Local author chosen for new initiative
A Lanarkshire writer has been selected for an initiative to help new authors ahead of the launch of her first book.
Elissa Soave will be part of Debut Lab which supports writers whose debut work published after December 2019 was affected by the pandemic.
Unveiled by the Scottish Book Trust, Debut Lab is funded by, and in collaboration with, Creative Scotland.
Elissa, from Uddingston, is delighted to have been selected as she looks forward to her debut novel, Ginger and Me, being published in July.
She has had stories published in various journals, including Gutter, New Writing Scotland, and the Glasgow Review of Books and won the inaugural Primadonna Prize in 2019.
Elissa said:“i am delighted to be taking part in Debut Lab. I look forward to learning more about building professional relationships, marketing, and funding opportunities –all vital for a debut author like myself, who would otherwise be diving headfirst into the unknown.”delivered remotely through a series of seven live-on-zoom workshops and online resources, Debut Lab will support writers affected by the pandemic.
Workshops include networking, marketing, author events and funding opportunities, and will be led by industry professionals including Mairi Oliver, owner of Lighthouse Bookshop, and writers Maisie Chan and Helen Sedgwick, as well as Creative Scotland’s Literature Team and Scottish Book Trust staff.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said:“being a debut author is daunting enough, but the pandemic and lockdown made it incredibly difficult for authors to promote their work.
“We hope to shine a light on this fantastic range of books, from children’s novels to collections of poetry. Our thanks to Creative Scotland for making this possible and allowing us to give essential support to this cohort.”
Katalina Watt, from Creative Scotland, added: “Creative Scotland is pleased to be working with Scottish Book Trust on this vital initiative for debut authors impacted by the pandemic.”