WRITE UP 2026: Submissions Now Open

Calling writers to get paid to share your work at WRITE UP 2026 in London

“WRITE UP is a fun, get-out-of-your-comfort-zone opportunity.” Natalie Lue (WRITE UP: CHRISTMAS)

A shared stage for new and emerging voices

WRITE UP started in 2025 with a simple idea, to crowdfund a new writing event that pays writers fairly and on time. It’s a space for new writing to be seen, heard and valued. Where writers at every stage can share their work, find their people and grow in confidence.

Diversity of human voices matters now more than ever

Humans have shared stories for millennia, like us, do you believe human authored storytelling still has huge value in today’s digital age? If your answer was YES, here’s the exciting thing, everyone who attends is part of the magic of WRITE UP. Let me tell you more.

WRITE UP is a writer-led platform building new spaces for underrepresented voices in literature. It is free to enter, and we pay the writers selected to read their original stories to a live audience at a literary event in London.

You have until midnight on Sunday 6 September 2026 to enter 500-1000 words of original writing in prose, poetry or dramatic monologue on the theme of VOICE. It can be something you’ve written for WRITE UP or a piece you’ve already completed, as long as it fits the criteria.

Be part of this London writing community event by submitting to read, becoming a sponsor and coming along to the main event in London on 7 November 2026.

If you know a writer who’d fit right in, please share this post and encourage them to get involved.

“Being part of WRITE UP is a chance to bring stories to life that don’t often get told. It’s an opportunity to connect with others through honest, lived experiences.”

Micaela J Ralph (WRITE UP 2025)

Submissions Theme for 2026: VOICE

Submissions for WRITE UP 2026 are now open and we’re inviting you to share a piece of work inspired by the theme of VOICE.

We’re looking for pieces that explore what it means to find your voice, lose your voice, reclaim your voice, or listen to the voices of others to showcase diversity of story and storytellers.

“Voices from the care system are still rare in the writing world, so being invited into this community feels powerful and necessary. It reminds me that our stories matter and deserve to be heard.” Matt Taylor (WRITE UP 2025)

Submissions should be between 500 and 1,000 words, although poetry may vary in length. When you think of why VOICE matters what excites you?

• A moment a voice was heard above the noise

• Revealing an untold story or forgotten history

• A space within the silence

• The melodrama of identity, family or belonging

• Discovering place through the senses

• Stepping into a magical, mystical or spooky experience

• Reworking an old tale from a new point of view

• Exchanging words spoken or written between adversaries

• Satire or uncovering a political dilemma

The choice is yours. These are a few prompts if helpful.

We welcome memoir, personal essay, poetry, short fiction and dramatic monologue from new writers, emerging writers and professional writers. Work can be original work or extract ideally around 6-8 minutes long.

Writers are also invited to choose a piece of music that sets the tone for their piece to share with the audience after their reading.

We are looking for words that come alive when read to an audience. Writers should consider how well their piece will work in a medium-sized venue.

“WRITE UP is such a special space where stories that might otherwise stay hidden get to be heard.”

Joanna Milne 🏺 (WRITE UP 2025)

Judging Criteria

We know choosing work is a responsibility. Our aim is not to find one “perfect” piece, but to create a night that celebrates a rich mix of voices and experiences.

WRITE UP aims to create a platform for a diverse range of writers in background, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, age and access to writing education. We’ll select a mix of established, emerging and new voices to create a rich and varied line-up.

Selection panel will consider:

• Voice and originality

• Emotional and intellectual impact

• Clarity and coherence

• Relevance to theme

• Performance potential

We’ll also consider how each piece fits within the overall night with attention to diversity, inclusion and community engagement.

Please only submit your original work and not AI generated content.

WRITE UP is created and funded by writers for writers. Please respect the time, cost and energy writers put into their submissions, the selection panel, and the donors and audiences who attend.

The theme is voice. We want to hear your unique voice, your point of view on the world. WRITE UP is founded on the principle that writing has value, please ensure your participation aligns with that belief.

“Events like WRITE UP helped me see that I really am a writer and that people want to hear what I have to say.”

Rachael B. (WRITE UP: CHRISTMAS)

Ask Questions

The WRITE UP team will be hosting Q&A chats. Please ensure you’re signed up to the newsletter to get the dates and times. You can submit a question in advance or ask live, and a replay will be available.

Over the coming week’s Amy I Beeson 🐝 Emma Simpson Tom Wentworth and Lauren Powell will be hosting events and Substack Live to explain what the selection panel is looking for, what to expect at WRITE UP 2026 and answer your questions.

Want to enter but having doubts?

WRITE UP is run by writers, and we understand. We know the fear of putting your words out into the world, the frustration of trying to find time to write, and the courage it takes to share something personal, especially when you’re stepping into something new.

Writer to writer, we get it.

If you’re unsure whether WRITE UP is for you, reach out to someone from the team or a previous writer and ask about their experience.

This isn’t about creating a space where writers are reduced to winners and losers. It’s about creating rooms where people come together to listen, encourage and value writing.

You don’t need to be on Substack to take part. But Substack is a place where writers connect, share ideas and find community — so if you’ve found yourself here, use it. Join a LIVE, ask a question in Notes, leave a comment, or start a conversation.

We’d love to hear from you.

Show your support

Crowdfunding will open soon so please help spread the word and show your support if you believe in the value of shared stages, new writing, and that writers should get paid.

If you’d like to make a donation directly, please get in touch. Donations made before crowdfunding opens don’t have platform fees deducted.

If you have ideas on funding or sponsors for WRITE UP, we’d love to hear from you. The more people involved the more we can shape this into something writers want and need.

“I’ve found the experience unforgettable. The one-to-one mentoring was incredibly supportive and guided my writing to places I hadn’t imagined. The workshop and feedback gave me so much confidence in my writing.”

Océane Meftah (WRITE UP: Studio)

WRITE UP is a writer-led movement creating new spaces for stories, voices and writers to increase their power by coming together. Rooted in London, WRITE UP is a welcoming literary home for all writers to who want to be part of a diverse community that models fairness and values creative ambition.

We’d love you to be part of it. You’ve got until midnight on Sunday 6 September to submit.

Love

Amy x

Amy I Beeson 🐝 is a British mixed-race author and memoirist based in London who grew up in a Staffordshire country village. She facilitates writing practice through workshops, retreats and monthly Writers’ Circle and Meet Ups, supporting writers to develop voice, confidence, creative momentum and community.

Her work explores memory, identity and belonging, often returning to questions of motherhood, class, race and family.

Alongside her writing, she works as a brand language creative and communications strategist at Wordsby and is the founder of WRITE UP, leading creative projects, campaigns and public conversations that connect people, ideas and culture.