Our 2021-2022 bursary scheme saw a total of 24 writers benefit from financial assistance across our range of events, editing services and writing courses, and a further 26 writers received invaluable guidance in 2022-23. Read what some of them had to say below.
Find out more about current W&A bursary opportunities and how to apply.
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Editing Services
"I was thrilled to find out I had been selected for a bursary with Writers & Artists. I was able to use the financial assistance for a full book edit of my manuscript, something I could not afford without the help of the bursary. The application process was easy, the communication was excellent and it all happened really fast. I was able to provide a preference for which editor I wanted to use, and Rachel was amazing. I have received lots of excellent ideas and advice to help my manuscript along the way. I would recommend Writers & Artists and their services to everyone, my experience has been excellent." – Amanda, Full Manuscript Review service
"The Writers & Artists team at Bloomsbury offer amazing support to writers at all stages of their career [...] To be given the support and funding for a detailed review of my novel was incredibly important for my ability to keep doing what I love." – Adrian Harris, Full Manuscript Review service
"I finally had the helpful feedback I needed on my submission materials. We went in detail through all of my questions and I felt much more confident about my upcoming pitch. Thank you so much for the opportunity!" – Joana Avi-Lorie, Beat the Rejection Consultation service
"I can’t thank Writers & Artists enough for awarding me this Full Manuscript Review bursary. It gave me such a boost because it meant that someone saw potential in my writing. I was teamed up in a magical partnership with author/editor Sara Starbuck, whose enthusiasm for my story breathed new life into me, and my novel. I’m so delighted to have such positive input and am proud of my shiny, lovingly tweaked manuscript. I hope that Sara’s faith in me and Unspoken is rewarded with me finding an agent soon!" – Dawn Kelly, Full Manuscript Review service
"After two years work on my first novel I was totally worn out but after receiving Alex Hammond's book report I was full of enthusiasm, motivation and raring to go on what I hope will be the last edit. His comments on what I'd done well and what could be improved were spot on." – Kim Brooke, Full Manuscript Review service
"There comes a time when writing a first draft that you inevitably have to show someone the work you've done, which can feel a little (or a lot) daunting. Rachel made the whole experience completely painless, constructive and enjoyable. She pulled out key points to refine my writing without losing a sense of the original work. She also confirmed queries I had and tweaked areas I didn't realise needed tweaking - all while being direct, yet still kind. And, of course as a first time writer this wouldn't have been possible without the support of the bursary team from Writers and Artists who provided a fantastic opportunity." – Chelsea Anderson, Full Manuscript Review service
"It can be so difficult to take critique of your writing when you’ve been working on it for a long time. Imogen helped me pull back and consider how a reader enters my novel, and with structural advice and line by line suggestions gave me what I needed to start another edit to hopefully make a successful agent submission next time. I am so grateful for the bursary because otherwise I would have been stuck not knowing how to move on." – Olivia, Beat the Rejection Consultation service
Events and Courses
"I was fortunate enough to receive a bursary to attend the Writing Spooky Stories for Children by Kenneth Oppel in October. He was really entertaining and practical, covering a wide range of topics and giving us the opportunity to do an activity (I read my piece out, as it seemed only right, after receiving the bursary). He's inspired me to go back and look at my current YA ghost story and rack up the tension way more! Thanks so much to W&A for letting me have this chance." – Alexander Headley-Brown, Writing Spooky Stories for Children masterclass with Kenneth Oppel
"A really supportive and helpful space to explore and develop my skills and approach to writing my children’s book." – Amanda Ball, student on Your Children's Book, a five-week writing course led by Christoper Edge
"Thank you so much for this opportunity – it’s reignited my sense of joy in exploring oddball (fantastic) ideas and given me more tools to write them. I honestly believe I could get a whole book of short stories out of what this course has given me." – Fin Clarke, Writing Magical Worlds course, led by Zoe Gilbert
"It was lovely to have discussions with like-minded people [...] and make use of the designated timeslots to work on personal ideas, then share them with others. I would recommend anyone to attend a W&A event, you won't regret it!" – Tesni Penney, Writing for Children Festival 2022
"The W&A Bursary provided me with an excellent opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and experience of a successful writer in a way I would not otherwise have had access to. I benefited enormously from the Masterclass, gaining valuable insight and inspiration into several genre-bending writing styles and also into the publishing world and the role of the author in the whole process of getting a book from manuscript to market." – Yvonne, masterclass attendee of Writing Weird Fiction with Kirsty Logan
"This is the best writing course I have ever been on. Packed with amazing tips and exercises, I would recommend this course to anyone who is serious about writing for children. I have learned so much and I can't stop writing!" – Kylie Holmes, student on Your Children's Book, a five-week writing course led by Christoper Edge
"The exercises have driven a number of new pieces and the expertise and experience of the tutors was invaluable." – Tony Black, student on Find Your Voice, a five-week writing course led by Natalie Young and Alex Hammond
"The opportunity to hear directly from literary agents, and know exactly what they want to see in a submission, was invaluable knowledge when it came to me hammering together a really good pitch for my novel [...] Being able to distill specifically how writers like me can engage with agents is a vital first step on the ladder of getting published, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the masterclass bursary to any underrepresented writers who are serious about their art form." – Ben Britworth, attendee of Manuscript Submission: Fiction masterclass
"This was such a valuable experience in the lead up to submitting my manuscript. Both of the agents were clear and gave great advice on how to proceed. I now feel like I am armed with all the tools needed to take the next steps in my journey." – Bean Sawyer, attendee of Manuscript Submission: Fiction masterclass
"Interesting sessions with a variety of speakers from the publishing world; from literary agents to independent publishers [...] I had heard previously that when you finish a book the process is really only starting, and that is so true. There is a lot involved in the publishing process for newcomers and the speakers involved really opened my eyes to the world of publishing and also to independent publishing and competitions out there which I hadn't heard about. If you're thinking of applying for a bursary place, just do it!" – Rachel Gordon, attendee of our How to Get Published conference held in partnership with Open University