Looking for a publisher? Hoping to supplement your income with events or creative facilitation? Want to sharpen your skills in a particular genre?

We’re here to help writers confidently navigate this landscape and connect with the right people, whatever their goals may be.

Below, you’ll find an overview of how various literature organisations in Wales support the sector. This isn’t an exhaustive list, so we encourage you to explore each organisation’s website to learn more about what they offer. You can find more detailed information about the remit and activity of each organisation as well as links to their websites and contact details here: Organisations of Interest.

If you have a specific question, our comprehensive FAQ section is a great place to start. And if you still need help, don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re always happy to assist by phone or email.

Writers

• Development and training: Literature Wales runs creative writing courses at Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre, offers online resources, a free programme of webinars, and year-long development programmes (including Representing Wales, Writing Well, Pencerdd). They also partner on additional schemes (including Hay Writers at Work, Cwrs Olwen).
• Funding: Arts Council of Wales funds individuals via Creative Steps and Create; Wales Arts International (which is the Arts Council of Wales’ international agency), provides funding for artists to develop work internationally.
• Opportunities: Literature Wales publishes an online list of rolling and one-off opportunities and maintains directories of groups and organisations.
• Advice: Literary organisations are happy to advise writers over the phone or on email. Literature Wales specialises on advising writers on the opportunities and services available to them in order to reach writing goals, whilst the Books Council of Wales can give impartial advice to authors who wish to get in touch with a publisher.

Publishing and book trade

• Grants and commissioning: The Books Council of Wales offers grants to publishers to support the production of books and magazines, in Welsh and English. Funding is also available for publishers to commission authors, employ creative editors and marketing officers, and for some book marketing initiatives. They don’t provide grants directly to writers.
• Distribution and retail support: The Books Council of Wales also support the book trade. They distribute books across Wales and have a dedicated sales team who visit bookshops and facilitate orders. They also offer specialist editing, design, and marketing services.

Promotion and awards

• Ambassadorial roles: Literature Wales runs and delivers the National Poet of Wales, Children’s Laureate Wales and Bardd Plant Cymru initiatives. These writers advocate for Welsh literature, write commissioned poems, perform at events, run community projects and more.
• Major prizes: For writing from and about Wales, Literature Wales runs the Wales Book of the Year Awards, whilst the Books Council of Wales runs the Tir na n-Og Awards and the Mary Vaughan Jones Award.
• International promotion: Wales Literature Exchange and Literature Across Frontiers support translation and international partnerships, and offer platforms for authors and translators.
• Directories: Literature Wales runs a writer directory for event organisers, schools and libraries.

Children and young people

• Ambassadorial roles: Literature Wales runs and delivers the Children’s Laureate Wales and Bardd Plant Cymru initiatives.
• Writing programmes: Literature Wales runs the National Writing Squad for 16-18 year olds. It also supports and advises organisations to develop their own Writing Squad for children and young people of all ages. Hay Festival runs the Scribblers Tour, and Swansea University run DylanED.
• Reading initiatives: The Books Council of Wales runs Summer Reading Challenge, BookSlam, World Book Day’s Welsh book scheme and teacher workshops; BookTrust Cymru runs Bookstart, Pori Drwy Stori, Letterbox Club and Big Welsh Rhyme Time.
• Events and Funding: There are many events and festivals for Children and Young People, with many listed on Literature Wales’ What’s On page. Literature Wales offers funding and assistance to schools, libraries and others to organise literary activities for children and young people through its Inspiring Communities Fund.
• Schools: Books Council of Wales work with teachers and learning practitioners to support them to embed reading for pleasure in the classroom.  Literature Wales develops resources for teachers to support creative Writing activities. Literature Wales also provides funding for workshops through its Inspiring Communities Fund

Working with Communities

• Funding for Events: Literature Wales can offer funding of up to 75% of a writer’s fee via the Inspiring Communities Fund. Larger festivals can apply to Arts Council of Wales’ Create Fund.
• Libraries: Books Council of Wales partners with libraries to widen access, running author visits, the Summer Reading Challenge, Reading Well series, and providing promotional materials.
• Bookshops: Books Council of Wales distributes books to bookshops, and also offers support and advice to retailers. They offer grants for outreach, enabling bookshops to host events or attend fairs and eisteddfodau. Both the Books Council of Wales and Literature Wales provide promotional assets for special events and campaigns.
• Special Projects: Literature Wales runs special projects with community groups across Wales, for instance Lit in Place and Writing Well activities.