Word Space 2026-27 is Literature Works’ annual online talent development programme, running from April 2026 to March 2027.  Submissions are open throughout December 2025 to January 2026.  Word Space will support a group of writers from across the South West to develop their work through mentoring from established writers, peer support, industry insight, advice sessions with Literature Works staff, and access to a growing network of writers.

Word Space is for developing practitioners who are serious about their work. Participants are selected through an open process of anonymous submissions.  Participants are invited to set their own creative writing goals at the outset, reviewing and refining during the twelve months of the programme, with support from their mentor and an online peer writer group.

Word Space is delivered online as a digital programme which supports new writing, inclusivity and knowledge exchange in innovative ways. Word Space is produced by Literature Works working with partners who share our focus on inclusive, diverse writer development opportunities, reaching out to underrepresented groups and to underserved, rural locations. The programme provides online spaces for the group to collaborate and feedback, adding to this ongoing one-to-one mentoring and monthly presentations from industry insiders.

Structure

The Word Space 2026-27 group will be structured as follows:

·       Peer Support Writing Group:
- An ongoing feedback and support group using a specially curated Slack space
- Participants can interact, share reading recommendations and post their work in preparation for sessions with their mentors

·       Writing Group Workshopping Sessions on Zoom:

- Facilitated by an established writer, each participant will submit writing for group workshopping feedback at a live session at least twice in the year

- There are four sessions during the year, taking place via Zoom, 7 – 9pm online on the second Tuesday of the month (dates below).

·       Industry Insight Sessions:
- Once per month, Literature Works will host an online industry insight session with partners and other sector professionals (agents, publishers, etc.) 
- These sessions take place from 1-2pm on the second Tuesday of each month

·       One-to-One Mentoring:
- Three scheduled one-to-one mentoring sessions with your assigned mentor
- These take place during set weeks in June, October, and February, Monday-Thursday between 9am and 5pm (dates below).

·       Individual Advice:
- Literature Works will offer each participant the opportunity to book one of our free online Advice Surgeries, focused on topics such as funding sources, networks, social media and online presence

·       In-Person Celebration:
- Hosted at Exeter Custom House in early July (date to be confirmed).
- A chance to network and meet fellow Word Space writers, alumni, and partners, and industry professionals

Key Dates & Session Times

Below is a list of all key dates and session times for the Word Space Programme as outlined above. Attendance and participation in all elements is vital to the success of the programme, both for your own writing development and to support the development of others. We strongly encourage attendance to all sessions.  Please note the dates carefully:

·       Industry Insight Sessions (12 in total):
- 2nd Tuesday of every month, 1pm-2pm, from April 2026 to March 2027

·       Writing Workshopping Sessions
- Tuesday 9th June 2026 7-9pm

- Tuesday 8th September 2026 7-9pm
- Tuesday 8th December 2026 7-9pm
- Tuesday 9th March 2027 7pm-9pm

·       One-to-one mentoring, to be scheduled in conversation with individual mentors:
- Week commencing 8th June 2026, Monday to Thursday, 9am – 5pm  
- Week commencing 12th October 2026, Monday to Thursday, 9am – 5pm
- Week commencing 8th February 2027, Monday to Thursday, 9am – 5pm  

·       In-person celebration at Exeter Custom House:
- May 2026, date TBC

Fee
We prioritise inclusion in everything we do. The fee structure for Word Space is, therefore, subsidised by Literature Works to ensure as many people as possible can participate in the programme.  

The full fee for the year is £660. A concessionary fee of £330 is available to those who qualify under to the Literature Works Concessions and Bursary policy. There is also a limited pot of additional bursary support for people whose financial circumstances would otherwise prevent participation.

We require payment for the programme in advance, but will consider payment by instalment on a case-by-case basis.  We will be in touch with successful applications about paying the fees once the selection process is complete.

How to apply 

Please read the submission criteria below carefully before you start your application.  Submissions will close at midday on Saturday 31st January 2026.

The Details

This is a chance for a selected group of emerging writers living or working in the South West UK to secure a year of support, mentoring and peer feedback from established writers and industry professionals.

