*Technically, it's 38 hours and 59 minutes to go! 🕑️⌛️⏰️ Either way, time to polish off your writing extract and synopsis because our deadline is TOMORROW! 🚨 Got last-minute questions? 📧 Email us: info@writingeastmidlands.co.uk 📝 Apply here: bit.ly/MENTORING2027

A magical weekend celebrating the Margaret Cavendish Mind Lab project with our Bolsover YWG and sharing their INCREDIBLE creative writing anthology with the local community. 📖 Huge thanks to English Heritage, the National Lottery Fund, Bolsover DC, Tyler Turner, Ellie Sharpe and Emma Birdie. ✍️🫶

LAST WEEKEND TO APPLY! 📢 All you need is an extract of your writing, a synopsis and to answer some quick Q's! 📝 📅 5TH AUGUST 2026 AT 11.59 PM. ➡️ bit.ly/MENTORING2027

Want to win £50 in just 10 minutes? 🤑 Fill out our BIG Writers' Survey to be entered into our prize draw! Whether or not you're in it to win, this is your chance to share your thoughts on our programming. All opinions welcome. Have your say today! ➡️ bit.ly/WRITERSURVEY

FREE writer development programme closing in just ONE WEEK! 📢✍️ What's on offer: a year of 1-1 mentoring with an established writer, access to masterclasses, Writers' Conference 2027 tickets, peer networking sessions and more. Plus SPECIAL BONUSES for poets! 🔗 Apply here: bit.ly/MENTORING2027

Applying to our free writer development programme? The Mentoring Scheme is using a NEW submissions portal: @duotrope.com Applications close in ONE WEEK. Follow our easy step-by-step guide on how to submit yours here* ➡️ bit.ly/DUOTROPE *Also useful for our other competitions and schemes.

Special opportunity for WEM young writers' group members! ✍️ If you are a member of one of our young writers' group, the Speak Easy collective or our WEMterns programme, you can now submit your writing to be published in the Quasar anthology! 📖 Find out more here ➡️ bit.ly/QUASARPRIZE

Happy Pride, Nottingham! 🎉✨️ We'll be in Sneinton Market Avenues alongside Nottingham City of Literature with our stall and LGBTQIAP+ book swap! 📚️ Come along and say hello! 👋

If you're a writer in the East Midlands, I cannot recommend the Mentoring Scheme highly enough. I've met some incredibly talented people and had some fantastic 1-1 sessions with my mentor, which has been especially helpful as I start looking for a literary agent!

Writing East Midlands@writingeastmidlands.com · 2w ago

Closing in less than two weeks! 🚨📢 The Mentoring Scheme is our FREE writer development programme for East Midlands writers. ✍️ Could you be 1 of 10 lucky writers to receive 1-1 mentoring from a published author, Writers' Conference tickets and more? Apply here ➡️ bit.ly/MENTORING2027

Closing in less than two weeks! 🚨📢 The Mentoring Scheme is our FREE writer development programme for East Midlands writers. ✍️ Could you be 1 of 10 lucky writers to receive 1-1 mentoring from a published author, Writers' Conference tickets and more? Apply here ➡️ bit.ly/MENTORING2027

Hey WEM friends! ✍️🧡 Check out these opportunities, competitions and events from around the East Midlands and beyond ✨️ 📖 Bloomsbury's 120th anniversary yearbook! 🩵 Bodacious Sundays hosted by Bobba Cass ✒️ The Overton Poetry Prize 🎭️ Jewish Playwrights Programme 2026/27 buff.ly/WAORp8b

East Midlands writers, you have two weeks to apply! 📢 What our free writer development scheme offers: mentoring from an established writer, access to masterclasses, peer networking, free attendance to The Writers' Conference 2027 and more (inc. bonuses for poets). ✍️ Apply here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMMENTOR

Bring joy back into your writing! ✨️✍️ Award-winning and Carnegie Medal nominated author Emma Pass talks about sustaining a creative practice whilst navigating neurodivergence, disability and chronic illness. For tools you can take take into your creative practice, click here: bit.ly/SYCPBTS

Full details for our queer art competition. 🖌️✨️ Enter your drawings, photos, digital art or graphic design on the theme of Queer Writing for the chance to be published on the front cover of Pulse magazine and win £75. No AI art accepted. 🤖🚫 Extended brief here ➡️ bit.ly/QUEERARTISTS

