The Lindsay Literary Scholarship

THE Lindsay Literary Agency is delighted to announce they will be sponsoring a fully funded writers’ place at the Virtual Writers’ Weekend in 2021 where keynote speakers will include author and illustrator, Chris Riddell as well as Diana Gabaldon. The agency first sponsored a place at the Winchester Writers’ Festival in 2018 and 2021 will be the fourth year they have run the scholarship.

The 2021 scholarship will be awarded to a children’s fiction writer (picture book, middle grade or YA) from an under-represented background. The funding covers the cost of a weekend ticket with access to both keynotes, 18 talks with Q&A, readings, an open mic, and the Expo together with a one-to-one tutorial with founder of the Lindsay Literary Agency, Becky Bagnell. There will also be access to recordings of all 18 talks during the weekend that can be viewed until 31 August 2021. The Virtual Writers’ Weekend will take place from 24th-27th June 2021. For more details on the Festival please see its website The Virtual Writers’ Weekend

Who Can Apply?

Any writer who lives in the UK or Ireland and who comes from an under-represented background may apply. The scholarship recognises all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, BAME, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. Applicants are asked to self-identify with regard to their under-represented background.

Applicants can be unpublished or self-published but must be un-agented. Each submission will be judged solely on the work submitted and its potential together with the statement supplied.

How To Submit?

1. Entries should be emailed to scholarship@lindsayliteraryagency.co.uk In the subject line please put Lindsay Literary Scholarship 2021 Entry.
2. In the body of the email, please include your name, address, email and telephone.
3. Please attach your work-in-progress sample: 2,000 words from the opening of your unpublished or self-published novel. In the case of a picture book text a maximum of two stories may be submitted, but no single story should have an overall word count of more than 1,000 words in total.
4. Please attach your statement. This should be 500 or fewer words in a Word document. Please give some details on your writing background, whether you are unpublished or self-published, how attending the Writers’ Weekend will help you in your writing career and why you should be awarded the scholarship. Applicants are asked to self-identify with regard to their background. Please include information on any relevant writing courses, degree or MA courses you are attending or have completed.
5. Please attach your synopsis. This should be 500 or fewer words attached in a Word document.

Deadline: Sunday, 23rd May 2021 at midnight

Terms and Conditions

Eligibility
• Work should be the applicant’s own and should not be under contract with a publisher.
• Applicants must be un-agented.
• You may submit work that has previously been self-published.
• The work must be part of a complete work.
• If you have completed an MA in creative writing or are currently taking part in a similar course please make this clear in your statement.
• Amendments cannot be made once the Work has been submitted.
General details
• The winner of the Scholarship will be announced on or before 8th June 2021. If you have not heard by this date unfortunately you may assume you have not been successful.
• If the winner of the Scholarship cannot be contacted or does not respond within 3 days the Lindsay Literary Agency reserves the right to select another Scholar from entries which were received before the closing date.
• Due to the high volume of submissions, the Lindsay Literary Agency is unable to contact applicants on progress of submissions. However, applicants will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt by email.
• Applicants who sign a contract with a publisher or agent before the 2021 Virtual Writers’ Weekend must withdraw.
• Lindsay Literary Agency together with the Writers’ Weekend will announce the name of the awardee unless they request to remain anonymous (please state this clearly on your submission email if this is the case).
• Any changes to the Terms & Conditions will be posted on the Lindsay Literary Agency’s website.

Submissions not in compliance with the rules will be disqualified.

Please send all entries and enquiries to scholarship@lindsayliteraryagency.co.uk