Writers in Residence 2025
Submission window 2024: Monday 12th February - Thursday 29th February (midnight)
Gladstone’s Library’s competitive Writer in Residence programme provides space and resources for four writers whose work engages with liberal values. By liberal values, we do not mean views aligned with any one political ideology, but rather:
- a commitment to freedom and social justice;
- tolerance and respect of difference;
- open-mindedness coupled with intellectual curiosity;
- generosity of spirit and a willingness to learn from others.
Founded by William Ewart Gladstone in the 1880s, we are committed to maintaining his legacy of engagement with social, moral and ethical questions. We don’t claim to provide the answers but we do offer a comfortable, sociable and stimulating environment where answers may be found. Our Reading Rooms offer unparalleled resources for creative study, including renowned collections of historical, cultural, theological and political materials; several thousand books came from Gladstone’s own library, many containing annotations made by Gladstone himself. We know from his diaries that Gladstone read on average five books a week – any applicants can be sure that our collections have something to offer them.
The connections Gladstone made between the various disciplines he collected helped shape his form of liberalism. Through reflection and writing during their stay, Writers in Residence help us redefine liberal values for the twenty-first century. Their engagement might be critical, supportive or merely observant. Gladstone was a polymath with interests ranging widely across religion, history, social justice and politics from Classical times to what was, for him, contemporary culture. The scope of these four residencies is equally wide and we welcome fiction and non-fiction writers.
Gladstone's Library is unique. It is the only residential library in the United Kingdom. It provides a meeting place dedicated to dialogue, debate and learning for open-minded individuals. The Residency programme is designed to share the Library’s benefits with as many people as we can, broadening the Library’s audience and benefiting from their perspectives in turn. The Library welcomes all, regardless of gender, race, class, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. All Writers in Residence will be at ease with this inclusive ethos.
Four places are awarded to writers working in the English language. We like to support writers as best we can and we know that many cannot simply abscond from regular life for a month. Residencies can therefore be taken in two two-week blocks, and residencies of a single fortnight will also be considered. We are also flexible with dates. Please indicate the length and suggested date of Residency on your application.
Writers at all stages of their career should feel able to apply for a residency. We are proud to say that Residencies have supported some of the finest writers in the English language, whether they won for their tenth book or their very first.
Each residency includes:
- Accommodation in an ensuite room for a period of four consecutive weeks;
- All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner);
- Travel expenses to and from the Library at the start and end of the residency (HMRC mileage allowance or standard bus/train fares within the UK, capped to a limit of £250);
- An honorarium of £100.00 per week.
Each winning author must:
- Attend the official prizewinning ceremony (in 2024 this may be online or in another location, TBC);
- Participate, where possible, in any other publicity events held before or after their residency;
- Respond to media/press enquiries as appropriate and by prior agreement with the Library’s Warden, Andrea Russell;
- Submit two blog posts to the Gladstone’s Library website;
- Lead a creative writing workshop to not more than twenty participants;
- Give an evening talk about any aspect of their writing and/or creative life;
- Abide by the normal terms and conditions for guests staying at Gladstone’s Library.
Terms and conditions:
Please note that all applications should be submitted via our online form. If your work has not yet been published you may submit a manuscript via email at the same time. If your book has been published, please send one hard copy of that book via post to Gladstone's Library (see point 8, below).
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- Along with a single copy of a work published in the last three years (see ‘Eligible texts’, below), entrants must submit via our online form including:
- the title of the work that you are submitting for consideration;
- a one-page CV;
- a 250-word biography;
- a statement about your take on (re)defining ‘liberal values’ (250 words);
- a statement on the work that you plan to do at the Library (250 words);
- a proposal for an evening event and day masterclass (250 words each);
- the length and suggested dates of your residency;
- Please note that we can only accept manuscript titles via email as explained on our online form (see points 8 and 9). All other titles must be submitted by post.
- Eligible texts: Books must be published in the UK. Submitted texts must have been published for the first time in the last three years (2021-2023) or be forthcoming (2024-25). Prose fiction and non-fiction, poetry, screenplays and drama are all eligible for submission. The Residency programme will consider unpublished scripts if submitted with evidence of performance.
- Manuscript submissions: We accept manuscript submissions accompanied by evidence of a contract and publishing schedule. Preference will be given to books due to be published during the relevant year of residency. Only manuscript submissions can be submitted via email (see 8 and 9).
- Authors: Authors may be based anywhere in the world but due to the nature of the residency programme activities, applicants should be able to communicate fluently in English.
- Non-eligible texts: Self-published authors are not eligible for Writer-in-Residence but are supported through other Library programmes. See this page for details.
- Shared residency: The programme has permitted two writers to split a month’s residency. Shared residency submissions should be submitted by both writers.
- Schedule: Judging takes place in August, and winners will be notified by the end of August. The official announcement is made in early September. All winners are invited to a launch event (likely taking place in November/December).
- Entry regulations: Winners agree to take part in publicity activity and abide by Library rules during tenure. Entry is free and limited to one entry per author. You cannot enter under a pseudonym. Due to volume of entries, we will confirm your submission, but detailed correspondence or feedback cannot be offered.
- Postal address: Submissions should be sent to Writer in Residence 2025, Gladstone’s Library, Church Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3DF.
- Email: Only manuscript entries can be submitted via email, clearly marked 'Writer in Residence 2025'. Hard copy books should be posted. All applications should be made via our online form.
- Queries: Queries should be directed to [email protected] only, clearly marked ‘Writer in Residence 2025’. Emails to other addresses will not be redirected.
- GDPR: Submissions will be kept for fourteen months from date of submission.
For further information on how Gladstone's Library can support you please click here.