A Writing Chance report calls on publishing to better support lower-income writers

A new report evaluating the impact of A Writing Chance, a scheme supporting emerging writers from underrepresented and lower income backgrounds, has highlighted the barriers facing writers and made recommendations to the publishing and media industries to ensure representation.

The UK-wide initiative was launched in February 2021 and delivered by New Writing North, with research from Northumbria University, to “better understand the barriers to success faced by aspiring writers from a broad range of backgrounds who are underrepresented in the industry”.

It was co-funded by actor Michael Sheen and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, with support from the Daily Mirror and New Statesman. Eleven writers were identified for the scheme, and some wanted to specialise in journalism and non-fiction, others in fiction. Each writer received a bursary of £2,000 to support their participation in the programme.

Over nine months, each writer worked closely with an industry-based mentor; had the opportunity to write for the New Statesman and the Daily Mirror; had their work broadcast on BBC Sounds; developed longer work for submission to other outlets, including literary agents, prizes and publishers; and attended a series of webinars, masterclasses and networking events.

At the end of the scheme, three participants signed with a literary agent; one participant achieved a two-book deal following a three-way auction; three participants won or were shortlisted for awards; four participants received paid commissions from national publications; and three participants received further funding to develop writing projects.

Now, an analysis of the application and participant data and survey answers conducted by Professor Katy Shaw of Northumbria University, and published by New Writing North, has identified common barriers to success for writers and has recommended a range of measures that can be adopted across the writing industries to overcome them. The A Writing Chance report will be formally launched at the London Book Fair on 20th April at 3 p.m. at a session entitled "Championing Underrepresented Voices: A Writing Chance". Claire Malcolm, c.e.o. of New Writing North, writer Mayo Agard-Olubo, Ellen Peirson Hagger, assistant culture editor at New Statesman, and Shaw will be in discussion about the scheme and report. 

Of the 744 applicants to the scheme, Shaw identified five key barriers: knowledge and permission to access the industry; lack of networks; geographical access; money, taking risks, and the precarity of writing; and lack of confidence. Other barriers identified were also home and family life, age, health and disability, intersectionality and the impact of the pandemic.

One entrant said: “I don’t know where you get in, or how you get in, or once you get in what’s on the other side of the in. If there is a door to go through, I don’t know where the door is, or how to get to it, and if I do find it, I haven’t got a key.” another wrote: “Being from a lower-income background means that it’s difficult to take risks. Attending expensive courses or going on work experience is out of my reach. I’m from a town that’s hours away from any city with opportunities …it’s five hours away from London.

“The writing jobs I’ve seen seem precarious, and being from a lower-income background means that taking a three-month contract in London just to find nothing to follow it up would put me in a financial hole."

All of the participants on the A Writing Chance programme felt they had more knowledge of how the industry works following their involvement with the scheme, however, following the programme, at least four of the 11 participants suggested that the 47% of original applicants who selected the statement “a job in these industries was not attainable for someone from my background” were right.

Grace Quantock, A Writing Chance participant, said: “Substantially, I feel much more understanding about the industry. Unfortunately, that includes the barriers and how difficult, to impossible, it would be for me to work full time as a writer and make a living.”

Shaw made five recommendations to creative organisations. The first was the gathering of data. She wrote: “While social class remains excluded from the list of protected characteristics in the 2010 Equalities Act, the lack of class diversity in the creative industries remains a pervasive issue. We recommend that organisations adopt a metric to identify the class background of employees and potential employees in workforce and recruitment data.”

Mentoring was also identified as “professional networks need to be more easily available to those who don’t come from privileged backgrounds". It added: “Mentoring can play a part in helping to address this. Publishers and media groups should make mentoring opportunities available to a targeted number of people from working-class backgrounds each year.”

Moreover, the report states: “Working-class writers would benefit from an identifiable network which would support them with information, highlight opportunities, and build confidence. The network should be supported by a comprehensive website for information, advice, job adverts, commissions, development opportunities and free digital events."

It also recommends a structured system of guaranteed publication opportunities for working-class writers, as “a publication track record is key to getting a foot in the door and gaining the confidence of future commissioners” and collaboration. 

It states: “Many individual organisations have time-limited schemes to address the lack of diversity in their organisations, not all of which result in jobs or publication. The cross-sectoral approach of A Writing Chance has the potential to address systemic change and we recommend that this approach is further explored. A Challenge Fund created by a major funder could match fund projects, thus levering in a range of resources, expertise, and publication and production opportunities.”

Shaw said: “Writing and publishing are the core supply line to the UK creative industries. From the page and the stage to the silver and small screen, writing defines us and what we can be. But we can’t capture our national story if we only listen to some of the voices. Everyone benefits — culturally, socially and economically — when our writing and publishing industries are defined by a commitment to inclusivity, access and representation.

“This programme evaluation demonstrates the impact, reach and culture change that can be achieved through targeted interventions co-created and delivered in partnership by cross-sector groups to addressed as a shared challenge. I look forward to building on the learning in this report as we gear up for phase two with the shared ambition of making writing a career and an industry that is by all and for all going forwards.” The full report can be read here. It will be launched at an event at the London Book Fair today.