We’re looking for talented writers who also work as writing practitioners to join our exciting new professional development programme.

NCW Springboard is open to writing practitioners who want to develop their career working within literature. As well as your practice as a writer, your work might include agenting, bookselling, coaching, copywriting, editorial, education, events, fundraising, journalism, mentoring, marketing, performance, producing, proofreading, publicity, publishing, reader development, writer development, or any other paid profession that utilises your experience and skills as a writer.

How will I benefit?

Selected participants will join a cohort of diverse and talented writer practitioners to learn together and dream big. You will:

• Develop as an artist, and as a writing practitioner.
• Recognise your own personal skills and interests, and explore how you can maximise opportunities around them.
• Participate in co-creating a programme that is of practical use to you as a professional.
• Attend ten training and professional skills development sessions. These might include exploring education, engagement, funding, financial management, entrepreneurial skills and collaboration.
• Collaborate with peers and develop new professional opportunities together.
• Network with other practitioners who can support you as you build your career.
• Get to know National Centre for Writing and how you might work with us in the future.

When does Springboard take place?

Springboard is a programme of ten sessions. Selected participants should be free to attend a welcome day at National Centre for Writing in Norwich on the afternoon of Saturday 4 June 2022.

The following sessions will take place (in person and via Zoom) between June and September 2022. It is likely that these sessions will take place on Saturdays and Wednesdays, though exact dates will be confirmed and individual schedules will be respected where possible.

Springboard finishes in September 2022.

Who is eligible?

Any writer practitioner based in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk or Suffolk may apply. You can be any age, but should have a portfolio of writing and demonstrable record of success as a writer. This might include publication (including in magazines, anthologies, blogs, ezines, or journals), competition listing(s), commissions, residencies or other professional development awards, performances, or critical acclaim.

If you think you qualify but don’t quite fit into these categories, do drop us an email to discuss your situation.

NCW Springboard particularly welcomes applications from talented Black, Asian and ethnically diverse writer practitioners. We intend to offer at least 50% of places to writers who identify as Black, Asian or ethnically diverse.

What are you looking for in the application?

Successful applicants will demonstrate a professional commitment to their practitioner work. They will:

• Recognise what the key challenges are for them in developing their work
• Show us an awareness of what skills and knowledge areas they wish to develop
• Excite us with their ambition for their practitioner work

We particularly welcome practitioners whose practice has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Who cannot apply?

Applicants to NCW Springboard should not:

• Have published more than two books
• Be currently studying a formal academic qualification in creative writing
• Wish to develop the craft of their writing through this project. For writing development, please see other NCW opportunities including Escalator, the Early Career Awards, workshops, short courses, or our resources packs

How will you select the cohort?

We will select up to 27 people to join this professional development network. We will do this based on the following criteria:

• The quality of your artistic proposal and the practitioner work you wish to develop
• The viability of your development ambitions within this project
• The diversity of the cohort

How do I apply?

Please complete the following short application form to apply. As part of this process, you are asked to provide:

• A bio (1oo words max)
• Artistic proposal — tell us about the writer practitioner work you wish to develop (300 words max)
• Developmental Ambitions — what do you want to have by the end of the project that you don’t have now (this could be knowledge, skills, contacts, etc) (300 words max)

Apply now

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Monday 23 May.