To launch the 2015 application season for the Northern Writers’ Awards, which TLC supports with its Free Reads bursary scheme, regional writing organisation New Writing North toured four northern cities to meet writers thinking of entering the awards, or who just want more information about them. TLC was represented in Manchester by Director Rebecca Swift, who dispensed ‘kind words and sage advice’ and spoke about writing, editing and submissions alongside previous New Writing North Free Read winner Stacey Sampson, and Faber New Poet Zaffar Kunial. We look forward to helping support more talented writers through this scheme in 2015. Further details about the Arts Council-funded Free Read scheme, which aims to provide free access to professional editing services to low-income, talented writers across the UK, can be found here.
‘My feedback from TLC was startling – In a nutshell, my reader advised that I could afford to cut 10,000 words from the book. Eek. It took a good while for the rest of their detailed critique to sink in, but when I revisited my manuscript a few months later (after a break to give birth!) it all suddenly made sense – A ruthless edit began.’ – Stacey Sampson, Northern Writers’ Award Winner
You can read about Stacey’s journey to finding her agent, via competitions, submissions, and a TLC Free Read, here.
