirituality and related subjects, biography and history..

Chawton House Library

Chawton, Alton, Hants. GU34 1SJ

tel (01420) 541010

email info@chawton.net

website www.chawtonhouse.org

A collection of over 8,000 volumes focusing on women’s writing in English from 1600 to 1830 including some manuscripts. The library also houses the Knight Collection, which is the private library belonging to the Knight family, the owners of Chawton House for over 400 years.

City Business Library

Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH

tel 020-7332 1812

email cbl@cityoflondon.gov.uk

website www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/business/economic-research-and-information/city-business-library/Pages/default.aspx

Facebook www.facebook.com/CityBusinessLibrary

Twitter @CBL_London

One of the leading business information sources in the UK.

Library of the Commonwealth Secretariat

Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX

tel 020-7747 6164 (librarian), 020-7747 6167 (archivist)

email library@commonwealth.int

website http://thecommonwealth.org/library-and-archives

Facebook www.facebook.com/commonwealthsec

Twitter @commonwealthsec

Collection covers politics and international relations, economics, education, health, gender, environment and management. Holds a comprehensive collection of Commonwealth Secretariat publications and its archives.

Crafts Council Research Library

Crafts Council, 44A Pentonville Road, London N1 9BY

tel 020-7806 2500

email reception@craftscouncil.org.uk

website www.craftscouncil.org.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Crafts-Council-UK/136690769684701

Twitter @CraftsCouncilUK

This is a reference library open to the public two days a week by appointment. Houses a large collection of contemporary craft books and catalogues as well as journals. Covers ceramics, textiles, jewellery, fashion accessories and paper.

Goethe-Institut London Library

50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2PH

tel 020-7596 4000

email library@london.goethe.org

email info@london.goethe.org

website www.goethe.de/london

Facebook www.facebook.com/goethe.institut.london

Twitter @GI_London1

Specialises in German literature, especially contemporary fiction and drama, film DVDs and books/audiovisual material on German culture and recent history. E-library gives access to Goethe Institut libraries in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands and allows electronic downloading of ebooks, e-audiobooks and electronic newspapers for a predetermined period of time

Netherlands and allows electronic downloading of ebooks, e-audiobooks and electronic newspapers for a predetermined period of time.

Guildhall Library

Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH

tel 020-7332 1868/1870 textphone 020-7332 3803

email guildhall.library@cityoflondon.gov.uk

website www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/guildhalllibrary

Twitter @GuildhallLib

The Library’s printed books collection comprises over 200,000 titles dating from the 15th to the 21st centuries and includes books, pamphlets, periodicals, trade directories and poll books. The collection covers all aspects of life in London, past and present.

Lambeth Palace Library

15 Galleywall Road, London SE1 7JU

tel 020-7898 1400

email archives@churchofengland.org

website www.lambethpalacelibrary.org

Facebook www.facebook.com/LambethPalaceLibrary

Twitter @lampallib

The historic library of the Archbishops of Canterbury and the principal library and record office for the Church of England.

Library Services, The Open University

Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA

tel (01908) 659001

email lib-help@open.ac.uk

website www.open.ac.uk/library

Facebook www.facebook.com/OULibrary

Twitter @OU_Library

The Open University’s electronic library service.

Linen Hall Library

17 Donegall Square North, Belfast BT1 5GB

tel 028-9032 1707

email info@linenhall.com

website www.linenhall.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/LinenHallLibraryBelfast

Twitter @thelinenhall

Renowned for its Irish and Local Studies Collection ranging from early Belfast and Ulster printed books to the 250,000 items in the internationally acclaimed Northern Ireland Political Collection (NIPC). Also expansive General Lending Collection.

National Art Library

Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL

tel 020-7942 2400

email vanda@vam.ac.uk

website www.vam.ac.uk

A major reference library and the Victoria & Albert Museum’s curatorial department for the art, craft and design of the book.

National Maritime Museum

Greenwich, London SE10 9NF

tel 020-8312 6516

email library@rmg.co.uk

website www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum

Specialist maritime research library.

Natural History Museum Library and Information Services

Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD

tel 020-7942 5000 (switchboard), 020-7942 5460 (archives), 020-7942 5460 (general library), 020-79426156 (ornithology library, Tring)

website http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/science-facilities/library/

Facebook www.facebook.com/naturalhistorymuseum

Twitter @NHM_Library

Online catalogue contains all library material acquired since 1989 and about 80% of earlier items. The library collection contains more than one million items, including almost 400,000 books, 22,000 ongoing journal titles, 350,000 artworks and over 100,000 catalogued archival items. Contact via the website.

RNIB National Library Service

105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE

tel 0303 123 9999

email library@rnib.org.uk

website www.rnib.org.uk/library

Facebook www.facebook.com/rnibuk

Twitter @rnib

The largest specialist library for readers with sight loss in the UK. The Talking Books service is free, providing access to over 25,000 titles. Offers a comprehensive range of books and accessible information for children and adults in a range of formats including braille, large print and unabridged audio. Also provides free access to online reference material, braille sheet music, themed book lists and a quarterly reader magazine.

Science Museum Library

The Dana Research Centre and Library, 165 Queens Gate, London SW7 5HD

tel 020-7942 4242

email SMLinfo@sciencemuseum.org.uk

website www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/about_us/collections/sciencelibrary.aspx

Facebook www.facebook.com/sciencemuseumlondon

Twitter @sciencemuseum

Allows access to around 6,000 books and journals covering museum studies, the history and biography of science technology and medicine and the philosophical and social aspects of these subjects.

Tate Library & Archive

Tate Library and Archive, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

tel 020-7887 8838

email reading.rooms@tate.org.uk

website www.tate.org.uk/research/library

Broadly covers those areas in which the Tate collects. The library includes British art from the Renaissance to the present day and international modern art from 1900. The archive covers British art from 1900 and contains a wealth of unpublished material on artists, art world figures and organisations.

Wellcome Library

183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE

tel 020-7611 8722

email library@wellcome.ac.uk

website http://wellcomelibrary.org/

Facebook www.facebook.com/Wellcomelibrary

Twitter @WellcomeLibrary

One of the world’s major resources for the study of medical history. Also houses an expanding collection of material relating to contemporary medicine and biomedical science in society.

Moving Image and Sound Collections

tel 020-7611 8899

email collections@wellcome.ac.uk

Physical materials in the collection are held in closed stores, and can be requested through the catalogue to view or listen to in the Library.

Wellcome Images

tel 020-7611 8348

email images@wellcome.ac.uk

website http://wellcomeimages.org/

Facebook www.facebook.com/WellcomeImages

Westminster Music Library

Victoria Library, 160 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9UD

tel 020-7641 6200

email musiclibrary@westminster.gov.uk

website www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries

Holds a wide range of scores, orchestral sets, books on music, music journals and a collection of Mozart sound recordings, formerly the GLASS collection.

Women’s Library @ LSE

Lionel Robbins Building, The London School of Economics and Political Science, 10 Portugal Street, Westminster, London WC2A 2HD

tel 020-7955 7229

email library.enquiries@lse.ac.uk

website www.lse.ac.uk/library/collections/featuredCollections/womensLibraryLSE.aspx

Twitter @LSELibrary

Houses the most extensive collection of women’s history in the UK. Part of the London School of Economics.

Working Class Movement Library

Jubilee House, 51 The Crescent, Salford M5 4WX

tel 0161 736 3601

email enquiries@wcml.org.uk

website www.wcml.org.uk

Facebook ww.facebook.com/wcmlibrary

Twitter @wcmlibrary

Records over 200 years of organising and campaigning by ordinary men and women. The collection provides an insight into working people’s daily lives. Collection contains: books, pamphlets, archives, photographs, plays, poetry, songs, banners, posters, badges, cartoons, journals, biographies, reports.

