Association for Scottish Literature

The Association for Scottish Literature (formerly the Association for Scottish Literature Studies) is based in the University of Glasgow and promotes the study, teaching and writing of Scotland’s literatures and languages, past and present.

We publish scholarly journals and literary criticism; new editions of classic works of Scottish literature; companions and study guides; and – with the support of Creative Scotland – New Writing Scotland, an annual anthology of the best new short fiction and poetry in Scotland today, in English, Gaelic and Scots. We also publish the free ezine The Bottle Imp.

Each year, ASL holds annual conferences on Scottish writers in such diverse locations as Glasgow, Kirkwall, Edinburgh and Skye. We also hold annual conferences on Scottish literature and languages in the classroom. These schools conferences are suitable for CPD (Continuous Professional Development), and attract teachers from across Scotland.

Along with other Scottish literary organisations, and with the support of the Scottish Government, ASL campaigns for a greater appreciation, at home and abroad, of Scotland’s literary culture.

Established: 1970

Publications (yearly average): 8

Types of books published: Classic works of Scottish literature which merit a fresh presentation to a modern audience; anthologies of new Scottish writing in English, Gaelic and Scots; collections of essays and monographs on the literature and languages of Scotland; comprehensive study guides to Scottish writers. ASL membership is open to all. In 2020, a subscription of £60.00 (individuals) or £90.00 (corporate) buys: one Annual Volume; the latest edition of New Writing Scotland; Scottish Literary Review (2 issues); Scottish Language (1 issue). Special packages for schools and students are also available.

Submission details: Submissions are invited to New Writing Scotland. Please see the ASLS website for detailed submission instructions.

Association for Scottish Literature highlights

Sound of an Iceberg

Sound of an Iceberg: New Writing Scotland 37 is a collection of new Scottish poetry and short stories, published by ASLS

Marriage

A Regency-era Scottish literary classic, republished by ASLS.

International Companion to Scottish Literature

Title in the International Companions to Scottish Literature series offer essential insights into Scottish literary studies, covering key authors, periods, and topics from the medieval to the contemporary.

The Bottle Imp magazine

The Bottle Imp – a forum for opinion and exploration, rather than academic research.

A Kist o Skinklan Things

An anthology of poetry in Scots from the twentieth-century Scottish literary renaissance.