The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) has unveiled an innovative new programme offering writers a chance to craft their next masterpiece in the seaside sanctuary of Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo’s Ramsgate cottage, per thebookseller.com.
The initiative, dubbed the Scriptorium Awards, aims to provide professional writers with month-long residencies in an environment dedicated to creative focus.
“Many writers don’t have a dedicated writing room to themselves,” says Evaristo, current RSL President. “There might be financial or family demands that are challenges to completing writing projects.”
The programme emerges at a crucial time, as recent RSL census data reveals that while 86% of Fellows consider writing their primary occupation, two-thirds do not derive their main income from it.
The situation is even more challenging for poets, with only 38% reporting poetry as their primary source of income. These statistics underscore the pressing need for support systems within the literary community.
The residency programme specifically targets “professionally active” writers, offering them exclusive use of the property without the distraction of guests. Whether meeting urgent deadlines or embarking on new creative ventures, residents will find the uninterrupted time and space essential for literary creation.
In addressing structural barriers within the literary world, the RSL’s initiative comes as a response to census findings showing their Fellowship heavily concentrated among London-based, highly educated professionals. The Scriptorium Awards aim to democratise access to writing spaces, with selection criteria focused primarily on talent and track record rather than traditional markers of literary success.
•Featured image: Bernardine Evaristo at the Booker Prize 2022 winner ceremony © Booker Prize Foundation