Zoological Society of London Library

Outer Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY

tel 020-7449 6293

email library@zsl.org

website www.zsl.org/about-us/library

Facebook www.facebook.com/officialzsl

Twitter @officialzsl

Contains a unique collection of journals and books on zoology and animal conservation.

ORGANISATIONS AFFILIATED TO LIBRARIES

Aslib (The Association of Information Management)

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA

tel (01274) 777700

website www.aslib.co.uk

Actively promotes best practice in the management of information resources. Aslib represents its members and lobbies on all aspects of the management of and legislation concerning information at local, national and international levels. Aslib provides consultancy and information services, professional development training, conferences, specialist recruitment, internet products, and publishes primary and secondary journals, conference proceedings, directories and monographs. Founded 1924.

Association of Independent Libraries

The Portico Library, 57 Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3HY

tel (0161) 236 6785

email keasson@litandphil.org.uk

website http://independentlibraries.co.uk

Aims to develop the conservation, restoration and public awareness of independent libraries in the UK. Together, its members possess over two million books and have many listed buildings in their care. Individual membership is £10 p.a., institutional membership is £60 p.a. Founded 1989.

Association of Senior and Children’s Education Librarians (ASCEL)

website www.ascel.org.uk

A national membership network of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians. It aims to stimulatedevelopments and share initiatives relating to children and young people using public libraries and educational services.

CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)

7 Ridgmount Street, London WC1E 7AE

tel 020-7255 0500

email info@cilip.org.uk

website www.cilip.org.uk

The leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers. Aims for a fair and economically prosperous society underpinned by literacy, access to information and the transfer of knowledge. CILIP is a registered charity. Offices in London, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Internet Library for Librarians

email info@itcompany.com

website www.itcompany2.com/inforetriever/index.htm

Internet Library for Librarians has been one of the most popular information resource sites for librarians since 1994. It is an information portal specifically designed for librarians to locate internet resources related to their profession.

Private Libraries Association

email info@plabooks.org

website www.plabooks.org

An international society of book collectors and lovers of books. Membership: £30 p.a. Publications include The Private Library (quarterly), annual Private Press Books, and other books on book collecting. Founded 1956.

School Library Association (SLA)

1 Pine Court, Kembrey Park, Swindon SN2 8AD

tel (01793) 530166

email info@sla.org.uk

website www.sla.org.uk

The main goal of the SLA is to support people involved with school libraries, promoting high-quality reading and learning opportunities for all. Founded 1937.

Society of Chief Librarians (SCL)

email societyofchieflibrarians@gmail.com

website www.goscl.com

SCL leads and manages public libraries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is made up of the head of service of every library authority, and advocates for continuous improvement of the public library service on behalf of local people.

ONLINE LIBRARY RESOURCES

An electronic or digital library is an online collection of resources including text, visual, video and audio material which is stored and viewed in electronic formats. Digital libraries can be affiliated to existing local or national public, specialist or academic libraries or they exist as an electronic-only repository. Some charge a subscription; others are free.

Internet Archive

website https://archive.org

A non-profit organisation that was founded to build an internet library. Its purposes include offering permanent access to historical collections that exist in digital format for researchers, historians, scholars, people with disabilities and the general public.

London Library Catalyst

website http://elibrary.londonlibrary.co.uk/

The e-library of the London Library makes available to members a wide range of electronic publications, databases and journals.

Open Library

website https://openlibrary.org

Provides an open, editable library catalogue, working towards providing a web page for every book ever published.

Oxford Digital Library

website www.odl.ox.ac.uk

Offers central access to digital collections of the Oxford libraries.

Public Library Online

website http://uk.publiclibraryonline.com/

Provides access to a large range of fiction and non-fiction titles, from a range of renowned publishers.

Questia

website www.questia.com

Provides an online research and paper writing resource and aims to help people find and cite high-quality scholarly research.

Scribd

website www.scribd.com

A digital library subscription service offering access to a large collection of ebooks and written works.

Welsh Libraries E-library

website http://welshlibraries.org/e-resources/e-books

Provides information on libraries and books held by all the libraries in Wales.

World Digital Library

website www.wdl.org

Offers, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world.

ORGANISATIONS THAT SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE LIBRARY USE

There are many non-profit organisations which champion the use of libraries in the UK. These include:

Arts Council England

website www.artscouncil.org.uk

Arts Council England is the developmental agency for libraries in England and has responsibility for supporting and developing libraries. See also here.

Book Trust

website www.booktrust.org.uk

Aims to give everyone access to books and the chance to benefit from reading. See also.here.

The Community Knowledge Hub for Libraries

website http://libraries.communityknowledgehub.org.uk/

Unites expert guidance and resources with an interactive community of organisations and local authorities involved with community-managed and supported libraries.

Libraries Taskforce

website https://librariestaskforce.blog.gov.uk/

Set up to implement the Independent Library Report for England and reinvigorate public library services. It aims to build upon existing good practice and support partnerships and other similar activities that public libraries are involved with.

The Library Campaign

website www.librarycampaign.com

Aims to advance the lifelong education of the public by the promotion, support, assistance and improvement of libraries through the activities of friends and user groups.

National Libraries Day

website www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk

The first National Libraries Day took place in February 2012 and is now an annual event in the UK dedicated to the celebration of libraries and librarians. Author talks and competitions are arranged by local authorities, universities, other providers of library services and local community groups.

National Literacy Trust

website www.literacytrust.org.uk

Aims to improve the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in isadvantaged communities, in part through access to libraries. See also here.

Public Libraries News

website www.publiclibrariesnews.com

Promotes knowledge about libraries in the UK.

The Reading Agency

website https://readingagency.org.uk/

Aims to give everyone an equal chance in life by helping people become confident and enthusiastic readers, and that includes supporting library use.

Voices for the Library

website www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk

Provides information about the public library service in the UK and the role of professional librarians. Library users can share their stories about the difference public libraries have made to their lives on the website.

Writers’ retreats and creative writing courses

The following list of creative writing courses and writers’ retreats is not exhaustive but is intended to give our readers a flavour of the many options available. Anyone wishing to participate in a writing course or writers’ retreat should first satisfy themselves as to its content and quality. Details of postgraduate courses follow here.

The All New Writers’ Holiday at Fishguard

School Bungalow, Church Road, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, South Wales NP44 1AT

tel (01633) 489438

email gerry@writersholiday.net

website www.writersholiday.net

Contact Gerry Hobbs

A six-day annual conference for writers of all standards from absolute beginner to bestselling author. The event includes 14 courses. Also weekend workshops.

Anam Cara

tel +353 277-4441

email anamcararetreat@gmail.com

website www.anamcararetreat.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/anamcararetreat

An all-inclusive residential retreat, Anam Cara offers private and common working rooms and five acres of walking paths, quiet nooks and crannies, a river island and a labyrinth meadow. Set on a hillside between Coulagh Bay and Mishkish mountain on the Kealincha River, Anam Cara is a tranquil spot to provide sanctuary for people who seriously want to enhance their craft. Whether writers and artists want to work by themselves or as part of a workshop, or special interest group, Anam Cara provides support, creature comforts and peace to help everyone produce their best work. For further information or to make a booking, contact Sue Booth-Forbes.

