Ellah Wakatama Allfrey, OBE. Photographed by Charlie Hopkinson at Rye Books, London.

The Literary Consultancy (TLC) has launched a new scholarship aimed at providing “writers on low-income and/or from communities currently under-represented in publishing” with editorial mentorship and year-long access to TLC’s Chapter and Verse mentorship program.

The 2020 scholarship is open exclusively to Black British writers and includes the mentorship of none other than Ellah P. Wakatama!

Readers will recognize Wakatama as Chair of the AKO Caine Prize, 2015 Man Booker Prize Judge, and former deputy editor of Granta magazine and senior editor at Jonathan Cape, Random House. Wakatama was also named Brittle Paper’s African Literary Person of 2019.

Read the application details below for the chance to work with Africa’s publishing legend!

Application submissions open at 9:00 a.m. Monday August 3rd 2020, and close at 12:00 p.m. (midday) Friday August 21st 2020.

How to apply to the Chapter and Verse Scholarship 2020

Please send the following documents to TLC’s Mentoring Co-ordinator Joe Sedgwick at [email protected] with the subject header ‘Chapter and Verse Scholarship’ between 9am Monday August 3rd and 12pm (midday) Friday 21st August 2020.

  • 2,000 word sample
  • One-page synopsis
  • A short covering letter outlining why you would benefit from mentorship at this stage of your writing life.

Please note: the Chapter and Verse Scholarship 2020 is open exclusively to Black British writers. We particularly encourage applications from Black British writers on low income, with a disability, or with caring responsibilities. 

Each TLC Scholar will have access to TLC’s Chapter and Verse Premium mentoring programme, which includes:

  • Seven one-to-one sessions with an industry mentor
  • A full manuscript assessment of the completed book
  • An industry day with an editor and literary agent
  • A full suite of TLC mini guides on aspects of writing craft
  • A TLC Writer’s Notebook and rollerball pen
  • A tree planted in the National Forest in their name
  • 25% off TLC events for 12 months.

The Chapter and Verse Scholar will additionally receive one year’s free access to TLC’s new Being A Writer programme, an online membership community that focuses on cultivating creativity and building resilience, with online courses, downloadable resources, and ‘Creativity Pills’, mini creativity boosters curated in partnership with the Poetry Pharmacy.

The TLC Scholarship is funded by The Literary Consultancy.