The Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary
Announcing a new writing opportunity.
Hello! I’m thrilled to announce the launch of the Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary. Read on to find out about this new initiative, and how to apply.
The Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary
Freelance writers are known for having many different strings to their bow, but exploring a new creative direction takes a leap of faith and often a big investment. I’m no stranger to pivoting in my freelance writing career and I’m taking yet another new turn this year. It’s always hard.
The Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary has been created for freelance writers looking to make a change and move towards a new writing format, niche, or project.
You might be a travel writer working on collection of poetry, or a fashion journalist with an eye on copywriting. Maybe you’re looking to change beats in your freelance news reporting. Whatever avenue you want to take this year, the Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary can help you with one of the most important elements of a career shift: time.
The bursary will award one writer a £400 voucher for a stay at Gladstone's Library in Hawarden – the UK’s only residential library.
The bursary winner will also receive a lifetime subscription to the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter. Three shortlisted writers will be awarded annual subscriptions to the newsletter.
Entries are open to paid newsletter subscribers only (you may cancel your subscription at any time after entering, paying only £5 for one month’s subscription). Entrants may be based anywhere in the world, but please note that travel costs are not included in the bursary.
If you are unable to pay for a subscription, there are also 30 free applications available for low-income writers based in the UK. You can read more about these below.
To apply, fill out the entry form with a writing sample of no more than 800 words by the closing date – midday (UK time), 28th February. The short form asks for more information about your writing career and the new direction or project you wish to focus on. You must be a practicing freelance writer to apply – some of your income in the last twelve months must have come from freelance writing. This can be any amount, in any form.
The bursary is specifically for a shift into another form of writing, not an entirely different creative pursuit. You might be a poet looking to move into travel writing, but this bursary cannot be used to launch a sideline as a potter or jazz performer. Your application should reflect this.
Entries will be read anonymously by a small team of journalists and editors. The judging criteria is based on writing skill, originality, expertise and how your freelance career would directly benefit from being awarded the bursary in 2025.
All writers will be emailed about the outcome before an announcement is made, and while the longlist won’t be published, you will be informed if you have made this stage of the process. A shortlist and the eventual winner will be announced in the newsletter in early April.
About Gladstone’s Library
Gladstone’s Library is the UK’s only residential library, just a short journey from Chester train station. The library has played such an important part in my writing career – I book a stay whenever I start working on something new. The £400 voucher for the bursary winner is valid for 12 months, and covers your choice of accommodation and food. It’s entirely flexible so you can choose to stay over a weekend, off-season, or have family join you – whatever you need to write.
Who’s reading your submissions?
All entries to the Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary will be read anonymously by editors, journalists, poets, and authors based in the UK. This brilliant team of writers will decide the longlist and from there, the shortlist and ultimate winner will be selected by me, Sian Meades-Williams – award-winning freelance writer, poet, professional direction changer, and founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter.
Here are some of the writers reading your entries: Meera Dattani, Aki Schilz, Anna Codrea-Rado and the brilliant Society of Freelance Journalists team – Caroline Harrap, Laura Oliver and John Crowley.
Essential dates
Applications open: 27th January
Closes: midday, 28th February
All entrants will be contacted by: 31st March
Shortlist and winners announced in the newsletter: early April
Low income entries
For writers unable to take out a paid FWJ subscription to apply for the bursary, there are 30 low-income entries available for UK-based writers. These will be distributed on a first-come first-serve basis, with no questions asked. Do make sure you’ve read all of the terms and taken a look at the entry form that so you know that you’re ready to apply this year. Please don’t apply before emailing about a slot.
To request an entry, just send a short email (we’re all busy, please no more than 100 words) to sian@sianmeadeswilliams.com.
Supporting the bursary
I’m funding the first bursary myself. To support the bursary in future years, choose the ‘Pay it Forward’ subscription option when you subscribe. This costs £120 and the fee will not only help fund the bursary, it will also cover the cost of annual subscription for an underrepresented or low-income writer. You’ll also receive annual membership to the newsletter with all of its perks.
Any questions?
Got a question that isn’t answered here or in the terms below? Drop me a line - sian@sianmeadeswilliams.com.
Conditions and eligibility
Entries open 27th January and must be received by noon, 28th February.
Late entries will not be accepted, no correspondence will be entered into about this after the closing date. With this in mind, please do not leave your entry to the last minute.
Entry is only open to paying subscribers of the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter. You may cancel your subscription with Substack at any time after entering, paying just £5 for one month’s subscription.
Requesting a refund from Substack after entering will disqualify your entry.
Entries may not be edited after submission. Only one entry per person.
Entries created using AI are ineligible. Work entered must be your own, as a sole author. You cannot enter on behalf of another writer.
You must already be a freelance writer to apply for this bursary – at least some of your income in the last twelve months must have come from freelance writing.
The bursary is for a shift into another form of writing which can cover any genre or format, but it cannot be used for an entirely different creative pursuit.
Entries are open from writers anywhere in the world but travel expenses will not be covered.
The bursary prize is £400 voucher for a stay at Gladstone's Library, to be used within twelve months. The winner will also receive a lifetime subscription to the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter. Three shortlisted writers will receive an annual subscription to the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter. All winners will be named in the newsletter.
There is no cash alternative to the prize and it may not be transferred. Writers must pay for their own travel to the library.
The bursary prize is organised by Sian Meades-Williams – creator of Freelance Writing Jobs – independently of Gladstone's Library. The bursary is not running in conjunction with the library’s own excellent awards.
Entries will be read by industry experts anonymously, using criteria of writing skill, originality, expertise and how the writer’s freelance career would directly benefit from the bursary in 2025.
All entrants will be contacted by 31st March before being announced in the newsletter in April. The published schedule may be altered if necessary.
The judge’s say is final. No feedback can be given on individual applications.
You retain all rights to your work upon submission. No submitted work will be published by Freelance Writing Jobs or Gladstone’s Library.
All applications and contact details will be deleted after 90 days of the bursary announcement.
By submitting your application you are agreeing to these terms.
I'm Sian Meades-Williams. I'm a freelance writer, author, and poet, and I was the winner of the 2022 Yeovil Literary Prize. My book The Pyjama Myth: the Freelance Writer's Survival Guide will make you a better, happier freelancer and it’s out now.
Best of luck with your submissions!