Arvon

Free Word, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA

tel 020-7324 2554

email national@arvon.org

website www.arvon.org

Facebook www.facebook.com/arvonfoundation

Twitter @arvonfoundation

Chief Executive Ruth Borthwick

See individual entries for Arvon’s four writing houses: The Hurst – The John Osborne Arvon Centre, Lumb Bank –The Ted Hughes Arvon Centre, Totleigh Barton and Writers Retreat at The Clockhouse. Arvon hosts five-day residential creative writing courses and retreats in four beautiful writing houses, set in inspiring countryside locations. Courses include morning workshops, one-to-one tutorials with leading authors and plenty of time and space to write. Courses cover a range of genres including fiction, poetry, theatre, creative non-fiction, writing for children and many more. Arvon runs a grants system for those who would not be able toafford the full course fee

Anne Aylor Creative Writing Courses

49 Beversbrook Road, London N19 4QH 020-7263 0669

email admin2017@anneaylor.co.uk

website www.anneaylor.co.uk

Contact Anne Aylor

Offers a range of short, weekend and overseas courses, as well as customised courses for all levels of ability.

The Book Doctor and Creativity Coach

132 Canalot Studios, 222 Kensal Road, London W10 5BN

tel 020-8964 1444

email philippa_pride@yahoo.co.uk

website www.thebookdoctor.co.uk

Contact Philippa Pride

How to Free Your Creativity, Write a Book and Get it Published writing courses in the UK and abroad as well as one-to-one coaching and consultancy.

University of Cambridge

Institute of Continuing Education, Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridge CB23 8AQ

tel (01223) 746262

email enquiries@ice.cam.ac.uk

website www.ice.cam.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/CambridgeICE

Twitter @Cambridge_ICE

Contact Admissions Team

A wide range of short and part-time courses at introductory and advanced levels on literature, creative writing, art and art history. See website for details.

Casa Ana Writers Programme

Calle Artesa 7, Ferreirola, 18414 La Taha, Granada, Spain

tel +34 678 298 497

email info@casa-ana.com

website www.casa-ana.com

Contact Anne Hunt

Casa Ana is a 400-year old house in the Alpujarra, the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalusia. Offers three or four residential writers’ retreats each year in spring, summer and autumn. There are eight places available in each retreat and they last for two weeks. As well as providing a quiet and inspiring setting in which to write, Casa Ana offers a one-to-one mentoring service and optional reading/critiquing sessions. Also hosts week-long, residential creative writing courses at various times during the year.

Central St Martins College of Arts & Design, Short Course Office

Granary Square, 1 Granary Building, King’s Cross, London N1 4AA

website www.csm.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses

Twitter @csmevents

Central Saint Martins offers an annual programme of over 500 courses in a variety of subjects taught by expert practitioners

Chalk the Sun Creative Writing

PO Box 67647, London SW19 4FA

tel 07852 483001

email creativewriting@chalkthesun.co.uk

website www.chalkthesun.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/CreativeWritingChalktheSun

Twitter @ChalktheSun

Programme Director Ardella Jones

Offers creative writing courses from beginners to specialist workshops for novelists, children’s writers and scriptwriters with a team which includes CBBC producer Jonathan Wolfman, screenwriter Gillian Corderoy, playwright Danusia Iwaszko, novelist Sheena Joughin, crime writer Claire McGowan and children’s publisher and editor Simon Sideri. Also runs reading events, an Italian writing retreat, a writing courses in Andalusia, one-to-one development tutorials, personalised distance learning and manuscript editing services. Classes are taught in small groups in the relaxed atmosphere of the Trafalgar Arms, Tooting Broadway, London SW17 0RT.

Château de Lavigny International Writers’ Residence

Le Chateau, Route d’Etoy 10, 1175 Lavigny, Switzerland. The head office address is: Fondation Ledig-Rowohlt, Av. Montbenon 2, Case postale 5475, 1002 Lausanne, Switzerland

tel +41 21-321 4545

email chlavigny@hotmail.com

website www.chateaudelavigny.ch

An international residence for writers in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. The residence was created in 1996 by the Ledig-Rowohlt Foundation and has since welcomed each summer 20 or more writers from around the world. Writers come for four weeks, in groups of five or six, from early June through to mid-September. They are housed in the former home of German publisher Heinrich Maria Ledig-Rowohlt and his wife Jane, an 18th-century manor house among vineyards and hills overlooking Lake Geneva. Sessions are in English or French and writers must be published.

City Lit

Keeley Street, London WC2B 4BA

tel 020-7492 2717

email writing@citylit.ac.uk

website www.citylit.ac.uk

The largest writing department in the country, offering courses in fiction, poetry, stage and screenwriting, and non-fiction, all in the centre of London. From complete beginners to experienced writers, City Lit has something for everyone

Community Creative Writing and Publishing

Sea Winds, 2 St Helens Terrace, Spittal, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 1RJ

tel (01289) 305213

email mavismaureen@btinternet.com

Author/Tutor Moderator Maureen Raper MBE,(member of the Society of Authors and the Royal Society of Literature)

Classes in creative writing for beginners and intermediates in Writing for Radio and Television, Writing for Children, Writing Romantic Fiction. Writing groups monthly; reading groups monthly at Berwick Library. Distance learning available for all.

The Complete Creative Writing Course

tel 020-7503 6285

email maggie@writingcourses.org.uk

website www.writingcourses.org.uk

Contact Maggie Hamand

Inspiring creative writing courses held at the Groucho Club in Soho and nearby locations, starting in January, April and September on Mondays and Saturdays, daytime and evenings. Offers beginner, intermediate and advanced courses, and runs weekend workshops and a summer school. Tutors are all published writers and experienced teachers. Courses of six to eight three-hour sessions include stimulating exercises, feedback, discussion and homework. Cost ranges from £295 to £425 inclusive of VAT.

Cove Park

Peaton Hill, Cove, Argyll and Bute, Scotland G84 0PE

tel (01436) 850123

email information@covepark.org

website www.covepark.org

Director Julian Forrester

Cove Park is Scotland’s international artist residency centre and offers a year-round programme of residencies for writers and artists. For details of the funded residency programme, see the website.

The Creative Writer’s Workshop

Kinvara, Co. Galway, Republic of Ireland

tel +353 (0)86 2523428

email office@thecreativewritersworkshop.com

website www.thecreativewritersworkshop.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/IreneGrahamWritingCourses

Founder Irene Graham

Irene Graham is the founder of the Creative Writer’s Workshop (1991) and the Memoir Writing Club. She is also author of The Memoir Writing Workbook. Her fiction and memoir writing workshops are accredited by George Mason University in the US as part of its undergraduate and graduate degree programmes

CreativeWordsMatter

Chinook, Southdown Road, Shawford, Hants. SO21 2BY

tel (01962) 712307

email b.a.large@gmail.com

website www.creativewordsmatter.co.uk

Contact Barbara Large MBE, FRSA, HFUW

Offers individual and group editorial advice; nurturing, mentoring and line-editing of manuscripts for publication; and helps writers to build partnerships with literary agents and commissioning editors. In addition, a team of professional writers offers talks, workshops and one-to-one appointments on all genres of adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction to art centres, festivals, universities, colleges, schools and businesses to stimulate new ideas and to develop writing projects for pleasure and publication.

Day courses on How To Successfully Self-Publish Your Book are offered in conjunction with CPI Group UK, part of Europe’s largest printing group, to help writers plan a strategy that will produce the best product; well-written, with an attractive cover, a joy to market, to read and to share.

