Local writer wins national award

A SHETLAND writer is one of 11 people to receive a prize from a Scottish Book Trust initiative which recognises new talent.

Hannah Nicholson, who is originally from Brae, was selected in the fiction and narrative non-fiction category of the book trust’s 2021 new writers awards.

This means she will receive £2,000 as well as support including mentoring from writers and industry professionals, training opportunities, and the platform to showcase their work to publishers and agents.

Nicholson, who now lives in Aberdeen, is known to write in Shetland dialect.

She won the Shetland Library young writer of the year award in 2005 before heading south for university.

Nicholson was a runner up in the 2009 Keith Wright Memorial Prize and studied MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen before completing an MSc in Information and Library Studies at Robert Gordon University.

Some of her work has been published in the likes of Gutter, Northwords Now, Causeway and Silk & Smoke, as well as in some student publications.

Speaking about her award win, Nicholson said: “It really cheered up a dreich and dull December day to be told I’d won a New Writers Award and I’m still processing it.

“This was my sixth try and it was worth the wait. I’m really excited to experience the opportunities it brings and to meet my fellow awardees.”

Scottish Book Trust CEO Marc Lambert said: “In uncertain times, it is more important than ever to celebrate and discover new writers in Scotland.

“Working within restrictions, Scottish Book Trust will support the awardees through online training, workshops and mentoring.

“As always, the standard of the applications were very high and we look forward to future publications from this group.”