Frequently Asked Questions

To apply for a place on the Representing Wales programme, you’ll need to submit:

1. A completed application form

The application form will ask for your personal details, including details which will help us assess eligibility, and information about your career as a writer so far. We’ll also ask about your ambitions as a writer and why you believe the Representing Wales programme could help you at the current stage of your writing career. If you would like to see the application form before you start to fill it out on SurveyMonkey, click here to download a copy.

2. An example of your unpublished creative writing.

The application form will ask you to upload one of the following options:

• 4-6 poems; OR

• A sample of your creative non-fiction manuscript that you wish to develop on this programme (max 1,000 words) OR

• A sample of your fiction manuscript that you wish to develop on this programme (max 1,000 words) OR

• If your work in progress is a graphic novel, we suggest that you upload a summary of the story (synopsis) with your application and email a sample of up to 10 completed storyboard pages (with text and illustrations) to post@literaturewales.org

• If your work-in-progress is performative, we ask that you please note this within your uploaded document. Alternatively, we welcome video submissions of creative work, no longer than two minutes in length, which can be sent via a WeTransfer link to post@literaturewales.org

For the 2025-26 programme, we welcome creative writing submissions aimed at an adult audience.

Eligible genres include:

• Poetry
• Fiction (novels, short stories, novellas)
• Creative non-fiction (including memoir, biographies, social history, travel writing)
• Graphic novels
• Spoken word and/or rap

Please note that the following are ineligible, and will not be supported by this year’s Representing Wales programme:  Scripts for TV, Film and Theatre; Oral Storytelling; Academic writing; Writing for children and/or young adults; Translations.

If you are unsure whether your creative work is eligible or not, please contact us on post@literaturewales.org to chat with a member of staff.

Literature Wales believe that writing for children and young people is incredibly important. With a cohort of only 14 writers taking part each year, we want to ensure that our training offer is as targeted as possible. To avoid spreading expertise too thinly, we will (as we did with the 2023-24 programme) dedicate a whole year to developing children and young people’s literature in the near future.

In the meantime, other excellent programmes in Wales have been established for emerging writers in the genres of children and YA writing, such as Firefly’s Ignite and Mudiad Meithrin’s AwDUra programmes.

If your work-in-progress is a graphic novel, we suggest sending a 1-page summary of the story and a sample of up to 10 completed storyboard pages (with text and illustration) by email to post@literaturewales.org.

If you are a spoken word artist and would prefer to send a video performance of your original creative work, we ask that you please send a WeTransfer link to post@literaturewales.org. Video submissions should be a maximum of two minutes in length.

Please note that alongside these email submissions of your creative work, you will also need to complete and submit an application form.

The closing date for applications for the 2025-26 Representing Wales programme is: 12.00 pm midday, Thursday 10 October 2024

We are committed to helping to nurture a literary culture that truly represents the diversity of our population in Wales.

This year, we will be welcoming applications from writers who come from under-represented backgrounds. We are particularly looking to support writers who identify as one or several of the following:

– Deaf and/or hard of hearing

– From a low-income background*

*Our criteria for low-income background include individuals who were eligible for free school meals or whose parents were in low-paid jobs, unemployed, or receiving benefits (including disability allowances) when applicants were 14 years old.

– Belonging to the Gypsy, Roma and/or Traveller communities

–LGBTQIA+

–Neurodivergent*

*This includes, but is not limited to: Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette Syndrome and OCD.

– Individuals from Black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds

– Individuals who identify as disabled or who have a long-term health condition *

* i.e., has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months and has an adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

We appreciate that there are other individuals and communities without adequate representation in the literature sector, and there will be writers who don’t identify with the categories above. There will be an opportunity for applicants to explain in their own words why they believe they are eligible to apply.

Applicants must be over the age of 18 and must be resident in Wales at the time of application and throughout the 12-month programme. We also welcome writers applying to develop work through the medium of Welsh who are living outside of Wales.

We regret that the programme is not open for full time students nor employees of Literature Wales and its funders or those who have previously been part of the Representing Wales programme.

If you are unsure whether you are eligible or not, please contact us on post@literaturewales.org to chat with a member of staff.

Please get in touch with us on post@literaturewales.org to discuss your situation with a member of the Literature Wales team.

This opportunity is mainly for emerging, early career, and mid-career writers.

Everyone will have a different definition of what emerging, early or mid-career is, and where they believe themselves to be on their journey as a writer. As a guideline, applicants:

• Should not currently have representation from a literary agent
• Should not have previously published a full-length collection of poetry or a manuscript in the genre/language in which they are applying. However, we welcome more experienced writers who are venturing into a new genre or a new language.

The Assessment Panel will be looking at applicants’ potential, ambition, and originality. If you are unsure if this is the right programme for you at this stage of your writing career, please get in touch to discuss with a member of the Literature Wales team.

Yes, self-published writers can apply as long as the work submitted with your application is currently unpublished.

Representing Wales is a bilingual programme, and we welcome applications from Wales-based writers who write in Welsh and/or English. Writers who are new to writing in Welsh but who are interested in getting started are very welcome, as are writers who enjoy experimenting with both languages in their creative work.

All events will be delivered through the medium of English or Welsh, depending on the language preference of the cohort. Simultaneous interpretation will be on offer where required.

If you write creatively in any other language, we will try and assist by pairing you with a suitable Mentor who is also fluent in that language.

Please note that we can only assess creative writing examples submitted for the application process in Welsh or English. If you submit original creative work in another language, you will also need to submit a translation of the work into Welsh or English.