To be eligible you must:

·       Live, work or study in the South West region. (If you do not live in the region, you may be asked to provide evidence of your link to the South West.)

·       Be writing creatively in one of four broad genres:
- Short Fiction
- Full-Length Fiction
- Poetry
- Creative Non-Fiction

·       Be looking to develop your writing and take it to the next level

·       Be an emerging writer, or an established writer working in a new genre (for instance, moving from scriptwriting to poetry). You may have had some work published (magazines, online literary journals, competitions) but writing will (most likely) not be your main source of income. Please note: this scheme is not intended for complete beginners to creative writing.

·       Be available to commit to:
- Monthly lunchtime industry insight sessions
- Three one-to-one mentoring sessions with your assigned mentor
- Four evening workshopping sessions

·       Writers who are currently studying creative writing at higher education level are not eligible to apply to take part in Word Space.

Selection criteria:

Submissions will be assessed anonymously based on the following:

·       The quality of your work

·       Evidence of a commitment to writing professionally

·       Demonstrable readiness to participate in the scheme, evidenced by clear writing goals

Deadline and Dates

Submissions will close at midday on Saturday 31st January 2026. No applications will be accepted after this time. Successful applicants will be contacted in late February, and the public announcement will be made in April 2026.

Submitting your application

Please prepare your application as one document, in Word or PDF format.  Please do not include your name on the submission document, as all work will be assessed anonymously.  Please upload your submission through the Literature Works website by midday on Saturday 31st January 2026.

For your application to Word Space, please can submit the following:

1.      A Two-Year Writing History:
This should be a short statement (200 words max) describing your writing in the last two years. This is your opportunity to also tell us about any projects you have been involved in, successes or failures, and how your writing has developed.

2.      Examples of Your Writing:
Up to three examples, totalling no more than 3,000 words, of your creative writing (this is 3,000 words across all three examples, not 3,000 words each). These can be stories, extracts, poems, scenes or creative prose. Please submit these typed: we will not accept images of hand-written work. For poems, please submit up to three separate poems of no more than 40 lines each.

Spoken word artists/performance poets may submit at least one of your examples as an audio or visual file via WeTransfer to info@literatureworks.org.uk.  Please ensure that you adhere to the word count and don’t include or reference your name within the audio/visual file. We will pick up your name and email address from WeTransfer. Please don’t send us links to external sources as applications will be assessed anonymously.

If you need support with your submission, please email info@literatureworks.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

3.      A Statement of Readiness:

A short statement (200 words max) about why you are ready to participate in Word Space now, and what your writing goals will be for the programme.

4.      Partner Nomination:
Literature Works is promoting and delivering Word Space in collaboration with a group of partners who share our focus on writer development, inclusion and diversity.  Each of our partners will select one participant to whom they will offer additional support.

When you send your submission, you have the option to tell us whether you want to be considered for one of these nominated partner places. By doing so, you are giving permission for us to share your submission and your contact details with the partner that you choose. 

Your submission will still go through to the main selection process, but will also connect you with the partner organisation that you have identified. They will then use our set selection criteria to nominate the Word Space participant which they want to support.  The goal of the partnerships is to create a connected network of writer support and development for all applicants. 

Our partners for Word Space 2026/27 are:

·       Artswords – working with readers and writers in Swindon and the surrounding area

·       The Writers’ Block – an innovative creative writing hub, based in Redruth, Cornwall

·       Raise The Bar – showcasing the best of UK and world spoken word poetry

·       ArtfulScribe – supporting writers in Hampshire, Dorset, and the Solent

·       Dialect – supporting writers in rural and edgeland places (based in Stroud, Gloucestershire)

Access needs
Please let us know about any access requirements you may have, and what we can do to help to remove any barriers to your applying for the programme.

Terms and Conditions
Word Space is a development programme during which writers will be offered advice and guidance. We require applicants to fill out an Equality Diversity and Inclusion survey as part of your application. The programme will not publish or represent writers in any capacity.  Copyright, as in all cases with programmes of this nature, remains with the writer. Our decision on the writers selected to be part of the programme is final, and we aren’t able to discuss the outcome of your submission. We regret that we cannot return anything submitted with your application.