CreativeWordsMatter Weekend Workshops

Discovery Centre, Winchester and Shawford Hall, Shawford, Winchester, Hants. SO21 2BY (and other venues)

tel (01962) 712307

email b.a.large@gmail.com

website www.creativewordsmatter.co.uk

For new and established writers. Offers the opportunity, throughout the year, for aspiring writers to work in small groups, under the guidance of professional writers, to improve their writing projects towards the goal of publication. At most longer workshop a literary agent or commisioning editor will offer one-to-one appointments. Phone or email for a free brochure.

Emerson College

Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JX

tel (01342) 822238

email bookings@emerson.org.uk

website www.emerson.org.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/emersoncollegeuk

Twitter @Emerson_College

A holistic centre for education based on the works of Rudolf Steiner. Emerson is a rich environment for personal, artistic and spiritual growth. Visual, verbal, performing arts and many other courses held September to June every year; one-term and shorter blocks available. Founded 1962

Faber Academy

Faber and Faber Ltd, Bloomsbury House, 74–77 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DA

tel 020-7927 3827

email academy@faber.co.uk

website www.faberacademy.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/faberacademy

Twitter @faberacademy

Contact Ian Ellard

Drawing on Faber’s 80 years of publishing experience, Faber Academy offers high-quality creative writing courses, run by hand-picked authors, editors and agents. Provides the time, space and support needed to write and write well.

Fictionfire Literary Consultancy

110 Oxford Road, Old Marston, Oxford OX3 0RD

tel 07827 455723

email info@fictionfire.co.uk

website www.fictionfire.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/Fictionfire-Inspiration-for-Writers

Twitter @LornaFergusson

Contact Lorna Fergusson

Fictionfire offers creative writing courses, retreats and workshops. Guest talks and workshops can be arranged for writers’ groups, libraries, conferences and festivals. Manuscript appraisal, editing, mentoring and consultation also available. Founded 2009.

Fire in the Head

tel (01548) 821004

email roselle@fire-in-the-head.co.uk

website www.fire-in-the-head.co.uk

website www.thewildways.co.uk

Twitter @Qualiabird

Contact Roselle Angwin

Courses and mentoring in poetry, novel, life writing, creative, reflective, psychospiritual and therapeutic writing, eco-writing, journaling and personal development; retreats; short courses; online/distance learning courses; tuition and appraisals.

The French House Party, Carcassonne

The Jaylands, Abberley, Worcs. WR6 6BN

mobile 07900 322791

email frenchhouseparty@gmail.com

website www.frenchhouseparty.eu

Director Moira Martingale

Luxury learning holidays in SW France include a creative writing tutored course plus a writing retreat and songwriting course with Dean Friedman.

The Grange

9 Eastcliff Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA

tel (01983) 867644

email info@thegrangebythesea.com

website www.thegrangebythesea.com

Contact Jenni Canakis

The Grange is an offshoot of Skyros with its renowned Writers’ Lab that has attracted some very well-respected authors. The Grange hosts weekend residential creative writing workshops in a 4-star B&B, in the old village of Shanklin on the south coast of the Isle of Wight. Nestled in greenery, it is very secluded, yet only moments from thatched pubs, cosy tearooms, the local train station, shops, restaurants and the long sandy beach. A beautiful and peaceful place to write.

Hawthornden Castle

International Retreat for Writers, Lasswade, Midlothian EH18 1EG

tel 0131 440 2180

email office@hawthornden.org

Contact The Director

Exists to provide a peaceful setting where published writers can work without disturbance. The Retreat houses up to six writers at a time, who are known as Hawthornden Fellows. Writers from any part of the world may apply for the fellowships. No monetary assistance is given, nor any contribution to travelling expenses, but fellows board as guests of the Retreat. Application forms are available from January for the following calendar year. Deadline for applications 30 June.

The Hurst – The John Osborne Arvon Centre

Arvon, The Hurst, Clunton, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0JA

tel (01588) 640658

email thehurst@arvon.org

website www.arvon.org

Centre Director Natasha Carlish, Centre Administrator Dan Pavitt

Offers residential writing courses April to December. Grants available. The Hurst is situated in the beautiful Clun Valley in Shropshire, 12 miles from Ludlow, and is set in 30 acres of woodland, with gardens and a lake.

Indian King Arts

Garmoe Cottage, 2 Trefrew Road, Camelford, Cornwall PL32 9TP

tel (01840) 212161

email indianking@btconnect.com

Weekly morning poetry group and monthly afternoon poetry workshop, facilitated by Helen Jagger; occasional all day poetry workshops and readings by guest poets; and bi-monthly novel workshop led by Karen Hayes. Also the home of the Poetry Society’s North Cornwall Stanza.

The Inkwell Group

The Old Post Office, Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, Republic of Ireland

tel +353 (0)1 2765921, +353 087 2835382

website www.inkwellwriters.ie

website www.writing.ie

Facebook www.facebook.com/TheInkwellGroup

Twitter @inkwellHQ

Contact Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin

The Inkwell Group works with writers at all stages of their career to improve their work and to achieve their goals. Inkwell is a literary scout for some of Ireland and the UK’s top agents and has assisted bestselling and award-winning authors to publication. Inkwell developed www.writing.ie, Ireland’s national writing resources magazine and the National Emerging Writer Programme with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature (free writing advice from experts on DVD and online). Founded 2006.

Irish Writers Centre–Áras ScrÍobhneoirÍna hÉireann

19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Republic of Ireland

tel +353 (0)1 8721302

email info@writerscentre.ie

website www.writerscentre.ie

The national resource centre for Irish writers. It runs workshops, seminars and events related to the art of writing, hosts professional developments seminars for writers, provides space for writers, writing groups and other literary organisations. It also provides information to writers and the general public.

Isle of Wight Writing Courses and Workshops

F&F Productions, 39 Ranelagh Road, Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 8NT

tel (01983) 407772

email felicity@writeplot.co.uk

website www.learnwriting.co.uk

website www.wightdiamondpress.com

Contact Felicity Fair Thompson

Residential and non-residential occasional weekends through the year for beginners and experienced writers. Individual advice and workshops. Time to write and to enjoy the beautiful Isle of Wight in comfortable and roomy B&B accommodation, two minutes from beach path and coastal walks to Sandown and Shanklin. Also offers postal MS critiques and one-to-one advice on film scripts and fiction.

Knuston Hall

Irchester, Wellingborough, Northants NN29 7EU

tel (01604) 362200

email enquiries@knustonhall.org.uk

website www.knustonhall.org.uk

Twitter @knustonhall

Knuston Hall offers an extensive programme of courses and events which can be attended on a residential or non-residential basis.

Le Verger

Savignac-Lédrier, Dordogne, 24270 France

tel (01223) 316539 (UK)

email djlambert4@gmail.co.uk

website www.retreatfrance.co.uk

Contact David Lambert

Le Verger offers residential writers’ retreats or tutored courses (poetry, drama, fiction and life writing) from May to September. Guests stay in a comfortable stone house outside a picturesque village in the rolling Dordogne countryside of south-west France. Shared or individual accommodation in the main house, The Piggery or writer’s cabins, full board (with wine) for up to ten writers.New Mindfulness & Creativity retreat. Transfers to/from Limoges. Listed with the National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE).

Limnisa Centre for Writers

Agios Georgios, 18030, Methana, Greece

tel +31 681 027701

email mariel@limnisa.com

website www.limnisa.com

International retreats and workshops for writers. Two hours by ferry from Piraeus, Limnisa stands in its own shaded garden with access to a tranquil beach, in a stunning position on the Methana Peninsula with views to Epidavros and the island of Aegina. Offers single rooms, studios or tents and all vegetarian meals. Check website for details and dates.