Literature Wales have paired up with the National Centre for Learning Welsh to encourage our writers to start, or continue, their journeys to learning Welsh. If this is of interest to cohort members, more information will be provided at the beginning of the programme.

Yes, you can – we want the programme to be open to as many eligible writers as possible.

Your application will be assessed by an independent panel of experts who will assess:

• The creative potential and quality of the writing submitted, as well as the originality

and freshness of ideas and voice outlined in your work.

• The suitability of this programme for you as a writer at this stage of your career

Profile Screening

Every application will be checked by the Literature Wales team to ensure that the writer is eligible for the programme. 

Please note the information provided in your application is confidential and will be used for internal assessment purposes only. 

The Panel Chair will sift the eligible applications and select a shortlist for the full Assessment Panel to consider.  

The Assessment Panel will assess all shortlisted applications separately and award a mark to each applicant against set criteria looking at the potential and quality of your submitted creative writing excerpt, as well as the suitability of this programme for the needs you have articulated. The final decision will take place during a Panel meeting where the 14 successful writers will be selected.

Our remit as a bilingual, national organisation commits us to making sure that a range of writers can access our opportunities. The Assessment Panel may also consider linguistic and geographical balance, and representation when selecting applicants.

The Assessment Panel is made up of four individuals who have expertise in a variety of creative genres and the publishing industry in Wales and beyond.

Details about who is on the 2025 Panel will be revealed in a few weeks.

There are 14 places available on the 2025-26 Representing Wales programme. 

As we are expecting a high number of applications, we may not be able to provide detailed feedback for each applicant. However, we are committed to providing a short, personalised line of feedback to each applicant and where relevant, advise on other opportunities Literature Wales and partners may have available. 

We are aware that correspondence regarding unsuccessful applications can have a negative impact on your health and well-being. We give our pledge to respect and value each individual application, giving it due consideration and attention.  

All applicants will be invited to a free online session in April 2025, and are welcome to join any of our free public online sessions which form part of Literature Wales’ wider writer development programme.

Literature Wales is committed to facilitating a thorough, caring, and detailed assessment process. To ensure that the Assessment Panel have enough time to review every application and assess the creative works, and for Literature Wales staff to provide helpful feedback and signposting, we expect that all applicants will be informed of the Assessment Panel’s decision by the end of February 2025.  

Representing Wales is a 12-month programme which aims to help writers achieve their long-term ambitions. Each year, we provide a bespoke development programme to writers who are under-represented in Wales’ literary culture.

The programme includes:

• A bursary of £3,000
• A travel and ticket fund
• An intense training programme on craft and on professional career development featuring world-renowned writers as tutors and guest speakers including online writing rooms and writing masterclasses, one of which will be a residential weekend at Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre
• A personal mentor
• Regular opportunities for the cohort to share creative work and feedback
• Networking opportunities throughout the year, online and in person
• Dedicated support from Literature Wales including advice, signposting and identifying opportunities
• A bespoke aftercare programme

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to co-create elements of the programme with the Literature Wales team, by suggesting speakers, tutors and themes during their onboarding meetings.

Absolutely. All successful writers will receive an initial onboarding meeting to discuss their individual needs. Writers also are invited to share their access riders with us, or we can support you to create one. Literature Wales staff are committed to working with writers to ensure you can fully participate in the programme.

Most of the activities will be delivered virtually in the evenings or on weekends. We will work with the cohort to identify convenient times and dates for all. We estimate that we will organise activities and set tasks that will require between 10-12 whole days of your time during the year, but many of these events will be scheduled to avoid clashing with office hours. It’s up to you how many extra hours you will then be able to allocate towards developing your own creative writing projects during the year. 

We expect every member of the cohort to attend all events. The cohort will be sent a schedule with dates for events to help them plan. If something urgent prevents a writer from attending, Literature Wales will aim to record the session to ensure that you can watch these later. The team at Literature Wales are always on hand to support the writers and help ensure that all members of the cohort benefit from the programme.  

Successful applicants will be invited to welcome meeting in March 2025. The programme of events will start at the beginning of April 2025 and end in March 2026. At least one event per month will take place. 

Writers will schedule 4 one-to-one sessions with their personal Mentor to meet face-to-face (if the mentor lives close by) or virtually, at a time/date that suits them. 

After the 12-month programme, we will continue to offer support to the cohort by checking in, offering advice, and inviting the writers to further networking and training opportunities. The programme is a long-term investment in the writers’ development. 

Most of the programme’s core activity (e.g., writing rooms) will be delivered online to ensure everybody can attend, regardless of their location. The programme will also include at least one residential weekend at Tŷ Newydd – our national writing centre based in Llanystumdwy, Gwynedd.

You’ll have access to a ticket and travel budget to spend on your journey to Tŷ Newydd, and on tickets for additional courses, literary events and festivals of your choice.  

Of course. The Literature Wales team are available to discuss any concerns and requirements before and throughout the programme. Please get in touch with us. An Access Fund is available to enable full participation in events for writers with disabilities or illnesses who may have additional access requirements. 

For information about accessibility at the Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre, please click here.  

We will work with you to set achievable goals at the beginning of the programme, and help you achieve them. One of your aims should be related to developing your current work-in-progress during the programme. The writing rooms will give you the chance to share your work with the cohort and you may wish to use these informal meetings as a personal goal to produce work each month. There will also be opportunities throughout the year to discuss your progress and catch up with a Literature Wales staff member, as well as a dedicated check in session halfway through the programme.

Our website provides information about the opportunities we have available to help writers develop their craft and careers. Alternatively, please contact us to discuss your individual needs. Where possible, we will signpost writers to other opportunities within the literature sector.