Creative Writing Lead Readers; Book

Posted on: 27th May, 2026.
Closing date: 29th June, 2026

Apply by Monday 29 June for this paid opportunity for writers.

Open Book is a charity which runs accessible shared reading and creative writing sessions across Scotland for a diverse range of participants, and they are looking to start some new groups.

In Open Book creative writing sessions, guided by the Lead Reader, the group will read short poems/stories together and use them as a springboard to create new pieces of their own (writing individually and sometimes as a group).

Open Book would like to find new communities to serve with Open Book sessions. They are looking for five new Lead Readers to pilot new Open Book groups based in Scotland with populations or in geographical locations they don’t currently serve. Open Book is looking to offer new communities the chance to enjoy the relaxed, inclusive space of a creative writing session.

‘Communities’ could mean your local area, or it could mean people with a shared identity, experience or interest. They want you to be connected to the community who will attend your group, and to have a good understanding of how shared reading and creative writing could work for them.

Each of the pilot groups will run for five sessions between September 2026 – February 2027. Open Book are particularly looking to increase their support of multicultural groups in Scotland but other than that are looking for your suggestions of places and populations for a new Open Book group.

As part of your application, Open Book asking you to link up with a host organisation – the place where you’ll hold your sessions or a partner organisation that supports the community you’d like to work with. This could be a library, a community centre, a theatre, a charity, a bookshop… you’ll know what support your community needs, and where your community will feel most confident attending.

Open Book are looking for Creative Writing Lead Readers with an equivalent level of publication experience as Scottish Book Trust Live Literature database authors. The fee for running each of the five pilot sessions is £220.
Open Book will also support training costs at a rate of £30 per hour for up to 2 hours, provide a budget for supplies required to run sessions and will support Lead Readers with a choice of reading materials for use in sessions. You’ll receive training in running sessions to the Open Book model, and will have access to administrative support from the team.