Lumb Bank – The Ted Hughes Arvon Centre

Arvon, Lumb Bank, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 6DF

tel (01422) 843714

email lumbbank@arvon.org

website www.arvon.org

Centre Director Rosie Scott, Assistant Centre Director Jill Penny, Administrator Becky Liddell

Offers residential writing courses April to December. Grants available. Lumb Bank is an 18th-century former mill-owner’s house set in 20 acres of steep pasture land.

Annie McKie

Writer’s Retreat, Keystone, Blakeney Hill, Glos. GL15 4BT

email annie@anniemckie.co.uk

website www.anniemckie.co.uk

Contact Annie McKie

A peaceful retreat in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Beautiful room with private access and en suite bathroom. Balcony with wide reaching views across woodland and the Severn Valley. A few steps from the garden gate take you into the Forest with its mile upon mile of public footpaths. Retreats are a minimum of two nights. The price includes all homemade vegetarian meals and an hour of one-to-one tuition. Additional feedback is available at an extra cost. All retreats are geared to the individual. Accepts only one guest at a time.

Marlborough College Summer School

Marlborough, Wilts. SN8 1PA

tel (01672) 892388

website www.summerschool.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/MarlboroughCollegeSummerSchool

Twitter @MCol_Summer

Marlborough College Summer School runs during July and August each year. See website for dates. This multi-generational event will play host to a wide range of courses, many of which specialise in the creative arts. Whether you’re into poetry, scriptwriting or wish to write your memoirs, there’ssure to be a course to inspire you. Founded 1974.

The Memoir Writing Club

tel +353 (0)86 2523428

email office@thememoirwritingclub.com

website www.thememoirwritingclub.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/IreneGrahamWritingCourses

Founder Irene Graham

The Memoir Writing Club provides:

• 12-week online memoir writing course, interactivewith audios and the Memoir Writing Workbook;

• private writing classes in person and online;

• memoir writing retreat in the west of Ireland;

• book writing coach services.

Irene Graham is the founder of the Creative Writer’s Workshop and the Memoir Writing Club. She is also the author of the Memoir Writing Workbook. Her fiction and memoir writing workshops are accredited by George Mason University in the US, as part of its undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.

Missenden Abbey School of Creative Arts

c/o Jessamine House, King Street, Tring, Herts. HP23 6BE

tel 07955 484605

email info@missendenschoolofcreativearts.co.uk

website www.missendenschoolofcreativearts.co.uk

Weekend and summer school creative writing courses for all abilities.

Moniack Mhor

Moniack Mhor, Teavarran, Kiltarlity, Beauly, Inverness-shire IV4 7HT

tel (01463) 741675

email info@moniackmhor.org.uk

website www.moniackmhor.org.uk

Centre Director Rachel Humphries

Moniack Mhor is Scotland’s Creative Writing Centre, running residential creative writing courses, retreats and residencies throughout the year. In addition, the centre offers a programme of awards, residencies and retreats for writing groups and organisations. Tuition is by established writers, and the range of courses is designed to suit writers at all stages. Grants are available on all courses. High on a hill close to Loch Ness, the centre is an inspirational, inclusive and nurturing setting for writers to spend an intensive period focusing on their work. Established in 1993.

Monkton Wyld Court

Elsdon’s Lane, Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6DQ

tel (01297) 560342

email info@monktonwyldcourt.org

website http://monktonwyldcourt.co.uk/writersretreats/

A Victorian country house in a secluded valley on the Dorset/Devon border. Monkton Wyld Court is an educational charity offering affordable, full-board, short- and long-term accommodation to writers of all sorts. In-house professional copy-editing services also available. Email or call to discuss availability.

Morley College

61 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7HT

tel 020-7450 1889

website www.morleycollege.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/morleycollegewaterloo

Twitter @morleycollege

Offers a number of creative writing courses throughout the year.

Open College of the Arts

The Michael Young Arts Centre, Redbrook Business Park, Wilthorpe Road, Barnsley S75 1JN

tel 0800 731 2116

email enquiries@oca.ac.uk

website www.oca.ac.uk

Distance learning creative arts courses.

Oxford University Summer School for Adults

Dept for Continuing Education, Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JA

tel (01865) 270360

email summerschools@conted.ox.ac.uk

website www.conted.ox.ac.uk/oussa

Contact Programme Administrator

A four-week programme consisting of over 40 week-long courses, including creative writing and specialist literature courses.

Pitch to Publication

tel 07952 724299

email pitchtopublication@gmail.com

Twitter @glyniskoz

Twitter @liathughesjoshi

Contacts Glynis Kozma, Liat Hughes Joshi

Pitch to publication is an eight-week online course with telephone tuition and coaching. It is designed to take prospective non-fiction authors to the point where they are ready to submit a well-honed pitch to agents and publishers. Taught by two experienced, published non-fiction writers. Open to all. Courses run every 8-10 weeks.

Responsible Travel

First Floor, Edge House, 42 Bond Street, Brighton BN1 1RD

tel (01273) 823700

email rosy@responsibletravel.com

email sarah@responsibletravel.com

website www.responsibletravel.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/responsibletravel

Twitter @r_travel

Contacts Contacts Rosy Everitt (Holiday Helpdesk, for holiday enquiries), Sarah Faith (Marketing Manager, for press trip/other partnership enquiries)

Offers a range of holidays, secluded retreats and specialist writing, painting and photography holidays. For writers and artists with confirmed commissions, can also help source press trips, dependent on the type of commission and publication involved.

SCBWI-BI Picture Book Retreat

email picbookretreat@britishscbwi.org

website www.britishisles.scbwi.org/events

A creative weekend for picture book writers and illustrators. Jump start your writing, explore new techniques and experiment with words and art materials. There will be an optional project set for both writers and illustrators, and ample time for work on this or on personal projects. Every attendee will be assigned a faculty mentor and will have the chance to book a slot with a commissioning editor. Evenings will be open for informal critique sessions and discussions on technique, craft and the children’s publishing industry.

SCBWI-BI Writer’s Retreat

email scbwi@scbwi.org

website www.britishisles.scbwi.org/events

Scottish Universities’, International Summer School

21 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh EH8 9LN

tel 0131 650 4369

email suiss@ed.ac.uk

website www.suiss.ed.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/ScottishUniversitiesInternationalSummerSchool/

See the website for full details of the creative writing programme and the theatre and performance programme.

Skyros Writers’ Lab

9 Eastcliff Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight PO37 6AA

tel (01983) 865566

email holidays@skyros.com

website www.skyros.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/skyroshols

Twitter @SkyrosHolidays

The Skyros Writers’ Lab, situated on the island of Skyros in Greece, offers writers of all levels the opportunity to learn from distinguished writers, share the joys and struggles of the creative process, discover their strengths and polish their skills. Courses are open to novices with a passion for writing as well as writers with a book under their belt. Arrive with work in progress or just an empty page; all are welcome.

The Skyros Writers’ Lab has built up an excellent reputation over the years for its visiting authors who have included Steven Berkoff, Mez Packer, Leigh Russell, Sophie Hannah, Rachel Billington, Margaret Drabble, Hanif Kureishi, D.M. Thomas, Sue Townsend, Marina Warner, Hugo Williams, Hilary Mantel, James Kelman, Barry Unsworth, Bernice Rubens and Alison Lurie.

Stiwdio Maelor

Maelor, Corris, Machynlleth SY20 9SP

tel 07480 231003

email stiwdiomaelor@gmail.com

website www.stiwdiomaelor.wordpress.com

Contact Veronica Calarco

Provides two to 12 week residencies with individual studios and accommodation for writers and artists. Writers and artists are able to take time out of their busy lives, visit a stunning area in North Wales, refocus on their work and find new inspiration. Maelor has a competition every year, which opens in April. Founded 2014.

