The Scottish Wildlife Trust has launched a national competition encouraging new works of nature writing focusing on Scotland’s wildlife and wild places as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations.
With a rich history of storytelling, Scotland’s natural world has provided inspiration for countless writers, from Robert Burns and Nan Shepherd to Mara Menzies, Mairi Hedderwick and Kathleen Jamie. The Scottish Wildlife Trust has launched the Words of the Wild competition to encourage more people to connect with nature through storytelling.
Pete Haskell, Head of Communications and Engagement at the Trust, said: “The variety of wildlife and landscapes in Scotland provide no end of creative inspiration, from rugged Highland peaks where the elements are felt acutely, to the stillness experienced deep within a native woodland or the excitement of seeing a new bird in your garden. Through this competition, we hope that people will reflect on some of their experiences of nature and, by telling these stories, inspire others to venture out in search of their own wild encounters.”
The competition, which has an adult and a junior category, is open for submissions of up to 1,000 words in English, Scots or Gaelic until 31 August 2024. Writing can be in the form of poetry, short stories, journalistic articles, essays, letters or even song lyrics. A judging panel including young author and ornithologist, Dr Mya-Rose Craig, and broadcaster and Trust ambassador, Stephen Jardine, will select winners in each category, with prizes worth over £1,200.
Author and poet Susi Briggs, another of the competition’s judges and the Galloway Scots Scriever, said: “Sharing oor stories bring healin tae oorsels and tae others. I’m looking forward tae exploring these treasured reflections of nature.“
The winners of the competition will be announced in November at a Scottish Wildlife Trust event at the Scottish Parliament hosted by Alison Johnstone MSP. Prizes include a pair of Osprey ED binoculars from Viking Optical, vouchers for wildlife equipment from NHBS and an environmental book subscription from The Mainstreet Trading Company.
For full details of the competition, including the submission form, click here.
Words of the Wild competition guidelines
- Submissions can be poems, journalistic articles, essays, letters, song lyrics or a short story.
- Entries can be fiction or non-fiction (i.e. imagined or real) but we are not looking for fantasy writing (so no imaginary animals) or writing about domesticated or farm animals. Entries must be connected to the native wildlife of Scotland.
- Submissions should be no more than 1,000 words and must be an original piece of work that isn’t published anywhere else and has not been entered into other competitions.
- Entries are limited to one per person.
- Submissions must be sent (online or by post) before midnight on the 31 August 2024.