Guest Northern Highlight - Edinburgh City of Literature

Guest Northern Highlight

Edinburgh City of Literature

Sian Bevan

 When did Edinburgh become a UNESCO City of Literature?

Edinburgh became a City of Literature in 2004 - the world’s first UNESCO Creative City. 

 

What are your aims for Edinburgh City of Literature?

Currently, we’re working on three main aims…

- developing a Literature House for Edinburgh

- sharing and celebrating our city’s literary story

- ensuring as many people as possible within our city benefit from the UNESCO Creative Cities network. 

Tell us about the wonderful libraries in Edinburgh.

Where to start? There’s the dramatic National Library of Scotland, which spans 15 floors (10 of which are below street level), and the beautiful Central Library right opposite, which was the first public library in the city and which is home to a fantastic Children’s Library - a beautifully designed space for younger readers. And then there are the local libraries, which are hidden gems around the city. Although services are digital at the moment, in normal times there’s a great variety within the library services - from the modern community hub in Craigmillar, to the delightful Morningside Library which dates back to 1904. 

What for you is the 'spirit of Scotland’?

For me, the Spirit of Scotland is welcoming new stories which shine new light on older tales and histories. It’s about understanding the narratives which have grown from Scotland, or come into Scotland throughout the ages, and understanding there’s always been space for new voices and new perspectives. 

Who for you are the great Scottish children’s writers?

When people think of Scottish children’s writing, they’re likely to either think of J.K. Rowling or Julia Donaldson, or perhaps more historically they might associate the country with Robert Louis Stevenson’s tales, like Treasure Island. These are, of course, great books but there are so many more. Historically, I really love the children’s stories of Catherine Sinclair, but it’s almost impossible to pick the greatest contemporary writer! In no particular order, I love the work of Vivian French, Debi Gliori and Simon Puttock for younger children. Chae Strathie and Pamela Butchart's books are super funny, and I’m really excited by the books of rising star Alastair Chisholm. (That was, I realise, a very long list, and I’ve still missed out loads of writers I love!) 

Why is it so important that we continue to promote children's books in Scotland?

It’s been said so many times that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success, but it’s something which I still come back to regularly. Promoting children’s books in Scotland isn’t just about creating future readers for the publishing industry, it’s about changing - and even saving - lives of young people by presenting worlds, hopes and opportunities for them. By promoting children’s books in Scotland, we can aim to get more books which represent more children - help them to pick up a book and recognise who they see and read about.

What would you like to see from children's publishing in Scotland? 

Like a lot of people, I’d like to see greater diversity of books and writers, and opportunities to hear a great variety of stories. I’d like to see financial support for early career-literary professionals, as it’s really the only way to help protect paths to diversity: there can be a long time of little or no money when working in the industry, which is something a lot of people can’t risk. This includes writers, but also things like unpaid internships for editorial assistants - the folk behind the scenes are just as crucial as the name on the cover for ensuring a thriving industry. 

 

I don’t have answers, but I’d like to find new ways of recognising and supporting talent, and providing some stability to level the playing field. I’d also like to see more Scots and dialect in children’s books. I really love the work of publishers like Itchy Coo, but I love reading children’s books where the characters talk like actual kids would in that area. 

You can find out more about Edinburgh City of Literature at their website and on Twitter and Instagram.