Swanwick, The Writers’ Summer School

Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire DE55 1AU

tel 07452 283652

email secretary@swanwickwritersschool.org.uk

website www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/swanwickwriters

Twitter @swanwickwriters Takes place August

Takes placeAugust

Celebrating its 69th year in 2017, the Writers’ Summer School known simply as "Swanwick" offers the opportunity to learn new skills and hone existing ones. There is an extensive choice of courses, talks and workshops. See website for full details of the programme.

TLC Literary Adventures

The Literary Consultancy, Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA

tel 020-7324 2563

email info@literaryconsultancy.co.uk

website www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk

website http://literaryconsultancy.co.uk/literary-adventures

Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/The-Literary-Consultancy/331088000235106

Twitter @TLCUK

Director Aki Schilz

TLC’s annual writing retreat is held at the idyllic Casa Ana in Andalusia, Spain. Workshops are led by award-winning novelist and inspiring tutor Lesley Glaister. TLC Literary Adventures offers an environment where inspiration and improvisation meet. Guests have access to world-class teaching and get a chance to work, read, listen and relax in a stunning setting which opens the mind and the senses. The retreat is open to writers of fiction, memoir and general non-fiction. Groups are limited to a maximum of 12.

Totleigh Barton

Arvon, Totleigh Barton, Sheepwash, Beaworthy, Devon EX21 5NS

tel (01409) 231338

email totleighbarton@arvon.org

website www.arvon.org

Twitter @TotleighBarton

Centre Director Mary Morris, Assistant Centre Director Eliza Squire, Administrator Sue Walker

Offers residential writing courses April to December. Grants available. Totleigh Barton is a thatched, 16th-century manor house, surrounded by farmland in Devon, two miles from the village of Sheepwash.

Travellers’ Tales

12 Village Close, London NW3 5AH

email info@travellerstales.org

website www.travellerstales.org

Director Jonathan Lorie

UK’s leading training agency for travel writers and travel photographers. Offers vocational courses with the UK’s top travel photographers and travel writers in London, Marrakech, Istanbul and Andalusia including beginners’ weekends, masterclasses and creative retreats. Hosts the Travellers’ Tales Festival of the world’s leading travel writers and photographers. Online tuition also available. Founded 2004.

Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre

Tŷ Newydd, Llanystumdwy, Cricieth, Gwynedd LL52 0LW

tel (01766) 522811

email tynewydd@literaturewales.org

website www.tynewydd.wales

Twitter @ty_newydd

Tŷ Newydd, the former home of Prime Minister David Lloyd George, has hosted residential creative writing courses for writers of all abilities for over 25 years. Whether you’re interested in a poetry masterclass, writing for the theatre, developing a novel for young adults or conquering the popular fiction market, there’ll be a course in our programme suitable for you. Courses are open to everyone over the age of 16 and no qualifications are necessary. Tŷ Newydd can advise on the suitability of courses, and further details about each individual course can be obtained by visiting the website, or contacting the team by phone or email. TŷNewydd also offers courses for schools, corporate courses and away days for companies. TŷNewydd Writing Centre is run by Literature Wales, the national company for the development of literature in Wales.

Upton Cressett Foundation

Upton Cressett Hall, Upton Cressett, Nr Bridgnorth, Shrops. WV16 6UH

tel (01746) 714616

email enquiries@uptoncressett.co.uk

website www.uptoncressetthall.co.uk

Contact William Cash

Guest fellows are invited to stay and write in the Foundation’s historic Grade I Elizabethan gatehouse for up to four weeks (off season) to make progress with a literary project. The idea is to give established writers an opportunity to make headway with a work-in-progress in a remote and beautiful creative environment away from domestic or second career distractions. This could be 100 pages of a novel, a major rewrite after an editor’s marks, a new play/ screenplay or a monograph. Previous fellows include Dr Lara Feigel, the historian Juliet Gardiner and the playwright Ella Hickson.

Urban Writers’ Retreat

email hello@urbanwritersretreat.co.uk

website www.urbanwritersretreat.co.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/UrbanWritersRetreat

Twitter @urbanwriters

Contact Charlie Haynes

Urban Writers’ Retreat creates time and space so you can focus and just write. Escape the real world and all its distractions at one-day retreats in London and blissful residential retreats in the countryside, or get online courses and support to help you kick procrastination into touch.

The Writers Bureau

The Writers Bureau, 8–10 Dutton Street, Manchester M3 1LE

tel 0161 819 9922

email studentservices@writersbureau.com

website www.writersbureau.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/The-Writers-Bureau/65033531276

Twitter @writersbureau

Principal Susie Busby

The Writers Bureau offers a wide range of writing-related distance-learning courses including: Creative Writing, Freelance Journalism, Proofreading and Copy-Editing, Writing for Children, Copywriting, Poetry, How to Market Your Book, Non-Fiction Writing, Article Writing, Fiction Writing, Novel and Short Story Writing, Biographies, Memoirs and Family Histories, How to Write for Competitions, Writing for the Internet, Report Writing, Business Writing and Effective Time Management.

The courses are suitable for both beginners and writers wanting to brush up on their skills. The only requirement for enrolment is a good command of English and plenty of enthusiasm! Also holds annual writing competitions with cash and free courses as prizes. See www.wbcompetition.com.

The Writers’ Workshop

Prama House, 267 Banbury Road, Summertown,Oxford, OX2 7HT

tel 0345 459 9560

email info@writersworkshop.co.uk

website www.writersworkshop.co.uk

Twitter @WWonthebrink

Managing Director Laura Burson

Runs courses for every range of experience, all tutored by professional authors, including: How to Write a Novel,Screenwriting, Writing for Children, Writing Picture Books, Creative Non-Fiction, Selfediting your Novel, Creative Writing Flying Start and the Complete Novel Writing Course. Plus events, editorial critiques, mentoring and the Festival of Writing. See website for full details.

Writingclasses.co.uk

tel 0131-554 1857

email marianne@writingclasses.co.uk

website www.writingclasses.co.uk

Twitter @solovewriting

Director Marianne Wheelaghan

Established to help beginner and emerging writers hone their writing skills and develop story ideas in a nurturing online environment. The school offers a range of short online courses, which run in real time from four to ten weeks throughout the year.

Experienced tutors, who are professional writers, give full feedback on all written work and are available 24/7 to support students with all aspects of the course. Students come from throughout the UK and around the world. As long as you have a passion for telling stories and a desire to improve your writing skills, you can sign up for a writingclasses.co.uk course. Founded 2002.

www.writing.ie

The Old Post Office, Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, Republic of Ireland

tel +353 (0)1 2765921, +353 (0)87 2835382

email vanessa@writing.ie

Contact Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin

A national online writing resources magazine packed full of author tips and assistance for new, emerging and established writers. Features author interviews plus information on competitions, submission opportunities, festivals and events as well as writing courses and workshops. Contains agent and publisher listings, guest blogs, plus services for writers listings, book reviews, writers’ groups, book club information and giveaways. View the National Emerging Writer Programme (video), a joint project with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, free online at www.writing.ie; vital tips and advice from three of Ireland’s top writers, Carlo Gebler, Sinead Moriarty and Declan Hughes.

POSTGRADUATE COURSES

Aberystwyth University

Department of English and Creative Writing, Hugh Owen Building, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3DY

tel (01970) 621946

email jxr@aber.ac.uk

website www.aber.ac.uk/en/english

Facebook www.facebook.com/aberystwyth.university

Contact Julie Roberts

MA in Creative Writing. PhD in Creative Writing.

