Ian Bell Prize for New Writing

The National Union of Journalists Edinburgh Branch and Ian Bell’s family invite entries by young writers for a new award to commemorate Ian Bell, the radical journalist and author who died in December 2015, and who was a member of our branch.

Entrants should be aged 30 or under at 30 November 2017, and be living, working or studying in Scotland. Submissions should be as yet unpublished. They should be in 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, and can be investigative reporting or informed commentary. Each entrant may submit up to two entries, each of between 1,500 and 2,000 words. Please do not exceed the word limit.

Please submit entries by email, together with your name, date of birth and place of work/study (if any), to [email protected] by 30 November 2017. The judges will be experienced journalists Iain Macwhirter, author and political commentator, The Herald and The Sunday Herald; Melanie Reid, writer and columnist, The Times; and Michael Gray, former reporter for CommonSpace. The winner will be announced in early February, and will receive a prize of £500 and publication in Scottish Review of Books.

For further information please contact Hilary Horrocks, NUJ, at the above email address.

Comments (3)

Leave a Reply to Jo Cancel reply

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  1. Jo says:

    “Ian Bell, the radical journalist..”

    This made me smile. I’d just have called him honest. Then again, I suppose honesty is a radical concept to many journalists these days. The Herald is a wasteland without him. RIP Ian Bell.

  2. Derek says:

    Why do new writers have to be aged under 30? D.

    1. Jo says:

      I think it’s because this is for what they term “new, young writers” Derek. Like you tho I’m happy for new writers to come through no matter what age they are.

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