What we’re looking for:
This year’s theme is Great Junction.
The selection panel is looking for anything in length from a haiku up to
3,000 words. Your piece can be in any genre, for example: poetry, prose,
short story, non-fiction, drama script, opinion, etc etc. The word ‘Leith’
does not have to be included but Leith, in some form, should be present in
the work, however creatively expressed. Leith Writing has no objection to a bit of lingo, but anything gratuitously offensive will not be considered.
You can include a simple illustration or picture to accompany your text,
although you must be able to show that you have permission for us to use
it. We welcome creative typography, a handwritten piece, with its own
calligraphy and/or integrated decoration. This includes a graphic/comic
strip. Anything that cannot be re-formatted for our page must be scanned
as a pdf in its final form.
The anthology is primarily a collection of writing, but there may be room
for one or two free-standing images, captioned or titled or not. Page size: 20.7 cm x 13.3 cm. Artists: allow for margins within these outside measurements. See previous editions (in the menu above) for our house style. Printing of all text and images is monochrome.
The work should be your own and be original. If it has been published
before elsewhere, you will need to demonstrate that you have permission
for us to use it. Leith Writing makes no copyright claims on any material
we publish. The panel would like to include younger Leith voices, so please let us know if you’re under 18. We can give your age alongside your name on the page
if you wish. We are always looking for new voices, but if we have published your work previously you can try your luck again!
We are unlikely to choose anything we think has had help from artificial intelligence.
How to submit your work:
Please send a copy in either Word or pdf format to: hello@leithwritings.co.uk
You must include your name and contact details in your email. Please also
put your name on each page of your submission.
Please complete the following statement and include it with your submission:
I am the creator of the work above titled [… …]. I assert that it is not the subject
of copyright with any other body, and I hereby give permission to Leith Writing
to publish it in the forthcoming annual edition 105 and online.
Signed [… …] date [… …]
When to submit your work
The closing date for us to receive entries is Monday 30 June 2025.
All entries will be sent to the selection panel. Selection will be on the basis
of merit and in pursuit of a balanced, interesting anthology. We will contact you in the first week of September with our decision. The launch of the 2025 edition will be on the evening of 3 November 2025 at a local venue. We will invite the creators of all selected work to present their piece.
Hard copies will be available to all, and they will be distributed around
Leith and beyond as a free issue. It will also be online.