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New Writing Scotland is an annual volume publishing new work from both emerging and established writers. New Writing Scotland accepts material from writers resident in Scotland, or Scots by birth, upbringing or inclination. All forms of writing are invited: autobiography and memoirs; creative responses to events and experiences; drama; graphic artwork (monochrome only); poetry; political and cultural commentary and satire; screenplays; short fiction; travel writing or any other creative prose may be submitted. We have a maximum recommended length of 3,500 words in total. Please do not send complete novels or other long works, although self-contained extracts are acceptable. The work must be neither previously published nor accepted for publication and may be in any of the languages of Scotland.

New Writing Scotland gave me one of my earliest breaks as a writer.
— Ian Rankin

Submissions are accepted between 1 May and 31 October each year, and can be made online via Submittable. Prose pieces should be double-spaced and carry an approximate word-count. You should provide a covering letter with your name and address. Please also put your name on the individual works. Postal submissions should be typed on one side of the paper only and the sheets stapled at the top-left corner. If you would like to receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your manuscript, please enclose a stamped addressed postcard. If you would like to be informed if your submission is unsuccessful, or if you would like your submissions returned, you should enclose a stamped addressed envelope with sufficient postage. Postal submissions should be sent, in an A4 envelope, to:

ASLS
Department of Scottish Literature
7 University Gardens
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QH, UK

We are sorry but we cannot accept submissions by fax or e-mail.

Looking back over 30 years of New Writing Scotland, the list of writers showcased as they emerged – A. L. Kennedy, Kathleen Jamie, Jane Harris, Irvine Welsh, John Maley, Robin Robertson and at least a score more – is startling. Even better, the book is still a testament to some of the freshest, punchiest, most sparkling new writing in the short form currently available anywhere.
— Janice Galloway

Please be aware that we have limited space in each edition, and therefore shorter pieces are more suitable – although longer items of exceptional quality may still be included. A maximum length of 3,500 words is suggested. Please send no more than four poems, and no more than one prose work. Successful contributors will be paid at a rate of £20 per published page.

Submission is free. Authors retain all rights to their work(s), and are free to submit and/or publish the same work(s) elsewhere after they appear in New Writing Scotland.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us. Further details can be found on our website.

New Writing Scotland plays a large role in the writing life of Scotland and offers a great window into new work and new writers. I found it of immeasurable assistance in my early career and hope it continues to assist writers in Scotland at a time when reaching an audience is perhaps harder than ever.
— A. L. Kennedy