Literaturetraining
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Literaturetraining is the UK's only dedicated provider of free information and advice on professional development for the literature sector. It was established in 2001 to represent new writing and literature within CreativePeople, a national network of organisations supporting professional development in the arts and crafts. Literaturetraining supports writers and literature professionals at every stage of their career working across the UK. |
In Scotland, it has collaborated with the Scottish Book Trust to set up words@work to provide professional development opportunities for writers across the country.
literaturetraining, who has a staff of two based in Edinburgh, draws on the expertise and experience of its eight partner organisations:
If you're a writer or involved in some way with creating or supporting new writing and literature and are looking for up-to-the-minute information on training and professional development opportunities, or want advice on how to move forward professionally, literaturetraining is on hand to help.
| Its online directory acts as a first stop shop for information on courses, workshops, mentoring, critical appraisal services, conferences and events, jobs, commissions, residencies, competitions, organisations, networks, training providers, books, magazines and funding for professional development. |
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Drawing on over 1,000 information sources and fully searchable, it's an easy way to find what you want in one place, and it's updated daily so the information is always up to the minute. For those without access to the internet, literaturetraining is happy to supply the information in printed format. In autumn 2005, literaturetraining will be introducing a number of new features to the site including a separate jobs and opportunities section with industry news.
With information about 50+ opportunities in every bulletin, this keeps subscribers up to date with what's new on the site and what's going on in the sector in Scotland and across the UK. Subscription is online at the literaturetraining website.
Information overload can be a real problem today - everyone is looking for information shortcuts. Recognising this, literaturetraining is currently developing a range of information sheets and FAQs on key topics relating to creative and professional practice plus specially commissioned 'how I got here' profiles. These will be downloadable from the literaturetraining website. Launching the series in summer 2005 will be an information sheet on funding for professional development, followed closely by information sheets focusing on careers in the literature sector, advice for new writers, information sources for jobs, commissions, and marketing for writers.
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One-to-one information and advice is available from literaturetraining over the phone, by email or letter, and at literature festivals and other events around the country. The literaturetraining staff answer all kinds of professional development queries. |
Not surprisingly, questions about funding and getting published crop up regularly but literaturetraining is happy to tackle any enquiry relating to professional development, however unusual.
Encouraging and supporting professional development planning is a key part of literaturetraining's work. In today's competitive market place, it's vital that writers and literature professionals take the time to invest in themselves and their skills and to plan their professional development. Everyone likes to learn in different ways - the key thing is planning your learning rather than just doing something every now and again. literaturetraining has been successfully piloting one-to-one sessions in Scotland and across the UK helping people to plan their professional development and they will be offering these again as part of the words@work programme towards the end of 2005. They are also developing a self-completion professional development planning toolkit.
literaturetraining aims to be a resource for individuals and organisations who provide professional development support within the literature sector through its information and advice services and by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and expertise. They are always keen to explore ways of working together to support professional development within the sector.
literaturetraining works to raise the profile of professional development through editorial coverage within writers magazines and other means. It is also committed to lobbying for increased funding for professional development, and championing the development of high quality, accessible and relevant training and professional development opportunities for all writers and literature professionals.
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