About Historical Fiction Residencies
Two Caribbean historical fiction writers will explore Glasgow’s Mitchell Library archives and one Scottish historical fiction writer will undertake archival research in the Caribbean. The three writers will share resources about how to work creatively with history, and will engage the public in events on the same theme.
Outcomes
During their research, the writers will take part in a public outreach programme in both Scotland and the Caribbean and host partners will plan public events for them. We are asking participating writers to prepare a toolkit on the theme, addressing questions such as:
• What is historical fiction?
• How do you work with archives?
• How does research feed into fiction?
• Where are the places to look, people to approach, methodologies etc.?
The toolkit and all resources, which come out of the programme, will be available to all partners involved.
Partners
The British Council is delivering this project in partnership with the Mitchell Library, Glasgow Life, and Commonwealth Writers. The lead partners in the Caribbean are still being decided but are likely to be based in either Trinidad and Tobago or Jamaica, with links to resources and archives on the smaller islands.
The project is in association with CaribLit, an organisation. The Cariblit website serves as a central resource for writers and publishers to gain information on publishing, marketing, distribution and book-selling in the Caribbean and to share their expertise and best practices. The initiative was founded by BOCAS Lit Fest, Commonwealth Writers and the British Council, but is owned by its members and the collective in the region.