The £500 prize for young journalists accepts entries until 30 November
THE ORGANISERS of the Ian Bell New Writing Award, set up in honour of the radical Scottish journalist and author who passed away in December 2015, have renewed calls for entries from Scotland’s young journalists as the deadline approaches.
Hilary Horrocks of the Edinburgh NUJ said of the prize: “We are delighted to have received some excellent entries that show the energy and imagination there is out there among aspiring writers, but we’re also sure there’s a lot more out there – so don’t forget to send in your entries by midnight on 30 November 2017, to hilaryhorrocks@btinternet.com.”
Launched in September by the Edinburgh branch of the National Union of Journalists and the family of Ian Bell, the prize seeks entry from journalists aged 30 or under. The prize will be judged by Iain Macwhirter, author and political commentator for The Herald and The Sunday Herald; Melanie Reid, writer and columnist for The Times; and Michael Gray, former reporter for CommonSpace.
“We are delighted to have received some excellent entries that show the energy and imagination there is out there among aspiring writers, but we’re also sure there’s a lot more out there.” Hilary Horrocks of NUJ Edinburgh
Submissions should be unpublished, and should be in what the organisers describe as “the critical spirit of Ian Bell and written in a style – taut, provocative but thoughtful – suitable for online and newspaper publication.”
The subject can be drawn from politics, culture, modern society, history, international affairs, Scotland, or related topics. Each entrant may submit up to two entries, each of between 1,500 and 2,000 words, together with their name, date of birth and place of work or study, if any.
The winner will be announced in early February, and will receive a prize of £500 and publication in Scottish Review of Books.
Those seeking further information should contact Hilary Horrocks at hilaryhorrocks@btinternet.
Picture courtesy of the family of Ian Bell
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