TLC Free Reads.
What is the TLC Free Reads Scheme and how does it work?
In 2001 TLC received a pilot grant from Arts Council England. This enabled the provision of bursaried manuscript assessments for talented writers on low income. The scheme has since been expanded and is known as the TLC Free Reads Scheme, currently delivered in partnership with twenty-two literature organisations across all regions of England. Pen to Print is one of them. It is the only Arts Council supported national bursary scheme for low-income and marginalised writers giving free access to professional editing services, supporting these writers with the development of their work.
The TLC Free Reads scheme offers access to TLC’s core services to writers who under normal circumstances might not be able to afford them, across manuscript assessment, developmental editing, submission package reports, mentoring, membership to the Being A Writer community, and access to TLC events.
To find our more about TLC and what it offers visit literaryconsultancy.co.uk
How to Apply to the TLC Free Reads scheme with Pen to Print
- Pen to Print will accept any application on a first come first served basis. Email us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk with details of your idea and why you would like to apply for TLC Free Reads. We accept applications from writers who qualify and live in Barking & Dagenham and east London. We will then contact you to with a ACE Free Reads Application Form and to arrange a full submission to TLC Free Reads.
- Submit your work to Pen to Print: pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk. When you submit your work to Pen to Print, all submissions must include an ACE application form which will be sent to you by us and can also be found at: ACE Free Reads Application Form. Please include your proof of low income status. Please also ensure your manuscript adheres to TLC’s formatting guidelines before submitting.
- Your application will be filed with Pen to Print, and after some deliberation, if your submission is successful, your manuscript and application form will be sent to the TLC office. TLC has no say in the success of Pen to Print applications and our decision is final.
- Submission details:
- For all fiction and non-fiction extracts – please include a 1-2 page synopsis (not more than 1,000 words) or basic outline of your ideas and a description of your intended audience/market. Please also indicate what genre you are writing in.
- Send this along with your fiction and non-fiction extract which should be no more than 15,000 words long.
- For poetry – clients must include a total line count for each poem at the bottom of each poem, and include total line count of all the poems added together on the cover letter. Poems should be formatted in their intended publication format and not exceed 150 lines.
- For short stories – please include the total word count of each short story separately if necessary on the cover letter. Short stories should not exceed 2,000 words.
- All extracts should be consecutive and on numbered pages, ideally starting from page one, and not comprised of several extracts.
- Formatting for short stories and all fiction and non-fiction submissions should follow TLC’s formatting guidelines. All submissions must be double spaced and in a 12 point standard font.
- The Free Reads scheme NO LONGER accepts hard copy submissions. If this poses a problem, please contact Pen to Print on pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk , or TLC directly on info@literaryconsultancy.co.uk
- Once TLC has received and processed your manuscript, you will receive a confirmation email along with a due date for your report. Please do not contact the TLC office about your report before the due date.
- Your report will be sent within 4-6 weeks from the point of a TLC Editor being assigned, although this is not a formal guarantee.
- Once you have received your report, TLC will send you an evaluation survey which is incredibly important for TLC in order to manage the scheme. TLC also ask that you keep in touch with Pen to Print and/or TLC if you have any updates or success in regards to your manuscript.
- For anyone who does get published, TLC and Pen to Print are in a position to help them market their work and TLC and Pen to Print hope that we will be able to work together with the different regions to help promote these writers. This is also helpful in order to show our funder that this scheme continues to add value both to writers’ lives, and to the cultural and creative economy.
What constitutes ‘low-income’?
Current UK government guidelines suggest that low-income (household) equals 60% of the median household income. This is only a rule of thumb, but is a helpful guideline when assessing applications. According to the latest figures this would put the national low-income threshold at roughly £18,000 per annum income, with the London low-income threshold £23,000 per annum and below. For the purposes of the Free Reads scheme we are referring to your earnings in the last full financial year.
There are some helpful calculations to show how these margins are measured by the Government across the country. If you are a full-time student or pensioner, or in receipt of any kind of Universal Credit, you are eligible to apply for a TLC Free Read. You may also submit HMRC self-assessment paperwork to show you are low-earning if you are self-employed and not in receipt of income support.
If you have any questions about your eligibility that you would like to discuss with TLC in confidence, please get in touch directly by sending TLC an email: info@literaryconsultancy.co.uk. If you have a question about the application process, please get in touch with us at Pen to Print pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk in the first instance as our application process may differ from other organisations.
