Useful websites

There are a number of excellent publicly funded organisations in the UK which have helpful websites which can be useful for writers.  Here are a few which are worth a look - their usefulness may extend way beyond the UK writers and literature promoters and professional they are intended for.

National Association for Writers in Education

Their website www.nawe.co.uk gives access to all the activities of the only organisation supporting the development of creative writing of all genres and in all educational and community settings throughout the UK. Through their publications, events and online resources, writers can benefit from the work of their extensive membership network.

They support writers in education, in universities and in the community, and have useful resources, training and job opportunities. NAWE also runs the Artscape directory, which acts as a means of finding out about recommended writers and other artists who can be booked for events and other commissions. It features organisations and individual writers who undertake educational work, covering all artforms and regions.

National Association for Literature Development

This is the professional body for all those involved in developing writers, readers and literature audiences in the UK. It exists so that literature professionals can talk to each other through its newsletter, website and events. The organisation focuses on professional development and training and supports individuals involved in literature development. Once again, there is a mass of other useful information on the site at www.nald.org

Literaturetraining

www.literaturetraining.com concentrates on telling visitors about the wealth of training and professional development opportunities available in the UK. It claims to be a first stop for information on courses, workshops, mentoring, critical appraisal services, conferences and events, jobs, commissions, residencies, competitions, organisations, networks, training providers, books, magazines, and funding for professional development – so it’s certainly worth a look!

Contemporary Writers

Established some time ago by the British Council, www.contemporarywriters.com has now come into its own as a useful resource, as it’s built its excellent author biographies to include over 400 writers. The information includes biographical details, bibliographies, critical reviews, prizes and author photographs. It’s constantly being updated and is searchable by author, genre, nationality, gender, publisher, book title, date of publication and prize name and date.

Being added to its pages may just an aspiration for many unpublished authors, but it’s a really first-rate resource, impeccably maintained and becoming more useful all the time, as new material is added.

CH

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