Kobo funding writing scholarships

E-Reader giant moves to improve standards of writing.

The Bookseller reports that Kobo and Curtis Brown have teamed up to create free scholarships for the Curtis Brown Creative courses.

The Kobo Writing Life Scholarship will be open to writers without the financial means to attend a Curtis Brown Creative course, creating a free place on each of their three annual courses.

Places on the six months-long novel-writing course usually cost £2,800, while places on their three-month novel courses and three-month children's writing courses are £1,600 each.

Anna Davis, director of Curtis Brown Creative, said: "Since we started the school in 2011 we have had lots of inquiries from people who haven't been able to pay for the cost of the courses. We wanted to make it available to as many talented writers as possible, and Kobo's partnership is helping us to do that."

The places will be open to single people with an annual salary of less than £20,000 and savings of less than £5,000, and married or co-habiting people with a total combined salary of less than £26,500 and joint savings of less than £5,000.

Mark Lefebvre, Kobo director of self-publishing and author relations, said: "Kobo Writing Life is dedicated to supporting authors and is committed to allowing them barrier-free access to readers anywhere in the world. Excellence in writing is critical and at the heart of an author's success and we are thrilled to be able to work with Curtis Brown Creative to help writers hone their craft."

Applicants must submit 3,000 words of their novel in progress, along with a synopsis and application form.