Our free writer development programme also includes peer network meetings throughout the year. Mentees will have the opportunity to support one another's projects and connect over a shared passion for writing. ✍️📚️ Just over 2 weeks to apply, more info here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMMENTOR

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Aimee Wilkinson as WEM's new CEO. As of October 2026, Aimee will succeed the founding CEO Henderson Mullin, who retires to build an academic life after eighteen years in the role. For the full announcement, click here: bit.ly/WEMAIMEE

An Indian Summer writing workshop & open mic with @mrshay_artist 🎤✨️ Earlier this month we took part in An Indian Summer celebrating South Asian Heritage month @inspirateuk 🙌❤️ Our free workshop took place at Leicester Guildhall with Leicester's first Poet Leaureate, Mr Shay (@mrshay_artist)🖊️📖

Who's going to Notts Pride?! 🙋🌈 We'll be there with Nottingham City of Literature and a big tower of LGBT reads for our queer book swap! 📖📚️ Bring along a book, stop for a chat and find out what we're up to. (P.S. This is a great opportunity to ask us about our queer writing and art comps... 👀)

@writingeastmidlands.com We'd local and would really like you to visit our village where the uncanny and strange is only as remarkable as the weather. www.welcometowillerby.co.uk

Fantastic opportunity for authors and poets from @writingeastmidlands.com! I was honoured to be selected for this mentoring scheme in 2016 and it played a huge role in my writing journey. Full details here: writingeastmidlands.co.uk/for-writers/...

Find out more about the two main Arts Council funds for writers: DYCP and Project Grants! ✍️ With insights from ACE Literature Relationship Manager for the Midlands, Peter Stones; ACE Access Support Team member, Luke Moore; and DYCP recipient, Chloë Clarke. 🎟️ Get your tickets: bit.ly/ACEFUNDING

As part of our free writer development programme, we organise three writing masterclasses throughout the year. ✍️ Topics are chosen by our Mentoring Scheme cohort and their tickets are FREE. 🎟️ Applications for the programme close soon! Find out what else we offer our mentees here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMMENTOR

Open to queer writers across the UK. ✍️🌈 We're offering £50 plus publication in Pulse Magazine to one 500-word prose piece or one 30-line poem. The theme: Queer Euphoria. Find out more here ➡️ bit.ly/QUEERWRITERS Or come say hi to us at our stall at Nottingham Pride on Saturday 25th July! 👋🏳️‍🌈

Teachers, TAs and school librarians! 📢 Did you know that our young writers' prize accepts school entries? Email info@writingeastmidlands.co.uk to find out how to enter your class. 📧 We also have an online Teachers' Pack! For exercises and inspiration, click here ➡️ bit.ly/WEM_SOLSTICE

Hey WEM friends! 👋 🧡 It's time for another Writing Community Spotlight, bringing you the newest opportunities, events and competitions from the East Midlands and beyond ✨️ Check out all of these and more on our Whats On page 🖥️✒️ buff.ly/qQ5BXV3

What can our free writer development programme get you? 🤔 The Mentoring Scheme helps you get your work up to publication standard and navigate the publishing process. ✅️ Plus advice, industry contacts and networking opportunities. Applications close 5th August. Get yours in here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMMENTOR

One month until our free writer development programme closes! ⌛️✍️ Send in your writing extract, one-page synopsis and your answers to the questions listed on our submissions portal. Closing 5th August 2026 at 11.59 pm. Find out more and apply here! ➡️ bit.ly/WEMMENTOR

@alcs_uk WEMTerns Summer Social 🌻✨️ This weekend our WEMTerns gathered at nottmcentrallibrary for the 'Marketing Yourself as a Writer' workshop with @laurieowenmakes 🖊️🖥️ The workshop focused on promoting yourself with a limited budget as an emerging writer 💭 #WEMTerns #WritingEastMidlands

Let's keep Pride going throughout the year! 🌈 Here are some queer writer events and opportunities coming this Autumn. 🍂 ➡️ Write Queer Open Mic, 23rd July at Nottingham Central Library ➡️ Write Queer Issue 3, releasing Autumn 2026 ➡️ I Was A Teenage Bisexual, Autumn 2026 (keep your eye out for info!)

Queer Writers of the East Mids: Dan Webber! ✍️🌈 Dan Webber is an award-winning LGBTQ+ poet, comedian & promoter based in Derby 🏆️🎤 He has performed at festivals and venues across the country including Glastonbury, Edinburgh Fringe and was named BBC Local Poet for Derby in 2016 🎉✨️ buff.ly/IFGjdWg