Bath Spa University

Bath Spa University, Newton Park, Newton St Loe, Bath BA2 9BN

tel (01225) 875875

email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk

website www.bathspa.ac.uk

BA Creative Writing, MA Creative Writing, MA Writing for Young People, MA Scriptwriting, MA Travel and Nature Writing, MRES Transnational Writing, PhD Creative Writing.

Birkbeck College, University of London

Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX

tel 020-7631 6000

website www.bbk.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/BirkbeckUniversityofLondon

Twitter @BirkbeckNews

MA in Creative Writing: full- and part-time evening teaching. Applications from students writing fiction for young adults welcome. Tutors include: Julia Bell, Toby Litt and Russell Celyn Jones. PhD students also welcome but prospective students should consult with individual tutors before making an application. BA Creative Writing: four-years part-time, evening study. Course covers all genres from fiction to playwriting to poetry and practical courses on publishing and journalism. Screenwriting: MA/ postgraduate certificate.

University of Bolton

Deane Road Campus, Bolton BL3 5AB

tel (01204) 903903

website www.bolton.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/UniversityofBolton

Twitter @BoltonUni

Contact Admission Tutor, Creative Writing: Dr Simon Holloway MPhil/PhD in Creative Writing Specialisms.

Brunel University London

College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH

tel (01895) 265599

email course-enquiries@brunel.ac.uk

website www.brunel.ac.uk/creativewriting

MA Creative Writing: The Novel, and MA Creative Writing.

Cardiff University

Cardiff School of English and Philosophy, John Percival Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU

tel 029-2087 4722

email encap-pg@cardiff.ac.uk

website www.cf.ac.uk

MA in Creative Writing.

University of Chichester

Bishop Otter Campus, College Lane, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6PE

tel (01243) 816000

email s.barker@chi.ac.uk

email h.dunkerley@chi.ac.uk

website www.chi.ac.uk

Contacts Prof. Simon Barker, Head of Department; Dr Hugh Dunkerley, MA in Creative Writing Programme Coordinator

MPhil/PhD in English, Literary Theory or Creative Writing. MA in Creative Writing. English Literature

City University

City University, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB

email enquiries@city.ac.uk

website www.city.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/cityuniversitylondon

Twitter @CityUniLondon

MA Creative Writing (Non-Fiction), MA Creative Writing (Literary Novels, Crime/Thriller Novels), MA Creative Writing (Screenplay and Screenwriting), MA Creative Writing & Publishing.

University of Cumbria

Bowerham Road, Lancaster LA1 3JD

tel 0845 606 1144

email enquirycentre@cumbria.ac.uk

website www.cumbria.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/universityofcumbria

Twitter @CumbriaUni

MA in Scriptwriting. MA in Creative Writing.

De Montfort University

Admissions Team, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH

tel 0116 255 1551

website www.dmu.ac.uk/home.aspx

MA in Television Scriptwriting. This long-established course concentrates on the craft of television scriptwriting and prepares students for the competitive world of professional writing. It offers direct links and networking opportunities within the industry by introducing students to professional writers, script editors, agents and producers through a regular programme of guest lectures, workshops, location visits and one-to-one mentoring.

University of East Anglia

Admissions Office, School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ

tel (01603) 591515

email admissions@uea.ac.uk

website www.uea.ac.uk/ldc

Contact Admissions Office

MA in Creative Writing: Prose Fiction. MA in Creative Writing: Poetry. MA in Creative Writing: Scriptwriting. MA in Biography and Creative Non-Fiction. MFA Creative Writing. MA Creative Writing: Crime Fiction. MA Literary Translation. MA Medieval and Early Modern Textual Cultures 1381–1688. MA Theatre Directing: Text and Production. MA Writing the Modern World. Masters by Research, MPhil and PhD.

Edge Hill University

Department of English and History, St Helens Road, Ormskirk L39 4QP

tel (01695) 584274

website www.edgehill.ac.uk

For MA in Creative Writing (full- and part-time, established 1989) and PhD programmes in creative writing, contact Prof. Robert Sheppard (shepparr@edgehill.ac.uk). For BA in Creative Writing, contact Rodge Glass (rodge.glass@edgehill.ac.uk).

University of Edinburgh

website www.ed.ac.uk

Twitter @UniofEdinburgh

Various postgraduate courses in Creative Writing.

University of Essex

Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ

tel (01206) 872624

email thorj@essex.ac.uk

website www.essex.ac.uk

Contact Dept of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies

MA in Creative Writing.

University of Exeter

College of Humanities, Department of Drama, Thornlea, New North Road, Exeter EX4 4LA

tel (01392) 722427

email drama@exeter.ac.uk

website www.exeter.ac.uk/drama

MA in International Contemporary Performance Practice with specialist pathways.

Falmouth University

Falmouth Campus, Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4RH

tel (01326) 213730

website www.falmouth.ac.uk

Contact Admissions Team

Writing & Journalism at Falmouth has a reputation for excellence in teaching, renowned MA courses and internationally recognised research. Blending a solid foundation in the study of English literature and a practical engagement with the craft and vocation of creative writing and a choice of four undergraduate degrees in journalism, Falmouth focuses on the development of imaginative thinking and professional skills that are more important than ever to writers, editors and multimedia communicators. Falmouth offers postgraduate MA courses in Professional Writing and Writing for Script & Screen.

University of Glasgow

Creative Writing, School of Critical Studies, 5 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QQ

tel 0141 330 8372

website www.gla.ac.uk/schools/critical/creativewriting/

MLitt, MFA and DFA in Creative Writing, MLitt by distance learning, Low Residency MFA/DFA.

University of Hull

English and Creative Writing Subject Group, School of Arts, Culture & Education, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX

tel (01482) 466604

email englishoffice.ac.uk

website www.hull.ac.uk

MA/PhD courses.

Kingston University

River House, 53–57 High Street, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 1LQ

tel 020-8417 9000

website www.kingston.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/KingstonUni

Twitter @KingstonUni

Courses in Creative Writing, Journalism, Publishing.

Lancaster University

Dept of English & Creative Writing, County College, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YD

tel (01524) 594169

email l.j.atkinson@lancaster.ac.uk

website www.lancaster.ac.uk/english-and-creativewriting/

Contact The Secretary

MA in Creative Writing. MA in Creative Writing by Distance Learning.

University of Leeds

website www.leeds.ac.uk

Various postgraduate courses in design, media and communication; fine art; history or art; cultural studies; music and performance.

Leeds Beckett University

email admissionenquiries@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

website www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/beckett

Twitter @leedsbeckett

MA in Film-making.

Liverpool John Moores University

Faculty of Arts, Professional & Social Studies, Redmonds Building, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5UG

tel 0151 231 5175

email APSadmissions@ljmu.ac.uk

website www.ljmu.ac.uk

MA in Screenwriting and MA in Writing.

University of London, Goldsmiths

Dept of English and Comparative Literature, Goldsmiths, University of London, London SE14 6NW

tel 020-7919 7752

email r.bolley@gold.ac.uk

website www.gold.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldsmithsUoL

Twitter @GoldsmithsEng

Contact Richard Bolley, Department Business Manager

MPhil/PhD in Creative Writing, MA in Creative and Life Writing, BA in English with Creative Writing, among others.. The Department of English and Comparative Literature is also the home of the Goldsmiths Writers’ Centre and the Goldsmiths Prize for fiction at its most novel, as well as the Centre for Caribbean and Diaspora Studies.

