Deadline: Wednesday 26 August 2026, 11.59pm BST

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Shape Arts has partnered with The Literary Consultancy for another year to facilitate their Free Reads scheme which provides opportunities for professional feedback for low-income writers from underrepresented backgrounds. TLC, the UK’s leading literary consultancy, run the scheme every year, helping hundreds of writers on to publication, but its main aim is to support writers developing their work and honing their writing craft through structured constructive feedback.

Free Reads provides free access to a professional reader, who will provide written feedback on a sample of your work. The pool of writers will b e decided by Shape following a selection process. All selected writers will receive access to TLC’s ‘Being A Writer’ online portal for 6 months.

This service is available for extracts or full manuscripts across the following formats:

• Fiction
• Non-fiction
• Short stories
• Picture books
• Poetry
• Scripts
• Screenplays

Alongside the main Manuscript Assessments, TLC are offering additional support this year to apply to. This includes:

• Editor 1-1s
• Submission Package Reports

You can find out more about each of these additional support packages via the TLC website.

Who is eligible to apply?

In order to be considered for this opportunity you will need to be:

• A writer who is actively engaged in your practice, whether or not you are published or aiming for publication

• Self-identify as disabled * (see our resource on the social model of disability)

• On a low income (please note you will be asked to provide proof of receipt of benefits, tax credits, pay slip or short written explanation of your circumstances, do contact us if you wish further clarification)

• A resident of England

• Over the age of 16 (please note that proof will be required) 

• You cannot be part of a creative writing programme or longer writing course at the time of submission

• You cannot reapply if you received a free read last year

• The piece to be critiqued must be your own single authored original work, and not written as part of a collaboration

• All Free Reads are subject to TLC’s Manuscript Assessment Terms and Conditions. Please make sure you have read and understood these.

How to apply for Free Reads

Please complete the online application form at the following link on this webpage:

Need to apply another way?

On this webpage is a Word document version of the application. You may complete this form and email it back to us at [email protected]

📢 Listen to the audio summary of the application form questions:

📢 Listen to the FAQs:

Our FAQs form should answer questions in more detail, but if you need support or have a question, please contact us via [email protected] 

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Banner image description: Digital illustrations of books in various piles and laid open to reveal their pages, are arranged in a grid over a pale blue background. Black text across the centre, with an illuminating yellow highlight reads "Shape Arts x TLC Free Reads, Apply for free professional freedback of your writing.". The TLC partner logo covers a book bottom left.