University of London, Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths College, University of London, London SE14 6NW

email course-info@gold.ac.uk

website www.gold.ac.uk

MA in Dramaturgy and Writing for Performance.

University of London, Royal Holloway

Dept of English, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX

tel (01784) 434455/437520

website www.rhul.ac.uk/English

Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Royal-Holloway-University-of-London/6449932074

Twitter @RoyalHolloway

Contact Jo Shapcott

MA in Creative Writing, taught in central London.

London College of Communication

website www.arts.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/UniversityoftheArtsLondon

Twitter @UniArtsLondon

Various full-time, part-time and short courses.

The London Film School

London Film School, 24 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9UB

tel 020-7836 9642

email info@lfs.org.uk

website www.lfs.org.uk

MA in Screenwriting. MA in Film-making

University of Manchester

University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL

tel 0161 306 1259

email info-cnw@manchester.ac.uk

website www.manchester.ac.uk/centrefornewwriting

Whether you want to study creative writing at an undergraduate, MA or PhD level, Manchester has a programme in poetry, prose or literature to meet your needs. MA and PhD in Creative Writing MA and PhD in Contemporary Literature and Culture and the MA in Screenwriting.

The Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University

70 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 5NH

tel 0161 247 1787

email writingschool@mmu.ac.uk

website www.manchesterwritingschool.co.uk

Twitter @McrWritingSchl

Contact (admission and general enquiries) James Draper, Manager

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing: Novel, Poetry, Writing for Children & Young Adults, and Place Writing Campus-based and international online distance learning, available to study full time (MA: one year, MFA two years) or part time (MA: two years; MFA three years). September and January enrolment. Scholarships available (including Joyce Nield Fund for non-UK Commonwealth students). Evening taught, with strong industry links. MFA students complete a full-length book. Optional units in Teaching Creative Writing, Crime Fiction, Media Skills, Poetry for Music, Historical Fiction, Relationship Writing; also available as short courses. PhD in Creative Writing – including PhD by practice and PhD by published work: Fiction, Poetry, Landscape Writing, Children’s Writing, Scriptwriting.

Tutors include Andrew Biswell, Carol Ann Duffy, Nikolai Duffy, Catherine Fox, Rachel Genn, Andrew Hurley, Anjum Malkik, Livi Michael, Helen Mort, Gregory Norminton, Adam O’Riordan, Michael Symmons Roberts, Monique Roffey, Jacqueline Roy, Nicholas Royle, Jean Sprackland, Joe Stretch, Julie Wilkinson. Home of the Manchester Children’s Book Festival, ’Manchester Writing’ event series, Manchester Poetry and Fiction Prizes, anthology publishing, and Carol Ann Duffy’s national Laureate Education Projects.

Middlesex University

tel 020-8411 5555

email info@mdx.ac.uk

website www.mdx.ac.uk

MA Novel Writing. MA Writing for Creative and Professional Practice. Research degrees and journalism courses.

National Film and Television School

National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield Studios, Station Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks. HP9 1LG

tel (01494) 671234

email info@nfts.co.uk

website www.nfts.co.uk

MA, diploma, certificate and short courses covering a wide range of disciplines relating to television and film.

Newcastle University

School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, Percy Building, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU

tel 0191 222 7199

email pgadmissions@ncl.ac.uk

website www.ncl.ac.uk/elll

Facebook www.facebook.com/newcastleuniversity?rf=109469605745288

Twitter @NewUniPress

Contact Postgraduate Admission Secretary

MA in Creative Writing. Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing. PhD in Creative Writing.

Northumbria University

Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences, Lipman Building, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST

tel 0191 227 4444

email ar.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk

email laura.fish@northumbria.ac.uk

email michael.m.green@northumbria.ac.uk

website www.northumbria.ac.uk

Contacts Laura Fish, Programme Leader (MA Creative Writing), Tony Williams, Prof. Michael Green, Programme Leader (PhD Creative Writing)

MA in Creative Writing, PhD in Creative Writing.

Nottingham Trent University

School of Arts and Humanities, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 8NS

tel 0115 848 4200

email rory.waterman@ntu.ac.uk

email hum.enquiries@ntu.ac.uk

website www.ntu.ac.uk/creativewriting

Facebook www.facebook.com/ntucreative/

Twitter @TrentUni

Contact Dr Rory Waterman, Programme Leader

MA in Creative Writing. A practice-based course and one of the longest-established programmes of its kind in the UK, with close links to the writing industry, an annual anthology, and many highly successful graduate writers. Diverse module options include: Fiction; Poetry; Writing for Stage, Radio and Screen; Children’s and Young Adult Fiction.

Oxford University

Department for Continuing Education, Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JA

tel (01865) 280145

website www.conted.ox.ac.uk

Short online courses in creative writing: Getting Started in Creative Writing, Writing Drama, Writing Fiction, Writing Fiction for Young Adults, Writing Lives, Writing Poetry. Three intakes a year, in October, January and April. Email: onlinecourses@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Creative Writing Summer School: held at Exeter College in July/August. Email: ipwriters@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Master of Studies in Creative Writing (two years part-time): covering prose fiction, narrative non-fiction, radio and TV drama, poetry, stage drama and screenwriting. Email: mstcreativewriting@conted.ox.ac.uk.

An Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing offers more than 200 contact hours. Students develop their skills in three major areas: poetry, prose and drama. Email: ppaward@conted.ox.ac.uk

Plymouth University

Faculty of Arts, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA

tel (01752) 600600

email admissions@plymouth.ac.uk

website www.plymouth.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/plymouthuni

Twitter @PlymUni

MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Writing.

Queen’s University, Belfast

Queen’s University, Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN

tel 028-9024 5133

website www.qub.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/QueensUniversityBelfast

Twitter @QueensUBelfast

MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Writing. PhD in Creative Writing.

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Embassy Theatre, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3HY

tel 020-7722 8183

email sarah.grochala@cssd.ac.uk

website www.cssd.ac.uk

Twitter @CSSDLondon

MA and MFA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media.

University of St Andrews

School of English, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AR

tel (01334) 462668

email pgeng@st-andrews.ac.uk

website www.st-andrews.ac.uk/english/postgraduate

Contact Alexandra Wallace, PG Administrator

MFA or MLitt in Creative Writing: Poetry, Prose or Playwriting and Screenwriting.

University of Salford

The Crescent, Salford M5 4WT

tel 0161 295 4545

website www.salford.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/salforduni/

Twitter @SalfordUni

Courses in journalism, scriptwriting and creative writing.

Sheffield Hallam University

City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB

tel 0114 225 5555

email enquiries@shu.ac.uk

website www.shu.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/sheffieldhallamuniversity

Twitter @sheffhallumuni

MA Creative Writing.

University of South Wales

School of Humanities and Social Science, University of South Wales, Treforest, Pontypridd CF37 1DL

tel (01443) 654195

email philip.gross@southwales.ac.uk

website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/297-mphil-in-writing

Contact Prof. Philip Gross, Course Director

MPhil/PhD in Writing programme. One of the original creative writing master’s programmes in the UK, this is a research degree with one-to-one supervision enhanced by three weekend workshopping residencies per year. Also an international students’ version with a single five-day residency.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

tel (01570) 422351

email admissions@uwtsd.ac.uk

website www.uwtsd.ac.uk

Facebook www.facebook.com/trinitysaintdavid

Twitter @UWTSD

MA in Creative Writing, MA in Creative and Script Writing.

University of Warwick

Dept of English and Comparative Literary Studies, Humanities Building, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL

tel 024-7652 3665

email pgenglish@warwick.ac.uk

website www.warwick.ac.uk